Education
J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1980
B.A., Wheaton College, 1976

Scott G. Smith is a member of Clark Hill’s Grand Rapids office, who co-chairs our Education and Municipal Law Practice Group, and concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal law, municipal finance law, environmental law, and condemnation law.

Scott serves as general legal counsel for the communities of Allegan, Grand Haven, Mackinaw City, Mt. Pleasant, Otsego, Plainwell, South Haven, and Sparta, and as special legal counsel for Grand Rapids, Greenville, Lake Odessa, Portland, Wyoming, and a number of other communities.

Scott has extensive experience in all aspects of municipalities and municipal endeavors, representing cities, townships, villages, counties, and myriad authorities and intergovernmental entities, such as brownfield redevelopment authorities, DDAs, TIFAs, EDCs, utility boards, joint fire and other emergency services boards, parks and recreation authorities, and other municipal bodies and entities.

He has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars on such topics as property acquisition and condemnation, environmental considerations in municipal property transactions, blight enforcement, legislation affecting local governments, medical marihuana, open meetings and freedom of information issues, zoning, planning and land use, relationships between municipalities and non-profit entities, intergovernmental contracts, annexation and Act 425 agreements, and the redevelopment of blighted and contaminated property.

After being involved in scores of intergovernmental contracts, Scott has recently drafted legislation to enhance municipal cooperation, collaboration and service consolidation. Named in 2010 by the West Michigan Business Review as a “Thought Leader in the Law” and to the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice of municipal law, he is also the co-author of “Understanding Township Franchises & Right-of-Way Consents,” Michigan Township News, June 2003.