Public Entity and Civil Rights Litigation

Marshall Dennehey has been a pioneer in providing regional defense representation to insurers and self-insured organizations for over 60 years. From offices conveniently located near the state and federal courts throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio and New York, the attorneys of our Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation Practice Group have extensive experience successfully representing and defending all manner of public risk claims and litigated disputes involving municipalities, school districts and other public corporations, including their officials and employees. 

Public entity liability encompasses a broad range of claims against local governments, including police departments, zoning officers, public works agencies and school districts. Our attorneys commonly defend local governments against claims in the nature of:

• Law enforcement liability for wrongful search and seizure, excessive force, improper vehicular pursuit, false arrest, and malicious prosecution under state law and the federal civil rights statutes;
• Claims against public school districts alleging improper student discipline, inappropriate student contact, bullying and sexual abuse;
• Land use regulation and permit disputes brought under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and state zoning laws;
• Due process claims under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, First Amendment protected speech claims, discrimination claims and student transportation accidents; 
• Employment practices liability claims of all descriptions brought under state and/or federal law, including discrimination claims lodged with the EEOC and the equivalent state administrative investigation agencies;
• State tort claims for personal injuries and property damages brought under the governmental immunity statutes and laws unique to each state;
• Claims against elected officials alleging political, gender or racial discrimination, defamation or violations of rights to freedom of speech, equal protection, due process of law and freedom from retaliation. 

Our attorneys regularly collaborate with each other to discuss litigation tactics, case resolution strategies and developments in the law, providing our clients with the assurance they will receive uniformly high-quality representation. We handle every case with a practical, results-oriented approach that balances strong representation with realistic cost containment. 

We welcome the opportunity to work with you in handling your public entity and civil rights litigation. On request, we would be delighted to provide you and your claims team with training seminars, at your location or virtually, on any public risk topic.