Services
Industries
Education
University of Michigan Law School, J.D. 1992
Michigan State University, James Madison College and Honors College, B.A. 1989
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Patrick McGow advises cities, counties, townships, villages and authorities on a broad range of infrastructure financing and related legal matters.
As bond counsel, his role is to help his clients understand their legal options and prepares the necessary documentation to authorize the issuance and sale of bonds to finance water and sewer projects, brownfield redevelopment, street and road improvements, drainage projects and economic development initiatives, among others. He also has extensive experience in tax-exempt financing for private activity bonds (solid waste and manufacturing facilities) and non-profit and health care financings.
In addition to serving as bond counsel in financing transactions, Patrick counsels his clients on other related matters such as special assessments, elections, millage and ballot proposals, state and federal tax issues, and other finance matters. In the area of tax increment financing, Patrick assists in establishing tax increment financing entities, such as downtown development authorities, tax increment finance authorities, local development finance authorities, brownfield redevelopment authorities and corridor improvement authorities.
As a recognized leader in his field, Patrick has written legislation on a variety of municipal finance and tax increment financing issues.
Representative Matters
Patrick has served as bond counsel on behalf of cities, counties, townships, drainage districts, authorities, and governmental entities of all types covering all areas of public infrastructure finance for more than 30 years of his career. In addition, he has worked on including major economic development projects and municipal finance legislation.
Represented governmental units on several hundred municipal bond issues totaling over $3 billion dollars for water and sewer utilities, street and road projects, drainage districts, governmental buildings and equipment, parking facilities, brownfield redevelopment and other economic development projects
Represented a municipality in connection with development agreements, incentives and bond financing for over $10 million of road, water and sewer infrastructure to facilitate development of a major automotive manufacturing facility.
Acted as bond counsel on the first joint recreational authority bond financing in Michigan.
Acted as bond counsel for financing and refinancing solid waste and pollution control equipment for a major investor-owned utility company.
Crafted legislation enabling financing of unfunded pension and retiree healthcare legacy costs.
Honors
State Bar of Michigan Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2021
U.S. News & World Report, Best Lawyers in America, Public Finance Law, 2010-present; Detroit Public Finance Lawyer of the Year, 2018
Michigan Super Lawyers, Bonds/Government Finance, 2016-2023
DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, Public Finance, 2011-present
University of Michigan Law School, cum laude; Editorial Board, University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 1990-92
Michigan State University, with honors, Phi Beta Kappa
Professional Activities
American College of Bond Counsel, Fellow
American Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
National Association of Bond Lawyers
Michigan Government Finance Officers Association, Board of Directors, 2009-2011; Professional Development Committee, Chairman, 2005-2009
Bond Club of Detroit, Board of Directors, 2013-2019; President, 2018
Government Finance Officers Association
Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association
Michigan Downtown Association
Civic, Cultural & Social Activities
Citizens Research Council of Michigan, Board of Directors, 2022-present
City of Northville Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Board Member, 2019-present; Chair, 2022-present
Downs Project Advisory Committee, Vice-Chair, 2022-present
Adoption Associates, Inc., Board Member, 2008-2015
Detroit Regional Chamber, Leadership Detroit XXIII Graduate, 2001-2002
Speeches
"Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Webinar, February 11, 2023
"Why Issue Bonds and How to Issue Bonds," Michigan Municipal Executives Summer Conference, Holland, Michigan, July 20, 2022
"Understanding the Headlee Amendment," Michigan Association of Counties Capital Conference, Lansing, Michigan, March 22, 2022
"Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Webinar, February 12, 2022
"Public Finance and Municipal Bonds," Michigan Municipal Executives, Lansing, Michigan, October 28, 2021
"Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Webinar, February 26, 2021 and April 30, 2021
"Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, February 29, 2020
"Pension and OPEB Bonds Update," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Fall Institute, Grand Traverse Resort, September 30, 2019
