At Bailey, Johnson & Peck, we are well-versed in the representation of municipalities and public bodies in Albany, NY and the Capital District. Our municipal law attorneys have held elected office and have been employed in positions such as town attorney, city attorney, and special district counsel, giving us a unique understanding of the factors that municipalities face. Over the years, we have represented numerous counties, cities, towns, and villages.
For our municipal clients, we provide general and special representation in matters of planning, zoning, ordinance drafting, and environmental law, as well as rem tax foreclosure and tax certiorari proceedings. We provide representation in the same matters for our private-sector clients before government boards and agencies.
Our municipal law attorneys also handle municipality liability, administrative and litigated proceedings before and on behalf of governmental units. Contact our office at 518-456-0082 for a free consultation today.
A municipality is basically a small governing body such as a city, a township, a village, a borough, a parish, a county, etc.
A strong and successful municipality must prioritize the basic needs of its people, promote economic development in the community, and manage and structure its finances. Most municipalities are responsible for things like:
Municipal liability can fall under the large umbrella of personal injury law. Basically, if a municipality, its services, or its employees cause injury or wrongful death to anyone, the injured party can sue for damages. For example, it is possible to sue an entire city if they cause you harm.
But municipal liability isn’t only limited to injury and death. Other legal issues include:
The municipal lawyers at Bailey, Johnson & Peck have handled a wide array of municipal law issues throughout the years. Listed below are common municipal law cases that our practice handles.
Whatever the municipal issue or injustice, you can rely on our extensive knowledge and experience to defend you in any courtroom proceeding.
If a municipality or its employees cause you harm, you can certainly sue for negligence. Individuals interested in filing a lawsuit against a city, for example, must complete the following steps.
Navigating a municipal lawsuit alone is not the best idea. Attorneys at Bailey, Johnson & Peck have extensive experience and knowledge of municipal law, New York State laws, and the legal theory of negligence.
The next step in suing a municipality is filing a notice of claim. The purpose of this notice of claim is to basically allow the municipality to privately settle the issue before heading to the courtroom. In your notice of claim, you should include the following information:
In New York, it’s crucial to file a notice of claim against a municipality within 90 days of your accident or injury. Failure to do so may result in a case dismissal.
The next step is to wait for a response from the city or municipality. Most of the time, the city will deny the claim. If they don’t deny it, they may offer you an incredibly low settlement offer in order to get you to drop the issue. In either scenario, you can choose to move forward by filing a lawsuit.
The next step is actually filing a lawsuit against the municipality. One of our attorneys can handle this for you. Once the lawsuit is filed, we’ll begin investigating and gathering evidence to support your claim. For example, if you were injured in an accident caused by a city-owned bus, we’ll gather evidence such as traffic camera footage, witness statements, medical records, etc. Additionally, we’ll calculate how much the city owes you in damages and prepare to fight for that compensation in the courtroom.
In most cases, municipalities will do what they can to settle legal issues outside of the courtroom. They generally do this through a settlement check. If their settlement check is too low or they fail to offer a settlement at all, they’ll have to attend the trial in order to settle the matter.
During the trial, we’ll present sufficient evidence that proves the city’s negligence towards you. Additionally, we’ll fight for fair compensation on your behalf. If the trial ends in your favor, you could win more than enough compensation to cover the damages incurred by the city.
“Municipal law” is the area of legal practice where we advise, defend, and represent local governments, public agencies, school districts, and municipal officials in matters involving liability, contracts, zoning, public-private partnerships, regulatory compliance and governance. Our Albany-based municipal law firm provides counsel throughout New York on these issues.
Our municipal law clients range from cities, towns and villages in the Capital Region of New York to school districts, special districts, public boards and municipal officials. We also act as outside legal counsel for local government entities and public-sector clients needing experienced representation.
The scope of our municipal law practice includes defending public entities and officials in claims of civil rights violations, governmental tort liability, land-use and zoning disputes, public contracting and procurement, election and campaign issues, infrastructure projects, environmental regulation compliance, and inter-municipal agreements.
When a public entity or official faces a liability claim — such as a Section 1983 civil rights action, personal injury in a municipal facility, or governmental negligence — we provide full-service defense. That means early case investigation, coordination of coverage issues, strategy development, negotiation or mediation, and trial representation if needed.
We counsel municipal clients on zoning board operations, planning commission matters, variances, eminent domain, public-private joint ventures, and infrastructure development. Often this involves advising on procedural compliance, drafting agreements, and defending decisions in court or administrative settings.
With decades of experience in municipal law in the Capital Region, we bring deep knowledge of New York municipal statutes, case law, local government operations and public-entity risk exposures. Our team keeps public clients out of unnecessary litigation while being prepared to defend firmly when risks escalate.
The optimal time is at the earliest stage of exposure — for example, when a public contract is being drafted, a zoning dispute arises, or a claim is filed. Early legal involvement helps preserve evidence, manage risk, and avoid costly litigation down the line.
To engage our municipal law practice, you can contact our Albany office at (518) 456-0082 or via our website. We’ll schedule a consultation to evaluate your municipality’s needs, review relevant documents, and propose a tailored legal plan of action.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in personal injury law, including car accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. If you have questions about insurance coverage and how to get the financial compensation you need, contact us today to see how we can help.
We have represented many clients on both sides of personal injury and insurance disputes. Let us use our depth of knowledge and experience to help you and your family get the medical care and financial compensation you need and deserve.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in personal injury law, including car accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. If you have questions about insurance coverage and how to get the financial compensation you need, contact us today to see how we can help.
We have represented many clients on both sides of personal injury and insurance disputes. Let us use our depth of knowledge and experience to help you and your family get the medical care and financial compensation you need and deserve.
