Haider A. Kazim

Overview

Haider A. Kazim is an equity partner and member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He works out of our Traverse City office where he concentrates his practice on municipal law, insurance defense, employment and labor law, and law enforcement defense and litigation.

Mr. Kazim represents municipalities in matters involving zoning and land use disputes, ordinance enforcement actions, tax tribunal appeals, contract negotiation, drafting ordinances, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Open Meetings Act (OMA) issues. He has successfully defended municipalities in both federal and state courts in a broad range of lawsuits involving wrongful discharge, discrimination claims, police excessive force cases, jail suicide cases, whistleblower actions, First Amendment claims and Section 1983 cases. Additionally, he frequently provides educational and training seminars on municipal topics to clients.

Practice Groups

Education

Michigan State University College of Law, J.D.

St. John’s University, B.A.

Honors

Michigan Super Lawyer, Top Rated State, Local and Municipal Attorney, 2014-2024

Selected as the Top Lawyer in the Grand Traverse Area, Record-Eagle’s “Hot 100″ list, 2013, 2011

Michigan Rising Star Top Rated State, Local and Municipal Attorney, Michigan Super Lawyers, 2012-2013

Dean’s List: Michigan State University College of Law, 2002, 2001

Jurisprudence Achievement Award in Juvenile Law

Who’s Who Among American Law Students, 2002

Memberships and Associations

State Bar of Michigan
Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association
Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys (MAMA)
Insurance Alliance of Michigan (IAM)

Presentations & Articles

Corrections Legal Update, Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA) Training Session, January 15-16, 2019
Editor of Michigan’s Open Meetings Act Handbook, distributed to members of the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA)

Representative Cases

Miller v Roscommon Township, et al (Michigan Court of Appeals 2007)

Mr. Kazim successfully represented the Roscommon County Road Commission in a case involving dedication of a road that was located partly within a platted subdivision and partly outside of the plat and ended at an inland lake. The Court of Appeals also held that a trial court is free to find, based upon relevant evidence that public entity has accepted a longer portion of a road than indicated in the public entity’s records.

Higgins Lake Property Owners Assoc. v Gerrish Township et al (Michigan Court of Appeals 2005)

The Court of Appeals agreed with Mr. Kazim that any signs posted within the public right of way under a county road commission jurisdiction must be posted only at locations designated by the road commission.