Local Government and Municipal Law

Local Government and Municipal Law Fayetteville, Cumberland County and Surrounding Areas

As Counties, cities, towns and their various agencies (“Local Government”) carry out their daily business they face a complex web of responsibilities and regulations. Likewise individual citizens and businesses are often left confused and angered by their interactions with Local Government. At The Michael Porter Law Firm we have experience representing both sides of issues involving Local Government & Municipal Law. We have represented the area’s leading Local Government clients in legal matters both large and small. Such clients include the Town of Garland, N.C. (current town attorney), Hoke County DSS (litigation counsel), the Public Works Commission, the City of Fayetteville, N.C. (subrogation counsel), the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority (litigation counsel), Cape Fear Valley Hospital and Eastpointe Mental Health (employment litigation counsel). Moreover, we have “stood up” to various counties, cities, towns and their administrative agencies on behalf of wronged citizens and businesses. We provide across the board representation with experience in the following areas:

Representing governing bodies, planning boards and boards of adjustment;
Police and Law Enforcement Liability;
Storm water system liability;
Drafting ordinances, land use codes and plans and local legislation;
Government employment and personnel law;
Negotiating and drafting annexation agreements, inter-local agreements and developer agreements;
Structuring economic and community projects;
Developing administrative enforcement procedures and code enforcement;
Trying condemnation cases;
Advising on procurement, purchasing and public bidding requirements;
Preparing Requests for Proposals and Requests for Qualifications;
Handling zoning, subdivision and other planning matters;
Defending annexation appeals;
Assisting in incorporation efforts;
Advising on utility and municipal service provisions;
Counseling on environmental and employment matters;
Representing cities and counties on general obligation issues;
Litigating municipal and county matters at the trial court and appellate levels, including; annexation, tort liability, land use and zoning and open meetings; and
Handling motions and trials for local governments on key issues.

Representative Matters in Local Government & Municipal Law:

Town attorney for Garland, N.C. Mr. Porter advises Garland’s Mayor, Board, town employees or any other officer of the town in regards to matters connected with the town’s business; prosecutes and defends suits against the town; attends meetings of the Board of Commissioners; draws such deeds, contracts, bonds, notes and other legal papers as may be required for the proper conduct of the town’s business ;drafts such ordinances as may be directed by the Board or Town Manager; and approves all ordinances as to form.

Outside litigation counsel for the Hoke County Department of Social Services for 2011-2013 for all personnel matters, child abuse cases, child support enforcement cases and adult protective services cases. In this role Mr. Porter took to adjudication and won cases involving the creation and distribution of child pornography, the torture of children and serious physical abuse.
Co-counsel on team of attorneys that together obtained $325,000.00 in a settlement from Bladen County for the estate of a man whom was “Tasered” to death by sheriff’s deputies. Attorney Porter was interviewed and featured on the front page of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, and was interviewed and featured in the Fayetteville Observer.

Mr. Porter represented the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority at the trial and appellate in State and Federal Court level in, inter alia, contract disputes, discrimination claims, landlord-tenant disputes and HUD complaints. An example of his work is Corbin v. Johnson, Fayetteville Metro Housing Authority, et. al., 2012 WL 3266725 (E.D.N.C.).
Mr. Porter was the outside subrogation counsel for the City of Fayetteville, N.C. wherein he attempted to recover monies from the responsible parties for damages caused to city property. This required Mr. Porter to coordinate with representatives from the North Carolina League of Municipalities and with the city attorney’s office.