Pacifica’s team also regularly presents to council, commission, and board regular and special meetings.  Additionally, our attorneys frequently host in-person and virtual PacificaU trainings, some of which are available to the general public. (Sign up here to be notified about future PacificaU sessions).

Below is an overview of upcoming and recent presentations by our Public Law and Finance Attorneys.

For questions about these topics, to arrange a training or presentation for your organization, or to learn more about our public finance and municipal law capabilities, please reach out to any member of Public Law and Finance team.

Upcoming Presentations

• Overview of Property Taxes and Voted Financing Tools and Ballot Measures, Association of Washington Cities Municipal Budgeting & Fiscal Management Workshop 2025, August 6-7, 2025: At two separate sessions, Deanna Gregory will provide an overview of property taxes in Washington State and voted financing tools available to cities, including levy lid lifts, sales taxes, excess property taxes and bonds, and others.

Recent Presentations

• Navigating Modern Council Meetings: Civility, Compliance, and Crisis Management, Association of Washington Cities Annual Conference, June 26, 2025: Matt Segal will go beyond the basics of open meetings compliance to discuss strategies for how to foster civility, manage public comment on difficult community issues, and understand how to respond to disruptions and manage through unexpected situations.
• Municipal Bonds 101: Legal & Financial Strategies for Ports, Washington Public Ports Association 2025 Finance & Administration Seminar, June 27, 2025: Stacey Crawshaw-Lewis and Clare Riva will provide an overview of financing tools for Washington port districts, highlighting the pros and cons of each option.
• Unlocking the City Financing Toolbox, Association of Washington Cities Annual Conference, June 25, 2025: Stacey Crawshaw-Lewis and Toby Tobler will present on city financing tools, reviewing the core fiscal tools Washington cities can use to fund local services, projects, and priorities, including those available through special purpose districts.
• PacificaU: School District Bond and Levy Propositions, June 18, 2025: In this online training for school district administrators and finance officers, Faith Pettis and Toby Tobler will discuss the fundamental laws that school districts must follow when seeking voter approval of a bond or levy proposition.
• Public Works 101, Association of Washington Housing Authorities Meeting, May 28, 2025: Zak Tomlinson and Faith Pettis presented on the basics of public works and alternative contracting arrangements to housing authority executive directors and key staff. Topics included competitive procurement methods, wage requirements, retainage and bonds, and federal requirements.
• Top Ten Public Records Request Exemptions, Washington Association of Public Records Officers Spring Conference, May 21, 2025: Matt Segal discussed difficult yet important public records request exemptions, emphasizing how to prepare a reasonable and compelling case in support.
• National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL) Essentials Conference, May 14-16, 2025: Deanna Gregory and Alison Benge spoke at NABL’s annual foundational education conference for attorneys and others new to the municipal bond market. Deanna, who currently serves as Treasurer of NABL’s Board of Directors, spoke as a panelist on topics including career development and how to draft a disclosure document. Alison, who is the Chair of NABL’s Tax Law Committee, was a panelist for the General Tax Law and Qualified 501(c)(3) Bond sessions.
• Bonds for Business Managers, Washington Association of School Business Officials Annual Conference, May 9, 2025: Faith Pettis, Toby Tobler and Alison Benge provided a plain-English overview of the federal tax and securities laws that apply to school district bonds, and offered useful tips on how to comply with these authorities during and after a bond issuance.
• The Bond Sale: Nuts and Bolts of Selling Municipal Bonds, Washington Public Treasurers Association, 2025 Annual Conference: Deanna Gregory presented on considerations when selling municipal bonds, including methods of sale and the underwriting process, and provided an overview of bond purchase agreements and other sale documents.
• NABL Institute, March 20-21, 2025: At the Private Use Implications of Green Tech session, Alison Benge presented on private business use tests for bond issues with an emphasis on evolving green technology. The discussion included solar power contracts, charging stations, and public-private partnership opportunities. Deanna Gregory also led the Update on the Financial Data Transparency Act (“FDTA”) session.
• Strategic Considerations to Help Your Ballot Measure Succeed, Puget Sound Finance Officers Association, March 12, 2025: Deanna Gregory and Stacey Lewis provided an overview of levy lid lifts and other ballot measures, recent election trends, and lessons learned from successful and unsuccessful ballot measures.
• PacificaU: Bonds 101: A Municipal Bond Primer, February 26, 2025: Toby Tobler and Alison Benge delivered an overview of municipal bond types, debt limits, and other Washington State law requirements, federal tax requirements, and federal securities law considerations.

Presenters: Partners Tobias Tobler and Alison Benge

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

10:00-11:00am Pacific Time

Please use this link to register.

