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Okemos, Mich. — January 1, 2026 — Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC (FSBR) is pleased to announce that Cole Hedrick and Kyle O’Meara have been named Members of the firm, effective January 1, 2026.

Both attorneys’ paths to membership reflect the way FSBR measures leadership: consistent client service, sound judgment under pressure, and the ability to take ownership of complex matters. Kyle and Cole have each grown into trusted advisors who manage sophisticated work, deepen client relationships, and bring the steady, solutions-oriented approach public clients rely on.

“Cole and Kyle’s careers reflect what we strive to offer at FSBR—a place where attorneys can begin their careers, develop deep expertise, and grow into long-term leaders,” said Stacy Hissong, Member. “They have built their practices here by earning client trust, taking ownership of complex work, and investing in the people around them. We’re proud to see that growth continue.”

Cole Hedrick

Cole began with FSBR as a law clerk in 2016 and joined the firm as an attorney in 2017. He has since become a key leader within the firm’s Water Resources practice, developing deep experience in the legal and practical realities of public infrastructure.

Cole’s work focuses on public drainage projects under Michigan’s Drain Code and the property and agreement work that allows those projects to proceed. He supports matters from early planning through design, acquisition, bidding, and construction. His work includes easements, right-of-way issues (including condemnation when necessary), and coordination with development and utilities. His involvement across the full lifecycle helps clients manage compliance, documentation, and coordination when priorities, funding sources, and stakeholders converge. In addition to Drain Code work, Cole has played meaningful roles in multiple dam removal and river restoration projects, including necessary easement acquisition and contract negotiation that helped lead to successful grant-funded efforts to remove aging infrastructure, improve public safety, and restore river function.

Cole’s leadership is reflected in his approach. He identifies issues early, communicates plainly, and translates complex requirements into clear next steps for engineers, public officials, and project teams. He also brings a broader lens to the work through his involvement with the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners (MACDC), supporting professional education and legislative initiatives that strengthen Michigan’s water-management framework and advance the interests of the public clients he serves. Within the firm, he mentors law clerks and associates and helps lead project teams. Outside of his client work, Cole serves as an adjunct professor at Michigan State University College of Law, co-teaching Land Use and Planning. Cole was also recognized as an Ingham County Bar Association “Top 5 Under 35” honoree.

Kyle O’Meara

Kyle joined FSBR after clerking with the firm as a summer associate in 2017 and began his legal career at the firm in 2018. With a long-standing interest in public policy and local government service, he has built a practice advising municipalities on matters where legal strategy, public process, and practical implementation all must align.

Kyle’s work focuses on municipal, water resources, and administrative law. His work spans land use and zoning, renewable energy, inland lake level and lake improvements, special assessments, public safety, and professional licensing defense, among other matters. He is often called on when projects are complex or high-visibility, and he helps boards and staff navigate stakeholder pressure, regulatory requirements, and funding realities while keeping decisions legally defensible. Following Michigan’s widely publicized 2020 dam failures and spillway emergencies, he helped guide lake-level and restoration matters requiring coordinated governance, sustained public communication, and long-term project and funding strategy. He also continues to innovatively advise municipalities on utility-scale renewable energy developments, including helping communities impose creative conditions to protect the public, such as one that required deployment of Michigan’s first aircraft detection lighting system (ADLS) on a wind turbine project

As his responsibilities have expanded, Kyle has become a trusted point of contact for clients. He helps them evaluate options, understand implications, and make decisions they can carry out in practice. Kyle is an active writer and presenter on municipal topics and has been recognized as a Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star (since 2023) and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (since 2025).

Looking Ahead

As Members, Cole and Kyle will continue to lead complex client work and contribute to the firm’s long-term direction, supporting Michigan communities and public infrastructure projects with expert counsel and real solutions.

To learn more about FSBR, visit https://fsbrlaw.com

For media inquiries, please contact Mark Burzych, President