Municipal Law
Abrams Fensterman boasts experienced attorneys in a multitude of practice areas of concern to local governments, including municipal and environmental law and litigation, public sector labor law and litigation, land use law and litigation, government contracts, commercial litigation, personal injury, civil rights, First Amendment and discrimination litigation, government relations and regulatory representation, telecommunications matters, investigations, and ethics issues.
The scope of our local government practice ranges across all areas of local government law – attending board meetings, counseling the governing board, land use boards, and local government administrators, preparing local laws, notices, resolutions, decisions and opinions, advising on compliance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, the Open Meetings Law, the Freedom of Information Law and other state and federal laws, and preparing and negotiating contracts – other than bond work.
As land use counsel, we have drafted land use and environmental laws, advised planning boards, zoning boards of appeals, architectural review boards and harbor and coastal zone management commissions, reviewed environmental assessment forms and environmental impact statements, drafted decisions for local land use regulatory bodies, and defended those decisions when they are challenged in state and federal court.
Our attorneys also have extensive experience in all aspects of municipal litigation in both state and federal courts, and in arbitration, having represented our clients in many such actions and proceedings.
Our Municipal Law Services
The scope of our municipal practice spans all areas of local government law. For municipalities we serve as general counsel, we provide the full range of legal services required by local governments: attending board meetings; advising governing bodies, land use boards, and administrators; preparing local laws, resolutions, notices, decisions, and legal opinions; ensuring compliance with SEQRA, the Open Meetings Law, FOIL, and other state and federal requirements; and drafting and negotiating contracts (other than bond work).
We also have extensive experience in municipal litigation in state and federal courts and in arbitration.
Our attorneys regularly handle Article 78 proceedings involving land use and other municipal actions, civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, contract disputes, real estate controversies, and related matters at both the trial and appellate levels.
Representative matters include successful defenses of:
- The City of Yonkers in a proposed class action arising from fire inspection fees
- The City of New Rochelle, Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Larchmont, and Village of Pelham Manor in a Clean Water Act citizen suit
- The Town of Greenburgh in litigation involving a petition for village incorporation
- The Westchester County Department of Health in a CERCLA matter
- The City of White Plains in federal litigation concerning the placement of a group home
- The County of Rockland in an action challenging redistricting legislation
- The Village of Pelham Manor in litigation opposing the installation of a cell tower
- The Village of Mamaroneck in multiple Article 78 proceedings involving land use and ethics determinations
As labor counsel, we negotiate and draft collective bargaining agreements, defend grievances and arbitrations, prosecute disciplinary actions, and represent municipalities before the EEOC, NYSDHR, and in state and federal courts.
As land use counsel, we draft zoning and environmental legislation; advise planning boards, zoning boards, architectural review boards, and coastal commissions; review environmental assessments and impact statements; prepare board decisions; and defend municipal determinations in litigation.
We advise municipal clients on burgeoning issues, such as short term rental legislation, solar farms and small cell tower installation. We have negotiated the successful implementation of developer community benefit agreements.
As a multidisciplinary law firm, we provide our municipal clients with immediate access to experienced attorneys across numerous practice areas. When specialized issues arise—such as intellectual property claims, complex litigation, environmental matters, or appellate work—we draw on the firm’s depth to ensure comprehensive, timely support.
Why Clients Choose Abrams Fensterman
The attorneys who work in our local government practice are extraordinarily experienced in all aspects of municipal, land use, and environmental law, as well as litigation and appeals. For example:
- Bob Spolzino served as the Village Attorney of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco from 1988 to 1995 and the Village Attorney for the Village of Mamaroneck from 2017 to 2025.
- Roland Baroni has been the Town Attorney for the Town of North Castle since 1982, for North Salem since 1990, and for Somers since 2006.
- Lisa Florio represents the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of North Salem.
- Mary Desmond represents the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of North Castle.
- Mike Towey represents the Town Board and the Planning Board of the Town of
- Joe Eriole was the Village Attorney for New Paltz for five years, was the Town Attorney and prosecutor in LaGrange and Union Vale, was the Planning Board Attorney for the Towns of Washington, Union Vale, and Kent, and was the IDA counsel for the County of Ulster.
Clients We Represent
Our attorneys have represented or presently represent as general counsel or special counsel the Comptroller of the City of New York, as well as the following municipalities and public entities:
Cities
• New Rochelle • White Plains • Peekskill • Yonkers
Towns
• Beekman • Greenburgh • Eastchester • North Castle • North Salem • Somers
• Mamaroneck • Kent • LaGrange • Ramapo • Orangetown • Union Vale
Villages
• Mamaroneck • New Paltz • Pelham • Pelham Manor • Larchmont
• Mount Kisco • Briarcliff Manor • Canaseraga • Washington
Other Entities
• Fire Districts (Belfast, Belmont, Friendship, Hinsdale)
• Yonkers City School District
• Additional municipal clients across New York State
We serve as principal labor and employment counsel for the Yonkers City School District and the Nassau University Medical Center, and as special counsel for the Village of Mamaroneck, the Town of North Salem, and the Pound Ridge Library District. We were also recently retained as Town Attorneys for the Town of Beekman in Dutchess County.
CONTACT OUR LAW FIRM
We look forward to the opportunity to speak with you further about serving your legal needs. Contact us on Long Island at 516-328-2300, in Brooklyn at 718-215-5300, White Plains at 914-607-7010, Rochester at 585-218-9999 or Albany at 518-535-9477 to schedule an initial consultation.
