Municipal Law
Pennsylvania has over 2,500 local government units consisting of counties, townships, boroughs, cities and school districts. Local governments deliver many essential services everything from emergency management, to public roads construction and maintenance, to regulating land development, to conducting elections for all public officials.
My role as municipal solicitor is to act as the local government's chief legal counsel or be part of the municipalities' legal team. My duties include initiating or defending suits involving local governments, rendering legal advice and providing all legal services required by local or appointed elected officials.
Zoning
Properly crafted zoning laws assure the right balance between sustainable growth and preservation of the heritage of the local municipality. Beneventano Law counsels in:
- Zoning — Appearances before zoning boards, zoning enforcement actions, and representing the municipality before Magisterial District Judges, Courts of Common Pleas, and the state appellate courts.
- Land Use — Assist local planning commissions in crafting effective land-use policies.
- Land Preservation — Counsel municipalities concerning land use litigation, conditional use hearings, curative amendment procedures, plus procedural challenges.
Civil Litigation
Civil litigation is the process by which citizens and their governments attempt to resolve disputes.
Sometimes this involves arbitration (referring a dispute to an impartial third person for decision instead of going to court); sometimes this involves mediation (attempting to bring about settlement by having a third party objectively identify weaknesses on both sides). Often it entails contested hearings or trials conducted in court before a judge or jury.
Beneventano Law counsels clients on many types of civil litigation, including contract disputes and land use problems.