Service Areas
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1992
- Michigan State University, James Madison College, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Patrick F. 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 options and then prepare the necessary documentation to authorize the issuance and sale of bonds to finance water and sewer projects, brownfield redevelopment, street and road improvements, and economic development initiatives, among others. 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 expert in his field, Patrick has written legislation on a variety of tax increment financing and municipal finance issues. He also has extensive experience in tax-exempt financing for private activity bonds (solid waste and manufacturing facilities) and nonprofit and health-care financings.
“I see my role as helping clients understand their options and how to achieve their goals. This starts with listening to what their objectives are, then providing options with the roadmap on how to achieve their goals and assisting them along the way.”
Patrick F. McGow
Experience
Patrick helped a municipal client negotiate a development agreement and obtain financing for the infrastructure needed to build a major automotive manufacturing facility. He also assisted municipal, county and state officials in putting together a package of tax incentives and the local infrastructure financing plan to induce the manufacturer to choose their site during a nationwide search. When the site was chosen, Patrick helped negotiate the development agreements with the company and assisted the client in establishing a local development finance authority to capture tax revenues in order to pay for over $10 million of road, water and sewer infrastructure. He developed the financing structure and assisted the client with the issuance and sale of various bonds to provide funds for the necessary public infrastructure.
“We put together an attractive and innovative financing package to help land this major economic development project, which is an asset for both our client and the state of Michigan.”
Professional Activities
- 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-present; Professional Development Committee, Chairman 2005-2009
- Government Finance Officers Association
- Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association
Honors + Awards
- Best Lawyers in America, Public Finance Law 2010-present
- DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, Public Finance 2011
Civic, Cultural + Social Activities
- Detroit Regional Chamber, Leadership Detroit XXIII Graduate, 2001-2002
- Adoption Associates, Inc., Board Member, 2008-present
Speeches
Frequent lecturer to Michigan Government Finance Officers Association; Michigan Townships Association; Michigan Municipal League; Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association; Michigan Downtown Association; and Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants
