Miller Canfield's Don Schmidt Receives Distinguished Municipal Attorney Award
The law firm of Miller Canfield announces that Don M. Schmidt, a principal in the Kalamazoo office, has received the 2009 Distinguished Municipal Attorney Award given by the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys (MAMA). The honor is bestowed on an individual whose lifetime achievements exemplify the highest level of accomplishment in representing municipal interests.
Schmidt received the award at the MAMA Meeting on September 22 in Kalamazoo.
“Your insight into taking complex municipal legal issues and creating practical and understandable arguments for the Legal Defense Fund’s amicus briefs and your numerous presentations to MAMA on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Open Meetings Act (OMA) issues are only some of the many ways you have served Michigan communities,” said Stephen K. Postema, president of MAMA, in a congratulatory letter.
Schmidt is recognized as a preeminent authority on FOIA and the OMA, providing training and advice to municipal attorneys and officials across the state. At Miller Canfield, he assists all types of public entities—cities, villages, school districts, libraries, educational institutions and special authorities—in meeting the ever-increasing requirements of public agency law. In addition to FOIA and OMA, his specialty areas include intergovernmental agreements, economic development projects, PA 425 conditional land transfers, municipal utility matters, annexation, elections, construction contracts, zoning and planning, and bidding and contracting matters.
Schmidt received his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School and his B.A. from Kalamazoo College.