State & Local Governments
At Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, we have represented virtually every type of governmental entity in the state, including the State of South Carolina and its agencies and institutions, counties, municipalities, school districts, special purpose districts, hospitals and joint agencies.
Our local government attorneys have a broad understanding and deep experience representing municipal and county governments and providing them with advice and counsel on the complex legal challenges and opportunities that face these organizations.
OUR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:
- Advising on council member legal and ethical responsibilities, including developing and following processes for addressing conflicts of interest and appearances of conflicts of interest
- Representing public bodies in lawsuits involving FOIA
- Representing clients on the issuance of municipal bonds and private activity bonds
- Advising on economic incentive matters and projects
- Offering employment law advice and counsel, and representation of the entity before any administrative agencies, tribunals or courts in employment-related claims or litigation
- Representing municipalities in the negotiation of annexations, development agreements and PUD zoning provisions
- Representing municipalities on condemnation matters
- Advising on real estate matters, including permitting and entitlement, financing, leasing, acquisition and disposition and being well-versed in easement and land dispute matters
- Representing clients in environmental matters before administrative, state and federal courts
- Counseling on the ramifications of receiving governmental grants and on complying with requirements that often accompany such grants
- Advising governmental entities on compliance with federal entitlement programs including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
- Advising governmental entities on matters pertaining to affordable housing
- Advising government bodies on procurement-related issues, including providing counsel and training concerning procurement policies and ordinances, preparing bids, requests for proposals, request for qualifications and other solicitation documents, drafting, reviewing and negotiating contract documents and advising on contract awards
- Counseling on numerous development and inducement agreements, either on a standalone basis or as part of a public infrastructure financing
- Advising on FOIA policies that address open meetings requirements, responses to FOIA requests, executive session parameters and preparation and retention of minutes
- Creating and advising multiple joint action agencies and preparing intergovernmental agreements to guide the operation and management of such agencies
- Counseling on permitted investments under State law, including with respect to GASB 45 compliance and to complex interest-rate exposure management practices
