Michael Bedsaul joined Sands Anderson in 2001, bringing deep insight into the unique needs of local governments and the private sector. For more than 16 years, he’s represented local governments, departments of social services, and other public agencies. Michael applies his legal talents within the firm’s Government Group and Employment Law Team. His diverse capabilities focus on municipal litigation, local government law, employment law, defense of civil rights claims, and representation of local departments of social services.

Michael serves as Agency Attorney for the local departments of social services in the City of Galax and the counties of Wythe, Carroll, Bland, and Floyd. He serves as Assistant Galax City Attorney where he served as its City Prosecutor for over nine years. He has represented the local departments of social services in the counties of Pulaski, Smyth, Stafford, Tazewell, Louisa, Mathews, Grayson, Rockbridge Area, and the City of Radford. His clients also include the New River Valley Juvenile Detention Home and the New River Valley Regional Jail.

Michael works intelligently and efficiently as he serves clients, and his government and litigation experience includes:

• Obtaining a defense judgment after two-day federal jury trial in malicious prosecution and conspiracy action
• Defending a board of supervisors member against alleged violations of RICO and other white collar crimes in federal court
• Defending successfully multiple § 1983 suits against a regional jail
• Representing localities in employment matters, including grievance hearings and proceedings before the VEC and EEOC
• Representing matters involving Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the FLSA, FMLA, ADEA, ADA, and other employment laws
• Representing local departments of social services in child protective services, foster care, termination of parental rights, adult protective services, and employment matters
• Defending a Virginia county against suit filed by town for breach of public utility agreements
• Representing a locality in suit for breach of fiduciary duty against town clerk
• Representing a locality in the abolition of a constitutional office

As a steadfast ally to his social services clients, Michael’s experience includes:

• Representing in all legal proceedings concerning child protective services, removals in abuse or neglect cases, foster care, termination of parental rights, entrustment approvals, relief of custody, delinquency, and CHINS cases
• Representing in adult protective services matters, including appointments of guardians and conservators, judicially authorized medical treatment, and emergency orders for adult protective services
• Appealing of administrative findings of abuse or neglect and challenges to adoption assistance agreements before the Virginia Department of Social Services
• Appealing before the Virginia Court of Appeals in termination of parental rights cases
• Managing out-of-family investigations of school personnel and child care providers
• Helping to ensure compliance with Title IV(E) funding eligibility and other funding requirements
• Representing requests for disclosure of confidential departmental records
• Reviewing personnel and departmental policies
• Representing on personnel matters, including disciplinary actions, grievance proceedings, and claims filed with the Virginia Employment Commission and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Helping to ensure compliance with state and federal employment laws.