The ever increasing complexities of the operations of local, state, and federal governmental entities gave rise to the establishment of our governmental law practice area. Our attorneys advise and represent governmental entities of various types, including municipalities, counties, school districts, water and utility districts, hospital districts, airports, among others. We also represent private clients of the firm in a myriad of legislative and regulatory legal matters at the local, state and federal levels.

LITIGATION

Strasburger is actively involved in representing governmental entities, public officials, and employees in administrative proceedings and in litigation in federal and state courts. Some of the cases include matters arising from:

• Annexation and Boundary Disputes
• Appraisal and Taxation Disputes
• Bidding, Contracting, and Leasing
• Bond Issuances
• Building and Construction Contract Disputes
• Civil Rights
• Condemnation (including inverse condemnation) and Right-of-Way
• Conflicts of Interest
• Employment Discrimination
• Environmental
• Interlocal Contracts
• Labor and Employment
• Land Use and Zoning
• Liability Insurance and Self-Insurance
• Licensing and Permitting
• Motor Vehicles
• Open Meetings and Open Records
• Parks and Recreation Accidents
• Police Law Enforcement Liability
• Public Official Liability
• Tort Claims
• Traffic and Highway Design and Maintenance
• Utilities and Utility Regulation
• Water Law
• Worker's Compensation

OPERATIONS

Strasburger is actively involved in representing governmental entities in the following business matters:

• Formation, Consolidation, Abolition/Dissolution of Municipalities
• Conversion of Municipalities from General Law Status to Homerule Status
• Annexation and Boundary Procedures and Matters
• Preparation, Revision and Adoption of Ordinances and Resolutions
• Preparation, Revision and Adoption of Policies, Rules and Regulations
• Compliance with Open Meetings Act
• Compliance with Public Information Act
• Compliance with Competitive Bidding/Competitive Proposal Act
• Determination of Conflicts of Interest
• Compliance with Environmental Law
• Preparation, Review and Revision of Contracts/Leases (including contracts for professional services, architect, engineer, surveyor, appraiser and other consultant, high technology, fuel, real estate, construction, materials, equipment, personal services, water supply, water rights, utility services, franchise, intergovernmental, power pole use, utility system acquisition, boundary designations and settlements)
• Acquisition and Disposition of Real Estate/Easements
• Regulation of Land Development
• Regulation of Land Use, Structure
• Regulation of Businesses and Other Activities
• Law Enforcement, Police and Public Safety
• Street, Highways, Roads, Transportation, Motor Vehicle and Traffic Safety Matters
• Utilities (including water, wastewater, water reuse, electric, gas, cable t.v., storm drainage, bio-solids and solid waste)
• Mergers and Acquisitions of Utility Systems
• Election Matters and Procedures
• Franchise Matters
• Taxation and Debt Financing Matters
• Labor and Employment/Workers Compensation
• Licensing, Permits and Other Regulatory Matters
• Legislative legal matters at the local, state, and federal levels
• Rights, Powers, Duties, Obligations and Limitations of Governmental Entities
• Rights, Powers, Duties, Obligations and Limitations of Governmental Officials and Employees
• Legal Opinions on all of these matters

REGULATORY, LEGISLATIVE AND LOBBYING

In addition to public entities and officials, our attorneys represent private clients in regulatory and legislative legal matters at the local, state, and federal levels. By way of example, the firm engages in lobbying activities at the federal, state, county and municipal levels, and represents the interests of various non-governmental clients before federal, state and local regulatory agencies, such as the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Public Utility Commission, the Texas Health Department, the State Board of Insurance, the Texas Motor Vehicle Commission, the Texas Department of Transportation, and the Texas Comptroller's Office, among others.

PREVENTIVE LAW AND RISK MANAGEMENT

In addition to an intensive litigation practice, the firm's governmental law team provides legal advice and assistance to public entities and officials on a broad spectrum of legal issues, including those outlined above. Through the wealth of experience and expertise of the attorneys in this area, the firm is able to provide extensive legal educational and training services for governmental entities and public and law enforcement officials throughout the state and country in efforts to help them to recognize and reduce liability risks.

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS

Cities – Abilene, Addison, Allen, Bridgeport, Center, Cockrell Hill, College Station, Denison, Denton, DeSoto, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Georgetown, Grand Prairie, Heath, Highland Park, Kaufman, Lancaster, Laredo, Marlin, Mesquite, Nocona, Pampa, Pearland, Plano, Pleasanton, Richardson, Rockwall, Rowlett, San Antonio, Texarkana and Tyler.

Counties – Denton, El Paso, Ellis, Johnson, Matagorda and Rockwall.

Others – San Antonio Water System, Dallas County Mental Health Mental Retardation.

School Districts – Alamo County Community College District, Birdville I.S.D., Carroll I.S.D., Carrollton-Farmers Branch I.S.D., Cedar Hill I.S.D., Collin County Community College District, Dallas County Community College District, Dallas County Schools, Denison I.S.D., Duncanville I.S.D., Highland Park I.S.D., Keller I.S.D., Longview I.S.D., Marshall I.S.D., Quinlan I.S.D., Rockwall I.S.D. and Weatherford I.S.D.

Insurers and Self-Insurers – Federated Insurance, Gulf Insurance Co., ITT Hartford, Specialty Risk Services, Republic Insurance, St. Paul, Texas Association of Counties Self-Insurance Fund, Texas Association of School Boards, Texas Municipal League Self-Insurance Fund, Texas Political Subdivisions Joint Self-Insurance Funds, and Titan Insurance.
  

     
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