Don Hunt offers firm clients over 30 years of experience in complex and sophisticated financial transactions, with an emphasis on municipal finance, banking and local government law.  Don is a partner and head of the firm's Los Angeles Public Law and Administration Group.  Since joining the firm in 1995, Don has been responsible for approximately 765 completed financings aggregating over 24 billion dollars in principal amount.   

Don regularly acts as bond counsel and disclosure counsel to state, local and regional governmental entities, represents national and regional investment banking firms in municipal finance transactions and represents large international banks in tax exempt and/or taxable letter of credit financings.

In addition, he has acted as bond counsel, issuer's counsel, special counsel, underwriter's counsel, disclosure counsel, financial advisor's counsel, letter of credit bank counsel, trustee's counsel and developer's counsel in a wide range of tax exempt and/or taxable transactions.

Throughout Don's career, he has represented dozens of state, local and regional government entities and agencies in public finance issues. He has also represented more than thirty large national and international banks and many investment banks in public finance matters.

Don's most recent work includes:

• Advising a California city on public private partnership issues for a potential long term concession agreement for water and wastewater utilities
• Bond Counsel and Disclosure Counsel for Imperial Irrigation District
• Letter of Credit Bank Counsel to State Street  Bank and Trust Company
• Credit Enhancement Counsel for California State Teachers' Retirement System
• Advising California cities, counties, joint powers authorities, school districts, redevelopment agencies, water districts and other special districts on financing capital facilities
• Advising major American and International Banks on documentation issues for credit enhancement of municipal finance transactions

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Don Hunt has built one of the largest and most successful public finance practice groups in the western United States. Since joining the firm in 1995, Don has developed a strong and dynamic team of 14 lawyers devoted to public finance matters, including the real estate and tax aspects of such practice, by meticulously structuring this group to reflect the firm's core values – strength through diversity. The age ranges from 20-something to 60-something including three women and four minority lawyers. Diversity extends into the subspecialties of the practice too such as public power, commercial banks, housing and schools as well as innovative public-private partnerships, alternative energy and 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations.

• California Community Redevelopment Agencies Association
• National Association of Bond Lawyers
• American Bar Association
  • Urban, State and Local Government Section
  • Tax-Exempt Borrowing Committee (1985 - 2003)
• State Bar of California
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• California Association of Bond Lawyers, Director

• The Best Lawyers in America - Public Finance Law (2007 - 2013)
• "Southern California Super Lawyer," Thomson Reuters (2003 - 2013)
• "Outstanding Corporate Leader," National Forum for Black Public Administrators (2002) 

• Co-author, "The California School Finance Authority Will Grant up to $1.5 Million per Eligible California Charter School," Fulbright Briefing, July 18, 2012
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• Co-author, "California Assembly Bill 1484 Alters Dissolution of Redevelopment Agencies; Imposes Requirements on Cities/Counties," Fulbright Briefing, July 10, 2012
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• Co-author, "GUEST WORDS: How to Revive the Muni Market: A Modest Proposal," The Bond Buyer, September 2009

• "History of PPP Legislation in California," PPP West: Financing the Infrastructure of North America, May 11, 2007
• Co-Chair - Opening remarks, Bond Buyer Conference, September 2008

1974 - J.D., University of Chicago Law School
1971 - B.A., Political Science and Personnel Administration, University of Kansas

Don is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He was admitted to practice law in California in 1974.

Don has an avid interest in historic preservation and architecture and also enjoys collecting California impressionist art.

• California

• Hollywood Heritage Inc.
• Kansas University Chancellors Club
• Los Angeles Conservancy
• National Trust for Historical Preservation