Practices: Municipal Bonds / Public Finance

General obligation bonds have historically provided funding for basic govern­mental facilities for State and local governments. The bond lawyers at Howell Linkous & Nettles have served as Bond Counsel and Disclosure Counsel for the State of South Carolina and many political subdivisions across the South in the issuance and sale of general obligation bonds or warrants. We have also served as bond counsel and as underwriter’s counsel in the issuance of general obligation bonds and notes issued for Native American Tribal Finance. Our extensive experience includes bonds issued by counties, municipalities, school districts, and special purpose districts for a large variety of projects such as public buildings, parks & playgrounds, utility systems, roads & highways and greenbelts. Although we have regularly served as bond counsel for some of the largest local government issuers of general obligation bonds in South Carolina, we provide the same attentive service to our smaller clients who are financing firetrucks or other equipment or vehicles with bond issues under $100,000.

In addition to traditional general obligation bonds or warrants payable from property taxes, our bond lawyers have assisted local governments with the issuance of “double barreled” bonds, additionally secured by a pledge of sales taxes, local option taxes, utility revenues, or parking facility revenues. Howell Linkous & Nettles has also provided bond counsel and underwriter’s counsel services in connexion with the issuance of bonds secured solely by sales taxes or other local option taxes. Sam Howell’s experience includes serving as bond counsel for the first “double barreled” general obligation bond issued by a local government in South Carolina, and as bond counsel for the first competitively sold advance refunding general obligation bond issue in the State.

Not only can our bond lawyers provide traditional bond counsel or disclosure counsel services to a local government, but we can also provide the legal services often necessary in obtaining referendum approval for the bond issue. Our extensive in-house experience as attorneys to local government entities gives us a unique perspective on the operations of local government in planning, approving, and issuing general obligation or other tax-backed bonds. Our bond attorneys are prepared to provide the appropriate level of support to the local government’s general counsel, finance staff, and governing body to ensure an orderly and timely bond issuance process.