Service Areas
Education
- Wayne State University Law School, J.D.
- University of Michigan, Ph.D.
- Kalamazoo College, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court
- Eastern District of Michigan
Laura M. Bassett advises public entities on a range of financing and related legal matters, including economic development initiatives, municipal infrastructure finance and school finance. In the area of tax increment finance, she assists downtown development authorities, tax increment finance authorities and brownfield redevelopment authorities. She also advises governmental clients on general matters, including intergovernmental collaborations, legislative drafting, and election law and campaign finance compliance. She has particular experience assisting financially distressed municipalities and school districts to make informed decisions to achieve their objectives.
Representative Matters
- Aerotropolis Legislation and Intergovernmental Agreement
Represented a Michigan County in both formulating legislation and crafting the public-private intergovernmental agreement between two counties, four cities, and three townships to establish an aerotropolis aimed at attracting logistics, transportation and manufacturing firms to transportation hubs and other regional facilities.
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association, State and Local Government Section
- State Bar of Michigan
- Oakland County Bar Association
Honors + Awards
- Wayne State University Law School, cum laude; Law Review, Editorial Board, Note and Comment Editor; Women's Law Caucus, Chair; Ira J. Spoon Award, Best Paper on: Subject of Urban Development; David Adamany Endowed Constitutional Law Scholar Award
- University of Michigan, Dissertation: The Paintings and Career of Cornelis de Man: Art and Mercantile Culture in Seventeenth-Century Delft; Fulbright Scholar to the Netherlands for doctoral research; Outstanding Teaching Award, Department of History of Art; University of Michigan International Institute Grant for research in Ghana
- Kalamazoo College, magna cum laude with honors; Phi Beta Kappa; Honors on Senior Project, Bringing Art to the People: Internship in Museum Education at the North Carolina Museum of Art
Civic, Cultural + Social Activities
- The Heidelberg Project, Board of Directors; Executive Committee
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit, Volunteer Mentor
- Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan and Michigan Nonprofit Association, Strategic Alliance Project, Advisory Board
Religious Activities
- Fort Street Presbyterian Church, Elder and Member of Session; Chair, Peace and Justice Committee
Publications
“Tax Increment Financing as a Tool for Redevelopment: Attracting Private Investment to Serve a Public Purpose—The Example of Michigan,” The Urban Lawyer, Vol 41, No. 34, Fall 2009
"Taking(s) in the Big Picture: The Impact of Prop. 4's Eminent Domain Restrictions on Urban Redevelopment in Michigan," 53 Wayne L.Rev. 899 (2007)
Speeches
"Local Government Fundamentals," Institute for Local Government, University of Michigan-Dearborn, December 10, 2009
Seminars + Events
Articles
- A Return to Fiscal Health - New Law Seeks to Strengthen Local Governments + School Districts
- Recovery Zone Facility Bonds Encourage Private Development
- Tax Increment Financing as a Tool for Redevelopment: Attracting Private Investment to Serve a Public Purpose -- The Example of Michigan
- Red Flag Rules
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