Municipal Law

Nowlan Law has over 130 years of experience advising and representing Wisconsin cities, towns, villages, counties, fire & EMS districts, and schools.  Nowlan has developed a comprehensive understanding of the unique legal needs and challenges that local governments face throughout Wisconsin.

Our Municipal Law team understands and respects that community public relations and economic realities are important and specific to each municipality.   Our attorneys have extensive knowledge and experience in everyday issues confronting municipalities, including the following:

• Compliance with Open Meetings & Public Records Law
• Compliance with Wisconsin Ethics Laws
• Drafting Ordinances – notices, publications, enforcement, and constitutional standards

• Bids– lowest responsible bidder
• Best value contracting
• Purchase and sale of real estate
• Construction
• Intergovernmental agreements

• Labor rights, discrimination, and wage laws
• Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Termination and Discipline

• Traffic control and parking
• Nuisances – regulation and abatement
• Liquor licensing and regulation

• Zoning, building, and construction codes
• Platting and subdivision regulations
• Land use entitlements
• Condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowner associations
• Historic preservation
• Annexation and disconnection of property
• Comprehensive Plans
• Public-private ventures and partnerships
• Servitudes, easements, licenses and covenants
• Conditional uses
• Urban redevelopment

• Construction related claims
• Open meetings and public records 
• Employment disputes
• Enforcement of ordinances
• Land use disputes
• School and education
• First amendment issues
• Adult entertainment regulation
• Civil rights claims
• Eminent Domain

• Gas and electric franchises
• Cell phone towers
• Easements
• Right-of-way issues
• Solar power developments
• Wind power developments

• Environmental regulation compliance
• Sustainable development -- wetlands, shorelands and flood plains
• Livestock sightings and contaminated property
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)

• Government takings
• Regulatory takings
• Condemnations & raze orders
• Inverse condemnations
• Eminent domain

• Property taxes
• Tax incentives & credits, including tax increment financing
• Tax levy increases
• Board of review and assessment challenges
• Special assessments – for major capital and public improvements
• User Fees – when available and reasonableness
• Impact fees

• City, town, village and fire departments 
• Counties
• Volunteer Fire Protection Associations
• Fire & EMS Services
• Formation & representation of fire districts
• Drafting and enforcement of intergovernmental agreements

• Expulsions
• Independent hearing advisors