Speaker will discuss important takeaways for local government from the events occurring in Ferguson, MO. Particular emphasis will be placed on the fines and fees issue as well as the role of municipal courts in promoting procedural fairness and the fair rule of law.

Model Rule 4.2, commonly referred to as the “No Contact Rule,” governs communications with persons represented by counsel and, at its core, provides:In representing a client, a lawyer shall not communicate about the subject of the representation with a person the lawyer knows to be represented by another lawyer in the matter, unless the lawyer has the consent of the other lawyer or is authorized to do so by law or a court order. Intended to preserve the proper functioning...

A recent benchmarking study of municipality websites revealed that 40 percent failed accessibility tests. These results are troublesome in light of the ADA’s legal mandate that the operations and services of local governments, including their websites, are accessible to individuals with disabilities who make up over 15% of the population. The U.S. Department of Justice not only is moving forward with promulgating regulations to govern website accessibility, but also is pursuing legal actions against those municipalities and local governments whose...

Once your local government leases its property or a structure for a cell tower, you will routinely receive offers to buy the cell tower lease for a lump sum payment (often plus a percentage of future revenues), coupled with a long term (or perpetual) easement. The most common question is whether these are good deals for governments. This program, taught by John Pestle, Esq. and Jonathan Kramer, Esq., both highly experienced local government telecommunications attorneys, covers (1) how to determine...

Speakers: Chris Petrini & Christopher Brown 2017 Distance Learning

Speaker: Jack Ryan 2017 Distance Learning

A discussion of recent Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions against state and local governments and officials, developments in Municipal  Securities Rulemaking Board rules affecting advisors to state and local governments, and other securities law developments relevant to municipal bond issuers.

Speaker: John Wilkerson 2017 Distance Learning

Speaker: Dolores Dorsainvil 2017 Distance Learning

As federal law and FCC regulations carve more deeply into local government zoning authority, and federal courts hand down decisions interpreting those law and regulations, cell tower zoning and regulation by state and local governments has materially changed. The new FCC Wireless Siting/6409(a) rules; the FCC Shot Clock; new-builds of macros, small cell, and DAS sites creates new challenges for local governments to balance the federal rules with preservation of local land use controls. Governments around the country are in...