- Criminal DefenseMichigan State Law Review. While attending law school, Phil worked as a clerk at the firm. He also has experience in criminal defense, prosecution, and intellectual property.
- Business DisputesBefore joining the firm, Tim was General Counsel for a school district and served as an attorney for municipal entities. He provides counsel on civil litigation, teacher tenure hearings, breach of contract disputes, collective bargaining agreements, grievances, labor arbitrations, Open Meetings Act, Michigan Revised School Code, Public Employment Relations Act, formal complaints filed by citizens, violations of the Payment of Wages and Fringe Benefits Act, Student Code of Conduct violations, and a variety of other laws.
- Construction ContractsIn his practice, Fredric primarily serves public entities in financial, transactional, construction, and election matters. In public finance, he serves as counsel to school districts and municipalities issuing bonds, notes, installment purchase contracts, and equipment leases. He also advises and serves as underwriter’s counsel to investment banks underwriting the issuance of municipal securities and regularly speaks at conferences on public finance and transactional law. Fredric frequently drafts vendor, service, and construction contracts as well as advising school districts and municipalities on the Open Meetings Act and general board or organizational matters.
- Wrongful Termination
- Employment DiscriminationCathleen advises clients in areas of labor and employment, special education, civil rights issues, board governance, student rights, and discipline. She has provided trainings in the areas of employment discrimination law, special education law, and Title IX to both school personnel and attorney groups, including to the Arizona School Board Association, the Arizona State Bar, the Arizona Council of Administrators of Special Education, and the Arizona School Administrators Association.
- Employment ContractRevised School Code Section 1229 establishes deadlines, timelines, and procedural requirements for nonrenewing an administrator’s (but not a superintendent’s) expiring employment contract. Because the statutory nonrenewal timeline requires at least 90 days lead time before the employment contract’s termination date (i.e., April 1 for a contract ending June 30), we recommend starting the nonrenewal process no later than March 15 for contracts that will expire on June 30. Failure to follow the...
- Employment LitigationMichigan's public employers must navigate ever-changing and complex labor and employment laws on a daily basis. Faced with contract negotiations, harassment claims, layoff/recall decisions, employee misconduct, ADA and FMLA compliance, and other labor and employment issues, public sector employers turn to Thurn Law Firm for assistance. Widely recognized as leaders in representing Michigan public employers, Thrun Law Firm's labor attorneys have decades of collective experience advising schools and other public sector clients in all areas of labor and employment law. Thrun Law Firm's statewide experience in contract negotiations and labor litigation is unmatched, allowing us to spot bargaining trends and creatively solve labor disputes effectively and efficiently. Thrun's attorneys are well versed in state and federal regulations and have successfully represented public employers in labor and employment litigation in administrative tribunals and state and federal courts. Whether we are at the bargaining table or representing your interests in an administrative tribunal or court, our labor attorneys have the legal expertise to provide practical, cost-effective solutions for the labor and employment issues public employers face.
- Real Estate Litigation
- Construction LitigationRaymond M. Davis has practiced with the Thrun Law Firm since 1999, focusing his practice on labor and employment law, general school law, construction law and general civil litigation. Prior to joining the firm, he practiced for the multi-national law firm of Hunton & Williams, and the North Carolina firm of Cranfill, Sumner & Hartzog, where he was a partner and head of the employment practices group.
- Real Estate Transactions
- Eminent Domain
- Land Use and Zoning
- Tax LawVendors and leasing companies usually are not familiar with laws affecting Michigan schools, resulting in the LPA provisions that may violate state law or federal tax law. In most cases, those errors are not discovered until late in the process when legal counsel reviews the financing documents, and correcting those errors may cause significant delay. Because most leasing companies are reluctant to change their form documents, school officials may be left with the difficult decision to either delay equipment delivery to secure alternative financing or sign an unfavorable and potentially unlawful agreement.