Lauber Municipal Law

Serving those who serve the public

Joseph G. Lauber

Managing Member

Rated 10 by Avva Rating

Firm Number: 816-525-7881
Cell Number: 816-509-7881
Email: jlauber@laubermunicipal.com

General Overview

Joe Lauber established Lauber Municipal Law in 2010 and practices in the areas of general municipal law, public facility/infrastructure construction and financing, economic development law, public works contracts, annexation, land use planning and zoning, and appellate law. Prior to forming Lauber Municipal Law, Joe was an attorney with a “boutique” municipal law firm located in Lee’s Summit. Before that, Joe worked at the region’s busiest municipal bond law firm, where his practice was focused exclusively on economic development law. Starting out, Joe worked in the public law/public finance division at one of Kansas City’s largest law firms. While attending law school Joe worked as the Law Clerk at the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Before enrolling in law school, Joe worked for six years as an independent sales agent in the building materials industry. Joe resides in Lee’s Summit with his wife, Sheri, and their two children.

Education

University of Missouri — Kansas City, J.D., 2003
The Urban Lawyer, Editorial Associate
UMKC Law Review, staff member

University of Oklahoma — Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in Legal Studies, 1995

Bar Admissions

Missouri, 2003
United States District Court, Western District of Missouri, 2003
Kansas, 2004
United States District Court, District of Kansas, 2004

Honors/Recognition

Missouri Municipal Attorneys Association Lou Czech Award, 2020

Designated an International Municipal Lawyers Association Local Government Fellow, 2019

Selected as Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers “Rising Star” for State and Local Government Law 2011, 2012, and 2013

MML’s Municipal Governance Institute, Fellow (2014–present)

Relevant Legal Experience

  • Appointed City Attorney of Lawson, Missouri, since 2008; Peculiar, Missouri since 2016; Lake Winnebago, Missouri since 2017; Butler, Missouri since 2017; Odessa, Missouri since 2017; Grain Valley, Missouri since 2019; Plattsburg, Missouri, since 2019; Holt, Missouri, since 2020, and New Hampton, Missouri since 2020; and Sedalia, Missouri since 2021
  • On-call special counsel for general municipal issues to the cities of Independence, St. Joseph, Kearney, Branson, Moberly, Blue Springs, and Pleasant Valley, Missouri
  • Special economic development counsel to the cities of Grandview, Grain Valley, Lexington, Sedalia, Jefferson City, Butler, Pleasant Valley, and Harrisonville, Missouri
  • Appointed Public Officer of Fairway, Kansas, 2003–2005
  • Knowledgeable in a wide variety of day-to-day municipal law issues including drafting ordinances, open meetings and open records laws, municipal authority issues, contract review, negotiation drafting, and interpretation, zoning, subdivision, and planning, personnel issues, and election law
  • Drafted amicus curiae brief on behalf of Missouri Municipal League in both the Missouri Court of Appeals-Western District and Missouri Supreme Court in prevailing wage law case
  • Drafted amicus curiae brief on behalf of Missouri Municipal League in the Missouri Court of Appeals-Eastern District in case regarding city authority to impose health, safety, and welfare ordinances on county facilities constructed within a city’s boundaries
  • Assisted in-house client as special counsel to develop procedure and documents needed in impeachment and removal of an elected official
  • Extensive experience in tax increment financing and the formation and ongoing administration of Transportation Development Districts and Community Improvement Districts, including elections for district sales taxes
  • Extensive experience in Missouri annexation law obtained in litigation support for a successful annexation challenge on behalf of a municipal client
  • Experienced in code drafting, including development codes and a comprehensive licensing ordinance for the registration of rental properties

Professional Affiliations

International Municipal Lawyer’s Association

League of Kansas Municipalities

City Attorneys Association of Kansas, Associate Member

The Missouri Bar

Missouri Municipal Attorneys Association, Board of Directors (2012–2019; President 2017-2018)

Missouri Municipal League, Participating Affiliate; member Economic Development Committee

Missouri Main Street Connection, Secretary of Board of Directors (2011–2021)

Missouri Economic Development Finance Association (MEDFA), Board of Directors (2011–2014)

Civic and Community Involvement

Honorary Warrior “Father of Shining Heart,” Tribe of Mic-O-Say

District Commissioner At-Large, Boy Scouts of America, Heart of America Council, Thunderbird District

Troop Committee Member, Boy Scout Troop 220, Lee’s Summit, Missouri (2011–present)

Costa Rica Mission Team Member, South Summit Christian Church (January 2010)

Secretary, Board of Directors of the South Summit Christian Church, Lee’s Summit, Missouri, (2007–2008); property manager (2014)

 

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