Practice Areas
Law Relating to Governmental Entities
Cities, counties, hospitals, schools, universities, joint agencies and special-purpose districts routinely call on Pope Zeigler to help determine the most cost-effective and legally proper means to structure their revenues and obligations, to finance important public projects, and to respond to general governmental law questions. In many cases, the advice from our lawyers has allowed clients to find ways to structure important governmental projects that otherwise would have cost more to finance or would have been impossible to pursue at all.
Types of governmental law projects we undertake for clients:
- Advice on governmental powers and procedures including statutory and constitutional limitations.
- Assisting in the acquisition or sale of water and sewer or other utility systems.
- Assisting clients in disputes concerning service territories, annexations and interpretation and administration of intergovernmental contracts.
- Helping clients set up capital sales taxes programs, hospitality fees programs, development impact fee schedules and new water and sewer rates.
- Negotiating and finalizing development agreements related to public services, and the zoning and development of large tracts.
- Advising in the acquisition and merger of utility systems and special districts.
- Assisting the client in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests.
We also have helped clients draft and propose legal changes to reduce the cost of projects or to allow important projects or financings to go forward with greater certainty. The firm is comfortable appearing before legislative committees to present and explain changes our clients need.
Pope Zeigler provides legal services only and does not provide financial advisory services to its clients.