Spotlight on Public Finance: Fall 2019

ATTORNEY SPOTLIGHT

Julie Melton Partain | Counsel, Dallas Julie Partain focuses on public debt offerings and business transactions involving cities, counties, school districts, universities, economic development corporations and water districts. She serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and disclosure counsel in financing transactions for all types of public entities. Julie also works on financings and debt issuances for special districts, including special legislatively created districts. In addition, she advises clients on their economic development initiatives and incentives for public/private projects. What are your areas of focus within public finance? Besides helping my clients with ad valorem tax and revenue debt, my practice focus is on public improvement district financings and the issuance of assessment revenue bonds. I have been working on public improvement districts since 2007 and besides helping my clients issue assessment revenue bonds, I also assist them with the ongoing administration of public improvements districts. In addition, a large part of my practice concentrates on economic development and assisting my clients in negotiating and drafting economic development agreements and master development agreements for economic development projects.

How did you get started in the public finance practice? I have a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Texas and had originally planned to be a City Manager. I was always interested in local government. After attending law school, public finance was a perfect fit for me. My clients are predominately local governments and I am privileged to help them develop and finance public improvement projects that support and enhance their communities. What do you like best about your practice? It is tie between my clients and my colleagues. My clients and their operations touch people’s lives on an everyday basis and being a part of helping them deliver services that matter to the public is very meaningful to me. Most people don’t know how their streets or schools or water and sewer improvements are built and financed, but I do, and being a part of making those things happen is very fulfilling for me personally. And I work with the best and the brightest people who share my vision of the importance of local government. It is a privilege to work with and for the people I do. What would people be most surprised to learn about you? I was diagnosed with Celiac disease about twelve years ago. So please don’t serve sandwiches and pasta when I come to your office for a meeting! Or chocolate chip cookies – those are my favorite and not being able to eat them is no fun.

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