Bio

Mr. Marzano concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal law and litigation, would serve as a staff member for the State of Michigan Department of Treasury team. He currently serves as City Attorney for Northville and Plymouth, and in that capacity, has experience providing daily legal advice and litigation support to the elected and appointed officials in those communities.

In addition to his duties as a city attorney, Mr. Marzano has expertise in the areas of Act 425 agreements; charter revisions; election law; land use, zoning and planning (including redrafting of master plans); ordinance drafting; contract interpretation/drafting/revision; brownfield redevelopment; and telecommunications (cable television franchises and right-of-way matters), as well as ordinance and misdemeanor prosecutions. He also represents municipalities before various state administrative boards.

Representative Client Work

  • Election Commissioner for two municipalities
  • Served as counsel for a Charter Revision
  • Handled various complex election issues
  • Handled various land use and zoning matters for both private entities and municipalities
  • Handled annexation matters for private entities
  • Represents several national retail companies in various aspects of commercial and premises litigation
  • Negotiated cable franchises on behalf of municipalities

Professional Affiliations

  • Oakland County Bar Association
  • State Bar of Michigan (Negligence Law Section)
  • Council on Litigation Management (Michigan State Chair; Premises Liability Committee Member) 
  • ALFA International (Hospitality Law Committee)

Publications and Lectures

  • “Taking Advantage of Michigan’s Broad Economic Loss Doctrine,” Michigan Defense Quarterly, Volume 15, No. 4, 1999.
  • Various lectures on issues dealing with premises liability
  • Various lectures on issues dealing with automobile/trucking liability
  • Various lectures on issues dealing with municipal issues
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Representative Client Work

  • Election Commissioner for two municipalities
  • Served as counsel for a Charter Revision
  • Handled various complex election issues
  • Handled various land use and zoning matters for both private entities and municipalities
  • Handled annexation matters for private entities
  • Represents several national retail companies in various aspects of commercial and premises litigation
  • Negotiated cable franchises on behalf of municipalities

Professional Affiliations

  • State Bar of Michigan (Negligence Law Section)
  • Council on Litigation Management (Michigan State Chair; Premises Liability Committee Member) 
  • ALFA International (Hospitality Law Committee)

Publications and Lectures

  • “Civility in the Law,” Presenter, ALFA International Hospitality and Retail Regional Conference, Chicago, Aug. 28, 2023
  • ALFA International 2021 Hospitality & Retail Law Compendium, Michigan Chapter
  • “Taking Advantage of Michigan’s Broad Economic Loss Doctrine,” Michigan Defense Quarterly, Volume 15, No. 4, 1999.
  • Various lectures on issues dealing with premises liability, automobile/trucking liability and municipal issues

Credentials

Education

  • Michigan State University College of Law, cum laude, J.D., 1995
  • Michigan State University, B.S., 1992

Admissions

  • Michigan, 1996

Honors/Awards

Honors & Recognitions

  • Michigan State University Law Review, Managing Editor
  • Clark, Klein, & Beaumont Award for Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Research, Writing, and Advocacy Instructor

Insights