The Municipal Litigation Practice Group is proud of its long-standing service to the many governmental entities and individual public employees that it is privileged to represent. Our attorneys couple substantive legal knowledge with polished, creative and aggressive advocacy in this important field of law at all levels of the judicial system, including the United States Supreme Court.

Defending municipalities, police departments, commissions, and individual officers from law enforcement liability claims is a primary aspect of the group's work. In this respect, the group's lawyers have defended claims filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging illegal search and seizure, false arrest, improper investigation, improper use of police standards, excessive force, improper high speed pursuit, selective enforcement, selective prosecution, negligent hiring, training and supervision, as well as claims of municipal liability premised upon the alleged creation and implementation of an unconstitutional departmental custom, practice or policy. In addition, the Municipal Litigation Group defends governmental employees against general state law tort claims of negligent and intentional misconduct in violation of state law.

The group's trial attorneys bring years of civil and prosecutorial experience to the litigation of these issues. At both the trial and appellate level, they litigate issues including preservation of qualified immunity for law enforcement conduct, free speech and religion claims, politically motivated arrests and prosecutions, invasion of privacy, damage to reputation, grand jury abuses, and prisoner rights. Attorneys in the group also frequently represent municipal boards, officials, and employees in land use and zoning matters and employment related claims. Educational institutions at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels often engage us on matters ranging from personal injury and constitutional issues, to such important developing legal areas as teacher-student sexual harassment or student-student sexual harassment.