Local Districts, Special Districts & Special Service Districts

Our Scope of Experience Serving District Clients is Unmatched.

Fabian attorneys are unmatched in their experience as attorneys providing general counsel services to local governmental entities across Utah. We represent local districts, special service districts, school districts, and municipalities in the following areas:

Legal Compliance. We provide advice on applicable Utah and federal laws, rules, and regulations affecting the operations of our local government clients, including such areas as the Open and Public Meetings Act; the Government Records Access and Management Act; the Utah Procurement Code; state and federal environmental regulations; state and federal employment laws; election laws; boundary adjustment, annexation, and withdrawal laws; and more. We have experience creating districts, dissolving districts, and converting special service districts into local districts.

Policies and Contracts. We routinely prepare, review, edit, and update district bylaws and policies, including in such areas as personnel (which by law must be reviewed at least annually by every local district and special service district), board meetings and minutes, travel, purchasing and procurement, customer relations, etc. We have a broad database of forms and templates we can draw on as examples and always tailor the forms to the unique needs of each local government client. We also routinely negotiate, draft, and edit contracts of all types, including agreements under the Interlocal Cooperation Act, construction contracts, employment contracts, development agreements, and customer service agreements.

Employment Law. We regularly provide advice on various employment-related matters to our local government clients. We provide advice on employee discipline, termination, and reductions in force. We provide advice on all applicable federal laws and regulations regarding employment, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and various anti-discrimination statutes. We provide advice regarding employment policies, contracts, and negotiations. We also address legal issues related to hiring, licensing, workers’ compensation, severance agreements, retirement, indemnification of district employees, and every aspect of the employment relationship.

Water Law. Fabian VanCott has a strong water law practice, and we are focused on water law as a sub-specialty of our local government practice. We advise clients regarding water conveyancing, change applications and application protests, water title issues, water easements, and federal reserved water rights.

Real Estate Law and Acquisition or Release of Easements. We frequently handle real estate transactions of all sorts, including purchases, sales, trades, easement acquisitions, and leases. This includes transactions with private parties as well as interlocal agreements for the exchange of parcels between another governmental entity and our client district. We aid governmental entities to comply with the Impact Fees Act and local land-use regulations.

Construction Contracts and Contractor Relations. We have experience with construction contracts and contractor relations, including working with AIA standard forms and applicable requirements of the revised Utah Procurement Code. Our work has included change orders, contract addenda and amendments, contractor disputes, and more. We assist districts in the procurement of architectural and construction services.

Meet our team of attorneys serving local districts, special districts, and special service districts below.