The lawyers at Rome McGuigan provide experienced, efficient and effective legal counsel to our municipal clients throughout central Connecticut. From advising local governments on charter revision to aggressively defending and trying multi-million dollar tax appeals, the lawyers in the Municipal Practice Group have a proven track record of success in providing counsel to medium- and large-sized towns in Connecticut. Our Municipal Law Department is Co-Chaired by Morris R. Borea and John W. Bradley, and also includes Richard P. Healey, Matthew J. Hoberman, Jonathan Chappell and Robbie Gerrick.
We currently represent several towns as Town Attorney, responsible for legal advice regarding all aspects of Town operations and for representing the Towns in all administrative disputes and litigation. We have also represented various municipalities in specific matters including labor relations, workers' compensation, civil rights actions and employment litigation. The depth and breadth of our practice provides us with the skills and resources to solve virtually any legal problem a municipality regularly encounters. This results in consistent quality and efficient delivery of legal services.
The following matters provide insight into the depth of our experience:
Litigation: We have represented Towns in Federal civil rights litigation and employment litigation as well as various statutory claims made in State Court. We have also represented towns in breach of contract, warranty and negligence claims against vendors of various goods, including a multi-million dollar emergency radio system and athletic fields.
Tax Appeals: We have successfully defended appeals taken by the owners of nursing homes, hotels, office buildings, industrial facilities and elderly housing complexes.
Administrative Appeals: We have aggressively defended numerous Freedom of Information complaints and have been involved in assisting Towns in responding to audits by various State Agencies regarding the expenditure of public funds.
Zoning Appeals: We have represented Towns in appeals from Planning & Zoning, ZBA, Historical District and Inland/Wetland Commissions.
Referendums: We have drafted legal opinions regarding the validity of referendum questions and the procedures to be followed in considering petitions for ordinances or referendums.
Charter Revision: We have participated in the Charter revision process in numerous towns, providing guidance as to the process to be followed as well as in the drafting of charter provisions.
Ordinances: We have drafted comprehensive noise, lighting and design review ordinances and have been involved in the review and drafting of revised planning and zoning regulations and other local development plans.
Construction Claims/Disputes: We have been involved in the bidding and drafting of construction contracts and the negotiation and resolution of construction claims encompassing a wide spectrum of municipal facilities, including municipal buildings and athletic fields.
General Municipal Law: We have been consulted regarding all aspects of municipal administration and Parliamentary procedure, including Roberts Rules of Order.
In addition to our legal work, we develop strong relationships with the key people that are responsible for the day to day operations of the Town. Earning the trust of staff members by keeping the Town's best interests first is critical to our successful representation of the towns we serve. We use these relationships to efficiently and effectively provide counsel and solve legal problems as they arise.
The unique blend of our experience with the depth of our practice uniquely qualify us to appreciate and understand how to practice successfully all areas of municipal law.
COMMERCIAL TAX APPEALS
We are effective in handling commercial tax appeals because we know the process from both sides. In addition to our success on behalf of the towns we represent, Rome McGuigan, P.C., has the distinction of securing the largest property tax refund ever ordered by a court in Connecticut. In 2001, the City of Meriden was ordered to pay a $15.6 million dollar refund to our client after a long and contentious trial that resulted in the record refund. While not every appeal is as substantial, the lawyers at Rome McGuigan, P.C., continue to represent businesses of every size and diligently apply our substantive and procedural knowledge to lensure that our clients' tax valuations are based on fair appraisals of their property and not their ability to pay.
Tax appeals are a fact of life in business today. We have the experience and resources to ensure that your appeal is resolved in the most efficient and favorable way possible, either by settlement or trial. We work to be the answer to your property tax problems. Over the last three years our lawyers have concluded over 60 tax appeals filed with the Tax and Administrative Appeals Court. We are well known to the Court's Judges and staff and are very familiar with many of the appraisers that appear before the Court. We have handled appeals involving hotels, nursing homes and industrial facilities. In most cases, these appeals have been resolved at the earliest stages of the litigation resulting in real savings to our clients. If a reasonable settlement is not possible we are prepared to try any appeal to a successful conclusion for our client.
Contact Us · 860.549.1000 · 866.588.6182
When you require a lawyer, we encourage you to call right away. We are concerned about your Town and are here to assist you. We have offices in Hartford and New London, Connecticut.
