Michael J. Watza heads the governmental litigation and affairs practice at the Kitch firm. Mr. Watza's areas of concentration include litigated, legislative and administrative solutions on behalf of municipal, non profit and private sector clients.

Mr. Watza represents clients in state and federal trial courts throughout Michigan and has argued in both the State and U.S. Court of Appeals as well as attended to regulatory matters before the Michigan Public Service Commission, Tax Tribunal, Department of Labor and Economic Growth and Federal Communication Commission. Mr. Watza has also represented his clients' interests before the U.S. Congress and the Michigan State Legislature as a witness, client advisor, negotiator or drafter of legislation on various issues including energy, telecommunications, cable, pipelines, the formation of inter-governmental authorities and tort reform.

Mr. Watza serves as general counsel for a consortium of several dozen Michigan municipalities with unique interest in local government right-of-way issues.

Mr. Watza serves as a member of the Michigan Gaming Control Board and as chairman of the City of Novi Economic Development Corporation. He also is a council member of the Michigan State Bar Association Public Corporation Law Section and Administrative Law Section, and a member of the Covenant House Central School Board of Directors in Detroit, Michigan.

Mr. Watza serves as chairman of a panel of the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. He has been an adjunct member of the Michigan State University Law School faculty, teaching "Ethics and the Practice of Law," and currently serves as a commercial mediator for the Wayne County Mediation Tribunal.

Mr. Watza is a graduate of the Detroit College of Law and Michigan State University.