Public Law

Related Services and Industries

Overview

Walter | Haverfield has provided general and special legal counsel to government bodies since its founding in 1932. Today, we continue to offer a wide range of services to municipalities, townships, school boards, special taxing districts and regional agencies throughout Ohio. Areas of representation include:

Administrative law and procedures
Awarding of contracts
Charters and amendments
Defense of civil rights actions
Defense of public officials
Eminent domain
Environmental law
Equal employment practices
Legislation, regulations
Public funding, tax abatements and economic development
Public improvement projects
Real estate and construction law
Regulatory compliance
Zoning and land use

Many of our attorneys also serve as law directors or assistant law directors for northern Ohio communities. We have successfully argued precedent-setting cases at all levels of the state and federal court systems, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Professionals

Experience

Our team's experience includes:

Representation of municipalities in litigation to establish the authority of a municipality, as a part of a council of governments, to lobby the state legislature on matters related to local self-government

Counsel elected officials, and developed municipal procedures designed to achieve the objectives of elected officials, without incurring litigation costs

Representation of a municipality in federal court to establish the legality of a minimum age to be a candidate for mayor

Representation of a municipality in a taxpayer’s action seeking to prevent the municipality from erecting a communications tower on municipally-owned property

Representation of school districts on matters wherein municipalities were seeking to regulate the districts’ development activities

Representation of a municipality in litigation related to a municipally owned golf course and development of municipally-owned property adjacent to the golf course

Counsel many public sector clients on the application of Ohio’s Sunshine Laws (the Public Records Act and Open Meetings Act) to difficult fact patterns

Negotiated easements with numerous private and public property owners to acquire rights to construct a $1 million public hike and bike trail in local village pursuant to a federal grant awarded by NOACA and administered as an LPA project through ODOT

Advised local village on the process to construct a new $4 million police station as a design-build project and prepared all necessary agreements, proposals, and ordinances

Negotiated purchase agreement and land reconfiguration with large corporate landowner for donation of land to the Cuyahoga County Public Library for the construction of new library in local village

Conducted multiple eminent domain proceedings in Cuyahoga and Summit County Probate Courts to acquire right-of-way for roadway projects, as well as to facilitate economic development and secure recreational green space

Ethics, elections, and campaign finance counsel to public entities

Assist municipalities with the development and administration of comprehensive Public Right of Way (PROW) management ordinances

Advised local government entities on the formation of a joint recreation district to preserve a 300+ acre property from development

Representation of public entities in zoning/land use litigation, including the defense of R.C. Chapter 2506 appeals taken from decisions of local Boards of Zoning Appeals

Representation of public entities in tort litigation involving the assertion of immunities and defenses under R.C. Chapter 2744

Amend codified ordinances for municipal clients to comply with U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA storm water management requirements

Representation of municipal clients in R.C. 2506 administrative appeals regarding land use and planning decisions rendered by planning commissions, boards of zoning appeals and councils at all levels – trial court, court of appeals and Ohio Supreme Court

Defended a mayor, council president and council members at trial before the Ohio Elections Commission on the issue of a campaign violation

Advise Joint Economic Development District (“JEDD”) on creation and expansion issues

Draft Tax Increment Financing (“TIF”) and Development Agreements with developers for construction of public infrastructure

Articles

Recognition

U.S. NEWS – BEST LAWYERS® 2018 “BEST LAW FIRMS” RANKINGS

National Tier 3: Land Use & Zoning Law

Metropolitan Tier 1 (Cleveland): Litigation – Land Use & Zoning; Litigation – Municipal; Municipal Law

Metropolitan Tier 2 (Cleveland): Land Use & Zoning Law

2017 RANKINGS

National Tier 2: Land Use & Zoning Law

Metropolitan Tier 1 (Cleveland): Litigation – Land Use & Zoning; Litigation – Municipal; Municipal Law

Metropolitan Tier 2 (Cleveland): Land Use & Zoning Law

2016 RANKINGS

Metropolitan Tier 1 (Cleveland): Litigation – Land Use & Zoning; Litigation – Municipal; Municipal Law

Metropolitan Tier 2 (Cleveland): Land Use & Zoning Law

2015 RANKINGS

Metropolitan Tier 1 (Cleveland): Litigation – Land Use & Zoning; Litigation – Municipal; Municipal Law

Metropolitan Tier 2 (Cleveland): Land Use & Zoning Law

2014 RANKINGS

Metropolitan Tier 1: Municipal Law; Municipal Litigation; Land Use & Zoning Litigation

2013 RANKINGS

Metropolitan Tier 1: Municipal Law; Land Use & Zoning Litigation

2012 RANKINGS

Metropolitan Tier 1: Municipal Law

Metropolitan Tier 2: Land Use & Zoning Litigation