The Hubbard Law Firm has over 25 years of experience in the practice of drain law.  The Firm acts as general counsel for the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners and over forty individual county drain commissioners throughout the State of Michigan.  The drain practice includes providing legal counsel to Drain Commissioners regarding the statutory procedures involved in establishing, constructing, maintaining, repairing and improving county and intercounty drains.  The Firm also acts as legal counsel to numerous counties in the establishment of lake level special assessment districts and the maintenance, repair and improvement of water control structures for inland lakes, pursuant to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.  Moreover, the Firm acts as legal counsel on numerous lake improvement projects throughout the State of Michigan.

Through its representation of County Drain Commissioners, the attorneys at The Hubbard Law Firm represent our clients in a wide variety of issues related to public infrastructure projects, including:

• Preparation, review, acquisition and utilization of easements and other property interests

• Financing of municipal/drain projects
• Review and preparation of construction contracts and bidding documents
• Providing legal counsel regarding labor and employment law issues
• Review of environmental and other land use regulations
• Eminent domain
• Drafting of county stormwater management ordinances
• Providing counsel regarding the interpretation of numerous statutes, including the Michigan Drain Code, the Public Improvement Act, the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act and other statutes affecting Counties and County Drain Commissioners
• Providing counsel regarding the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act
• Acting as counsel for procedural challenges and assessment appeals before the Circuit Court, Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the Michigan Tax Tribunal
• Experience with the legislation and rules surrounding the Michigan Land Division Act, Michigan Condominium Act, Mobile Home Commission Act, and statutes involving governmental immunity
• Providing legal counsel on public improvement projects, including sanitary sewer projects pursuant to Act 185 of 1957 (MCL 123.731 et seq.) and other applicable statutes