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State and local units of government—including cities, townships, villages, counties, public authorities, drain commissioners, universities, and school districts—as well as nonprofit organizations in higher education, health care, and other sectors rely on Dickinson Wright’s public finance attorneys for bond counsel services. As a nationally recognized bond counsel firm, Dickinson Wright has more than sixty years of experience serving as bond counsel in public finance transactions.
Our lawyers are problem-solvers focused on the individual needs of each client and on creating legal solutions to satisfy those needs. When a client engages us to provide public finance advice, the client gains access not only to the collective experience of our public finance team, but also to the advanced concentrations we have developed across related areas. As a full-service law firm, our lawyers regularly collaborate with colleagues in real estate, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, corporate finance, tax, securities, environmental, and health care to address every potential point of concern that may arise.
Awards and Recognitions
In addition to recognition by The Bond Buyer, a national public finance publication, our lawyers have been recognized by Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers®, and Chambers USA for their work in public finance. Dickinson Wright’s public finance practice is listed in the top tier (Band 1) of Chambers USA rankings.
Our Services
Our public finance lawyers have served as bond counsel in virtually every type of public financing transaction. In addition, they have acted as underwriter’s counsel, issuer’s counsel, lender’s counsel, credit enhancer counsel, borrower’s counsel, and trustee’s counsel in connection with a wide range of tax-exempt and tax-credit bond financings.
Bond Counsel
Our public finance team has served as bond counsel across all facets of financing municipal projects and programs for states, cities, townships, villages, counties, building authorities, county road commissions, tax increment authorities, drainage districts, school districts, colleges and universities, public power agencies, and other public entities. We also have five decades of experience representing the State of Michigan and its agencies and authorities in complex bond financings.
We assist clients with:
We have niche experience in public finance tax law. Our lawyers advise clients on optimal tax structures and assist with compliance with tax laws applicable to tax-advantaged financings. We also counsel clients on post-issuance tax compliance matters.
We represent issuers, underwriters, and placement agents in the offer and sale of municipal securities. Our attorneys assist with the preparation of disclosure materials in compliance with state and federal securities laws and keep clients informed of developments that affect issuers of municipal securities and other obligated persons responsible for continuing disclosure.
Lender Counsel
We represent lenders in all aspects of public finance transactions, including the purchase of municipal securities and the issuance of letters of credit, standby bond purchase agreements, and other liquidity facilities.
We represent public sector clients in all state law matters related to public finance transactions. Our work also includes advising municipalities, public authorities, schools, universities, and other public organizations on a full spectrum of issues, including election law, environmental law, government procedures (including Open Meetings Act matters and local ordinances), labor and employment law, real estate, economic development, land use, and litigation.
Community and Economic Development
Public finance transactions frequently arise from community and economic development projects. Our attorneys have extensive experience working with municipalities, developers, lenders, and other participants on transactions that utilize public finance structures and development incentives, including state and federal tax credits and opportunity zone incentives.
For additional information, please see our Tax Credit and Community Finance practice and our Land Use & Economic Development practice page.
