Intersection of Business and Government

Every day, we advise clients about state and federal governmental decisions that might affect them – long before they become finalized. In advancing the best interests of our clients, our Governmental Relations, Economic Development, Public Finance and Tax attorneys get and stay out in front of policies. We don’t simply react to regulatory changes; we help shape them or stop them.

Clients value and retain us for our deep well of knowledge about the full spectrum of legal and business issues that concern them; the professional relationships we cultivate, maintain and call upon, both inside and outside of government; and the experience we have working on Capitol Hill, and in state legislatures, regulatory agencies, court houses and corporate boardrooms.

We practice collaboratively and efficiently with the different groups across our eight-state platform and in Washington DC, frequently making that one quick inquiry to a partner we know understands an issue and can offer the answer a client needs. Our attorneys help clients navigate the dynamic business-government juncture, partnering with them to dispense with problems, create strategic solutions and help them gain an advantage with the government.

Here are just a few of the many and diverse ways in which we have helped clients in dozens of industries:

• On a litigation matter, a Fortune 100 energy company client faced a very difficult issue relating to a statute of limitations. Corporate officials and in-house counsel worked with us, and our team devised and implemented a creative legal strategy. The outcome: We changed the statute of limitations to better position our client.
• In the aerospace and aviation industries, our attorneys have negotiated several major, community-enhancing economic development projects, totaling more than a billion dollars – all in the last three years. These public-private partnerships have created thousands of high-paying jobs, substantially grown local tax bases, boosted regional economies and generated profits for our private-sector clients.
• Advising clients in another major public-private partnership, we served as counsel and advisors for the Downtown Memphis Commission and its related entities on the development of a $160 million mixed-use facility in Memphis. This project included an 18-story, 220-room hotel; a 30-story, 280-apartment building; retail space; and a public parking garage.
• In representing a family-owned timber company, our lawyers crafted a creative strategy to structure a multi-million-dollar transaction that eliminated an extra level of in income tax.
• We structured the first significant use of state and local sales tax increment financing for a public-private partnership in Louisiana, benefiting the state and its residents. More broadly, we’ve worked closely with clients and conducted the bond counsel work for numerous affordable housing projects – improving the lives of countless people.

Summary

Our team’s attorneys are committed to staying current on the many changes in the tax code, financing environment and a host of other issues on the federal, state and local levels that carry ramifications for our clients. When governmental entities consider revising laws, rules and regulations, we’re often asked to present speeches and serve on discussion panels about the impact of those changes. We dispense a great deal of knowledge but we also learn much along the way, and we always share relevant information with clients.

Numerous national publications and attorney rating services recognize the high-quality client service our lawyers deliver, and that means a lot to us. But more importantly, clients themselves express their appreciation for our responsiveness, clear communication skills, tight integration throughout all of our offices, and the ability to draw on both the institutional knowledge we have accumulated over decades as well as our full embrace of cutting-edge technology and innovative project management. They also value the range and depth of our experience, which enhances the insight we offer in helping them reach their goals while operating at the crossroads where business and government intersect.