"SEC Rule 15c2-12 Continuing Disclosure Reforms and TIF Reporting Requirements," Plante Moran Annual Governmental Technical Training Program, June 20, 2019
"Tax Increment Financing Reform and Reporting Requirements," Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys Conference, Lansing, Michigan, March 19, 2019
"Tax Increment Financing Reform and Reporting Requirements," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Spring Seminar, East Lansing, Michigan, March 6, 2019
"Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, February 23, 2019
"Pension and OPEB Debt Financings," Public Financial Management Seminar – Trends and Topics in Retirement Finance, Ann Arbor, Michigan, August 1, 2018
"Coordinating Multiple Source Funding/Financing for a Major Public Infrastructure Project," Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys/State Bar of Michigan Government Law Section Summer Education Conference, Crystal Mountain, Michigan, June 22, 2018
"Debt Financing," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Introduction to Public Finance, East Lansing, Michigan, March 15, 2018
"Fundamentals of Organization" and "Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, Feb. 24, 2018
"Personal Property Tax Reform Update," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association – Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association Spring Seminar, East Lansing, Michigan, March 31, 2017
"Debt Financing," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Introduction to Public Finance, East Lansing, Michigan, March 30, 2017
"Fundamentals of Organization" and "Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, Feb. 18, 2017
"History of Mackinac Bridge – Bond Financing Story," Emmet County 'Essence of Emmet' Presentation, Petoskey, Michigan, April 27, 2016
"Downtown Development Authorities and Downtown Financing Tools," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association – Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association Spring Seminar, East Lansing, Michigan, March 5, 2016
"Debt Financing," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Introduction to Public Finance, East Lansing, Michigan, March 4, 2016
"Fundamentals of Organization" and "Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, Feb. 27, 2016
"Other Post-Employment Benefit Bonds," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Fall Institute, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Oct. 6, 2015
"Tax Increment Financing – Old, New Issues," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Fall Institute, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Oct. 5, 2015
"Fundamentals of Organization" and "Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, Feb. 21, 2015
"Debt Financing," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Introduction to Public Finance, Lansing, Michigan, Feb. 19, 2015
"Personal Property Tax Update," Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association Annual Fall Conference, Frankenmuth, Michigan, Oct. 8, 2014
"Bond Finance 101 – From Beginning to End," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Fall Institute, Boyne Falls, Michigan, Sept. 23, 2014
"Debt Financing," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Introduction to Public Finance, Lansing, Michigan, March 6, 2014
"Fundamentals of Organization" and "Municipal Finance Fundamentals," Michigan Municipal League Elected Officials Academy, Frankenmuth, Michigan, Feb. 8, 2014
"Pension and OPEB Bonding," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Fall Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sept. 30, 2013
"Bond Market and Legislative Update," Wayne County Treasurers Association Fall Conference, Livonia, Michigan, Sept. 18, 2013
"Debt Financing," Michigan Government Finance Officers Association Introduction to Public Finance, Lansing, Michigan, March 21, 2013
"Municipalities + School Districts: Tools for a New Era," Sustainable Government Initiative Workshop, Livonia, Michigan, June 9, 2011
"Best Practices in Local Government Fiscal Management," Government Turnaround Association Emergency Manager Seminar, Lansing, Michigan, April 18, 2011
"Local Government Finance," Michigan Department of Treasury Emergency Manager Seminar, Lansing, Michigan, Feb. 9, 2011
"Continuing Disclosure Requirements and Rule 15c2-12: Past, Present and Future," Michigan Governmental Finance Officers Association Fall Institute, Sept. 21, 2009
"Fundamentals of Municipal Financing," Michigan Townships Association Annual Conference, Detroit, Michigan, Jan. 28, 2009
"Neighborhood Improvement Authorities," Michigan Municipal League, Lansing, Michigan, March 7, 2008
Publications
"2010-2020 Decade in Review: Pension and Retiree Healthcare Reform," Briefly, a publication of the Government Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, February 2020
Author of "Sources of Local Financing" chapter in "Michigan Municipal Law," published by The Institute of Continuing Legal Education, July 2018
"Municipal Finance After the Detroit Bankruptcy," Michigan Bar Journal, Sept. 2015
"Tax Increment Financing: An Economic Development Tool for Townships," Michigan Township News, July 1998
