Attorney Barry N. Covert appeared on WGRZ-TV Channel 2 News to provide legal analysis of the City of Buffalo’s ongoing litigation involving the Seneca Nation and the demands the dispute places on the City’s Law Department.
The report examined the City’s efforts to stop construction of a Seneca Nation gas station project on Miami Street, the complex legal questions surrounding the dispute, and the broader workload facing Buffalo’s staff of attorneys.
Legal Challenges Involving the Seneca Nation
The City of Buffalo has pursued legal action challenging the Seneca Nation’s development of a gas station and convenience store on property in Buffalo’s Old First Ward.
During his interview with WGRZ, Barry Covert discussed the resources required to pursue the litigation.
“The city of Buffalo will be using a lot of resources to try to prevent this development from happening on the Seneca property or in challenging whether it’s even Seneca property rightfully or not,” Covert said.
The City has also filed a separate federal lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of the Interior’s decision concerning the property’s legal status.
Covert explained that the federal litigation could involve substantial government legal resources and require attorneys to examine a complicated history of federal law and treaties involving the Seneca Nation.
“You’ve got to go back through the treaties going back to the early 1800s,” Covert explained.
Buffalo’s Law Department Faces a Demanding Workload
Beyond the Seneca Nation litigation, the WGRZ report examined the extensive responsibilities of Buffalo’s Law Department.
The new report examined the number of attorneys the city has on staff, their budget, and the scope of the attorneys’ responsibility for the city.
WGRZ asked whether the City’s attorneys have sufficient resources to manage these responsibilities while pursuing complex litigation involving the Seneca Nation.
Covert emphasized that municipal attorneys must continue meeting their legal obligations regardless of their workload.
“They have too much work. They have to meet all of the requirements. They can’t walk into court and tell judges we don’t have enough people to handle this litigation. That’s not an acceptable answer,” Covert said.
Full New Report and More Information
Click below to watch the video of the full report that aired during WGRZ’s news broadcast. If you would like to learn more about Barry Covert’s legal practice or contact him for any questions, click here.
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