Municipal Law

Keeping Your City or Town Running Smoothly

Our firm provides legal representation to a number of public entities such as Cities, Towns, Water Districts, Public Trust Authorities and other Oklahoma Political Subdivisions.  Representing these entities requires broad expertise in the Open Meeting Act, the Open Records Act, the Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act, the Oklahoma Competitive Bidding Act, Oklahoma Purchasing and Budget laws as well as public employment law and public contracting requirements that are unique to the thousands of Oklahoma governmental entities possessing corporate status and serving the needs of residents in a specific geographic area of the state. Generally, governmental subdivisions are referred to as municipalities. Municipalities derive their authority from the supreme power in the state and are typically operated by varying forms of governing bodies comprised of elected and/or appointed officials who are responsible for directing the affairs of the municipality through the promulgation of laws, policies, and regulations.     

Our firm acts as a municipality’s attorney for all legal matters or special counsel for specific legal matters. We also assist in ensuring that the day-to-day operations of the municipality and any matters enacted by its governing body comply with local, state, and federal laws. These laws include those that may affect any potential liability of the municipality and those elected or appointed individuals and employees involved in its operations. The practice of municipal law encompasses a wide range of issues including, but not limited to the scope of the municipality’s police power, employment, and labor issues, real estate, zoning and land use matters, economic development, imposition of taxes, public bidding and contracts, tax assessments, environmental regulations, and access to public meetings and public information.

Municipal attorneys can also act as private legal counsel, providing services for individuals, partnerships, corporations, and other entities in their encounters, both adversarial and non-adversarial, with governmental entities.  Finally, a municipal attorney may act as an advocate for municipalities and private entities before various courts, administrative agencies, and the municipality’s various boards and commissions.

When engaged by a political subdivision, the members of our firm consider themselves team members to allow the municipality to operate smoothly and legally in compliance with state and federal law and to assist the governing body and staff in improving the quality of life for the community and its citizens. If your political subdivision needs legal representation, we are always available to discuss how we can help your community accomplish the goals that it strives to meet.