Overview
With a nationally-recognized public finance practice, Pacifica is a leading Pacific Northwest bond firm.
Our bond practice is a keystone of our firm. Pacifica is ranked as Tier 1 of U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms in the area of Public Finance Law for the Seattle Metropolitan area. With five bond attorneys (Faith Pettis, Stacey Lewis, Deanna Gregory, Jon Jurich, and Toby Tobler) and a dedicated tax partner (Alison Benge), our bond counsel team is comprised of attorneys regularly recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers. Since our firm’s inception in 2011, we have served as bond counsel in over 800 bond issues totaling over $18 billion.
Our public finance attorneys have wide-ranging experience with traditional and innovative financing tools available to state and municipal entities under federal and state law. We serve as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, tax counsel, underwriter’s counsel, trustee counsel, and special counsel in connection with all types of borrowings, including limited and unlimited tax general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, assessment bonds, refunding obligations, tax credit and direct-pay bonds, bond anticipation notes, and financing leases.
Our National Reputation
All of our bond attorneys are listed in The Bond Buyer’s Municipal Marketplace (the Red Book). With a recognized national reputation, our bond attorneys have been selected for numerous leadership roles, including leadership in the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL). Specific positions held by our bond lawyers have included:
- Twice serving terms on the NABL Board of Directors,
- Serving as Chair of the NABL Education Committee,
- Serving as Vice-Chair of the NABL Securities Law Committee,
- Serving as Chair of the NABL General Municipal Law Committee,
- Serving as Chair of the annual NABL Institute,
- Serving as Chair of the annual NABL Essentials,
- Serving as Chair and on the Steering Committee for the annual NABL Workshop, and
- Serving on NABL’s Tax Law Committee.
In addition, our attorneys regularly speak at national NABL and state conferences.
Serving Our Community
Our bond lawyers are proud to represent state agencies, cities and towns, counties, port districts, public universities, public utility districts, housing authorities, school districts, water and sewer districts, fire protection districts, public development authorities, public facilities districts, public hospital districts, and other municipal and quasi-municipal corporations that are working on innovative and important projects that serve our community.
Exceptional Experience with Complex Transactions
Pacifica is particularly well-regarded in connection with financing public-private and key civic projects. Pacifica attorneys are proud to be involved in numerous community-shaping projects:
- Serving as bond counsel on more than 380 housing bond issues totaling over $7.3 billion, financing thousands of units of affordable housing,
- Financing a major addition to the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle,
- Financing the expansion of the downtown Seattle Art Museum and development of the Olympic Sculpture Park,
- Financing improvements to Husky Stadium, and
- Financing the Pike Place Market’s MarketFront project, which expanded the iconic public market
Our Team Approach to Serving Clients in Bond Financings
We understand the values that drive public entities. With decades of collective experience, we have the foresight to anticipate and develop solutions for potential hurdles that occasionally develop, and the commitment of a partner in seeking transaction completion.
Practice Team
Alison Benge
Stacey Crawshaw-Lewis
Deanna Gregory
Jon Jurich
Faith Pettis
Clare Riva
Tobias D. Tobler
Lanna Do
Rachel Giles-Klein
Tina Johnson
Kristin Patterson
Jill Wagner
