Christopher Balch recognized as the only Local Government Fellow in Georgia by the International Municipal Lawyers Association

Christopher Balch recognized as the only Local Government Fellow in Georgia by the International Municipal Lawyers Association

At its 88th Annual Conference in LaQuinta, California, Chris Balch was recognized for his demonstrated excellence in Local Government Law by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. The IMLA Fellows program requires a detailed and thorough application process in which the applicant must demonstrate a commitment to representing local governments by virtue of their training, experience,…

BLG Quickly Obtains Summary Dismissal of Baseless Ethics Charge against College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom
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BLG Quickly Obtains Summary Dismissal of Baseless Ethics Charge against College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom

The Firm is proud to have been asked to represent Mayor Bianca Motley Broom in a politically motivated and unfounded ethics complaint filed by two members of the City Council. We submitted a substantive response to the allegations made by the complainants on June 23 challenging the timeliness, procedural effectiveness, and merits of the complaint….

At IMLA – How Drones Can Save Money & Lives While Maintaining Privacy
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At IMLA – How Drones Can Save Money & Lives While Maintaining Privacy

Our firm was proud to present to the International Municipal Lawyers Association Mid-Year Seminar in Washington, DC in April. In tandem with Brookhaven Police Lieutenant Abrem Ayana, we presented on the policies, procedures, and operational guidelines governing the Brookhaven program. Our work on behalf of local governments has always been at the forefront of the…

It is always time to do what is right
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It is always time to do what is right

The firm’s local government law philosophy is to work with elected and appointed officials and to provide a pathway to accomplishing the policy goals they set for their city or county while assuring they are in compliance with their city’s or county’s charter and state and federal law. Sometimes it’s very hard to do both….

Leading the Legislative and Legal Initiatives to Bring Brookhaven City Hall to Life
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Leading the Legislative and Legal Initiatives to Bring Brookhaven City Hall to Life

The City of Brookhaven undertook an unusual mechanism to fund infrastructure and construction of the 10 year old City’s first City Hall. By amending the Charter, the City Council clarified the apparent intent of the City’s Founders that only the taxes assessed to establish the City’s Annual General Fund budget were to be capped at…

International Municipal Lawyers Association Honors Chris Balch
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International Municipal Lawyers Association Honors Chris Balch

At this year’s International Municipal Lawyers Association conference in Portland, Oregon, Chris was thrilled and humbled to accept the Marvin J. Glink Private Practice Public Entity Attorney award, following a glowing speech by IMLA’s executive Director and General Counsel Amanda Karas. This award is established to honor the memory of Marvin J. Glink by recognizing…

Glink Private Practice Public Attorney Award Goes to Chris Balch
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Glink Private Practice Public Attorney Award Goes to Chris Balch

We’re thrilled and honored to announce that Christopher Balch is the 2022 recipient of the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) Glink Private Practice Public Attorney Award. The Award recognizes a lawyer specializing in the representation of local governments, but in private practice, for outstanding contributions to the field of public agency law by representation of…

The Positive Impact of Urban Redevelopment Authorities – Chris Balch in the AJC
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The Positive Impact of Urban Redevelopment Authorities – Chris Balch in the AJC

Brookhaven has discussed creating a URA for several years, City Attorney Chris Balch told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Redevelopment agencies create another financing option for developers, who can use them to access tax-free loans. In return, the redevelopment agency has negotiating power over how new projects look and feel. This can vary from the construction materials used in…

Chris Balch has been named a Georgia Super Lawyer for 2021
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Chris Balch has been named a Georgia Super Lawyer for 2021

Nominated by his clients and affirmed by his colleagues, Chris Balch has been named a Georgia Super Lawyer for 2021. This recognition is made for the quality of the advocacy and dedication to client success Chris has demonstrated throughout his career. Selection is limited to just 5% of lawyers in the state. The firm is…

Congratulations to Brookhaven on your 8th Birthday
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Congratulations to Brookhaven on your 8th Birthday

Eight years ago on the 12th of December, Brookhaven, Georgia, officially began operations as Georgia’s newest municipality. From those early days to the present, the community rallied around progressive policies of creating livable and workable spaces for all of its citizens. In that effort, the City Council has proposed and supported the creation of a Public…