Todd represents counties, cities, legislatures, school districts, local development corporations and public authorities in litigation defense and provides outside general counsel services related to operational matters. He also advises organizations on commercial contracts and procurements related to public and private projects.
Complex Municipal Litigation
Currently, Todd represents 20 counties named in class action and non-class actions seeking surplus funds related to in rem tax foreclosure proceedings. All of these actions, in Northern, Western and Southern district courts, were commenced as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision rendered in Tyler v. Hennepin County, 598, U.S. 631 (2023).
Complex Federal Litigation
Todd provides practical financial and compliance counsel to municipalities and public benefit corporations, and to contractors conducting business with state agencies and local municipalities. Todd served as co-bond counsel to the City of Rochester from 1995-2007. He assisted with drafting the Rochester City School District’s Facilities Modernization Project Act. Todd also served as co-bond counsel on both Phases (I and II) of the Buffalo Public Schools Joint Schools Construction Project in 2004 and 2005.
In 2021, Todd provided counsel to Erie County in the drafting of Local Law 2-2-2021, which established significant new requirements for utilization of minority and women-owned business enterprises on county contracts. Todd served as legislative majority counsel to the Erie County Legislature in 2005 when he served as primary drafter of Erie County’s prior MWBE law, Local Law No. 9.
Business and Commercial Litigation
Todd represents companies and individuals in a variety of business and commercial litigation matters. He has had reported cases in the areas of municipal litigation involving procurements and inter-municipal agreements, commercial litigation (breach of contract, Article 78 Declaratory Judgment Actions), and employment discrimination. Todd has been involved in numerous jury trials, bench trials, commercial arbitrations and administrative hearings. He has represented both defendants and plaintiffs in several reported cases
expanding and interpreting various areas of law.
Diversity Compliance
Todd also provides organizations with compliance advice related to New York state and applicable municipal minority and women-owned business enterprise requirements. He also counsels with minority and women-owned businesses on obtaining their New York state M/WBE certification.