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Municipal & School Law

Our municipal and school law practice offers a unique blend of experience in municipal law, municipal authority law and school law. Our municipal attorneys counsel townships, boroughs, zoning hearing boards, municipal authorities and school districts on the wide range of issues confronting these bodies. In addition, we have extensive expertise in representing water, sewer and transportation authorities which are subject to specific codes and statutes. We represent these clients in all aspects of municipal law, including the following:

  • Acquisition, sale, leasing and development of municipal real estate, including acquisitions by condemnation
  • Zoning, subdivision and land development approvals and related matters
  • Municipal finance, construction, regulatory approvals and construction dispute resolution
  • Personnel matters
  • State and federal requirements
  • Contracting and public bidding
  • Litigation
  • Sewer and water projects
  • Ordinance enforcement

In addition, our municipal attorneys serve as counsel and special counsel for a number of school districts, providing advice to school boards, administrators, and committees in a variety of legal matters, including:

  • Preparing and reviewing contracts
  • Advice on new legislation
  • Teacher disciplinary proceedings and suspensions involving both discipline and layoffs
  • Labor relations and miscellaneous personnel issues
  • Administrative hearings before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Education
  • Special education
  • Charter schools
  • Municipal finance
  • Public works projects
  • Construction and leasing
  • Zoning and land development approvals
  • Real estate transactions and condemnation
  • Student disciplinary proceedings
  • Students’ rights issues
  • Real estate tax assessment cases
  • Tax collection issues
  • Litigation in state and federal courts
Training

Our municipal and school law attorneys in Chester County, PA are widely regarded as leaders in their fields and have lectured and provided trainings at the local, state and national level. They are available to speak at your place of business or municipality. Below are topics that they have presented on in the past or they can create or customize a training or presentation for your specific needs.

Topics Applicable to All Municipal and School Entities
  • Eminent Domain
  • Ethics for Governmental Leaders
  • Prayer at Public Meetings
  • Prevailing Wage
  • Right-to-Know Law
  • Sunshine Act
  • Use of E-mail by Governmental Leaders
Topics Applicable to School Entities
  • Bullying
  • Child Protective Services Law
  • Laws related to transgender and non-binary students
  • Student Discipline
Topics Applicable to Municipal Entities
  • Best Practices for Processing Subdivision and Land Development Applications
  • Cable Television Issues
  • Cellular Communication Towers
  • Comprehensive Plans
  • Funding Emergency Services
  • Medical Marijuana
  • Planning Commissions
  • Sign Ordinances
  • Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance Development
  • Zoning Hearing Board Best Practices
  • Zoning Ordinance Development

For more information, please contact us at 610.692.1371.

Municipal Attorneys

Ryan M. Jennings
Matthew N. Korenoski
Daniel S. LePera
Andrew D.H. Rau
Asha I. Steele
Amanda J. Sundquist
Ross A. Unruh
Fronefield Crawford, Jr., LLC – Of Counsel

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meet our elite team
West Chester, PA
17 West Gay Street
P.O. BOX 515
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 692-1371
Phoenixville, PA
120 Gay Street
P.O. Box 289
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(610) 933-8069