Carmichael Clark represents a wide variety of municipal and government clients, including:
- Cities
- Municipal corporations
- Water, water and sewer districts
- Metropolitan park district
- Regional air pollution control authority
- Other local government entities
The firm acts as general counsel to many of its municipal clients, providing legal advice and representation in a broad array of matters. In this role, the firm’s goal is to help municipal clients understand their own concerns and goals and their relationship to the relevant law, thereby allowing the municipalities’ elected and appointed officials and staff to make good, legally sound decisions that are right for the municipality.
Carmichael Clark’s municipal practice includes representation in counseling and litigation capacities in the following areas:
- Land use policies and disputes
- Zoning policies and disputes
- Risk management
- Commercial transactions
- Employment and labor relations issues
- Criminal prosecution
- Municipal/private partnerships
- Personal injury/tort defense
- Environmental issues
The firm’s lawyers also work hand-in-hand with its real estate developer clients to provide effective and efficient advocacy before state and local governments regarding land use, zoning, and permitting issues. This includes advocating before city and county permitting departments and city and county councils. Carmichael Clark’s has a long history in Whatcom County and Northwest Washington, which has given the firm unique insight into the needs of the businesses and developers who work here. The firm’s extensive municipal experience provides a unique edge allowing it to achieve its clients’ goals in a timely and cost-effective manner when dealing with local governments throughout Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties.
With many of the firm’s attorneys active in civic organizations in the region, Carmichael Clark is also intimately familiar with the current and emerging public policy issues facing the region and the firm’s clients.