Looking Ahead

Keep an eye out for future PacificaU public finance presentations in 2025, including:

Bonds 201: Securities Law

A review of the antifraud and other securities law requirements applicable to municipal bonds. Includes an update on recent Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement proceedings, and a refresher on compliance procedures. This session also is intended to satisfy compliance procedures that require periodic securities law training. Date and time TBD.

Bonds 201: Tax Compliance

A review of the federal tax requirements that apply to tax-exempt governmental bonds. Includes discussion of arbitrage requirements and private use limitations, an update on post-issuance tax compliance requirements, and a refresher on compliance procedures. This session also is intended to satisfy compliance procedures that require periodic tax law training. Date and time TBD.

Ballot Measures

A review of state laws and regulations that govern bond and levy propositions by school districts and other municipalities. Includes discussion of the Public Disclosure Commission’s guidelines and restrictions on the use of public facilities and resources in election campaigns. Date and time TBD.

Not on our mailing list? Sign up here to receive updates about future public finance trainings and alerts about new developments in public finance law.

*Note: If you would like a training on any bond-related topic for your entity, please reach out to Mia Wiltse, mia.wiltse@pacificalawgroup.com.

Carlos is an experienced special education defense attorney who represents school districts across Washington State in special education matters, including counseling, advice, and all phases of dispute resolution. He is a member of Pacifica’s School Districts Practice Group, which supports Washington school district clients with the full spectrum of legal needs related to the operation of public schools.

In his talk at the Pacific Northwest Institute, Carlos will provide an overview of the formal and informal alternative dispute resolution mechanisms available to parents and school districts under the IDEA, and will discuss practical issues to consider when engaging in alternative dispute resolution, including confidentiality, preparatory strategies, and building durable resolutions.

The Pacific Northwest Institute on Special Education and the Law brings together recognized experts and practitioners to educate conference attendees on current issues in special education. The conference audience includes educators, special education administrators and advocacy groups, attorneys, administrative law judges and others who work in special education administration and school law.

The schedule and details for Carlos’s presentation are as follows:

Dispute Resolution under the IDEA: Considerations on Compromise
Wednesday, September 18
10:30am-12:30pm

Follow this link to learn more about the conference.

The twice-yearly WSAMA conferences brings together city attorneys, county prosecutors, and other municipal attorneys from across the state to learn about and discuss legal issues and other challenges facing municipalities.

Deanna’s presentation, “An Election-Year Primer on Municipal Ballot Measures,” will delve into the Public Disclosure Commission’s (PDC) guidelines for the form and requirements of ballot measures, and for the activities of local governments, staff, and elected officials during election campaigns.

In their presentation, “Race and Equity Considerations for Local Governments,” Faith, Jamie, Nick, and Shweta will discuss how municipal lawyers and their clients can design Race, Equity, and Social Justice (RESJ) initiatives while mitigating risk in a constitutional and statutory environment that often appears at odds with municipalities’ RESJ goals. They will also share their thoughts on pending cases concerning race-conscious programs. This talk will draw on Pacifica’s experience working with public clients to draft RESJ state legislation and local ordinances, and to design RESJ programs and policies related to public contracting, grant making, and other topics.

For questions regarding PDC guidelines, RESJ initiatives, or other municipal law matters, please reach out to Deanna, Faith, Jamie, Nick, Shweta, or any member of Pacifica’s municipal law team.

Pacifica Attorney Presentations at WSAMA Spring 2024 Conference

Deanna Gregory
An Election-Year Primer on Municipal Ballot Measures
Thursday, April 25, 3:30-4:15pm

Nick Brown, Shweta Jayawardhan, Jamie Lisagor, and Faith Pettis
Race and Equity Considerations for Local Governments
Friday, April 26, 9:00-11:00am

More information: wsama.org

A partner in Pacifica’s Public Law and Finance practice group, Deanna advises and represents public entities on finance, disclosure and general municipal matters, including elections, governance, open public meetings, public records and disclosure, and other public law issues.

Her PSFOA talk will cover topics including the use of agency facilities in campaigns, allowable and prohibited activities for local government employees, and tips for how to navigate common scenarios and avoid pitfalls.

This meeting will take place on February 14, 2024, at the City of Federal Way Council Chambers.

For more information and to register, view the event flier here.

For questions or guidance on election campaigns or other municipal matters, please reach out to Deanna or any member of our municipal law team.

The annual workshop brings together experienced and newly elected or appointed officials across the state for training on a range of topics related to their roles and legal responsibilities.

Pacifica founding partner Deanna Gregory will lead “An introduction to municipal finance” session from Wenatchee. Another of our founding partners, Stacey Crawshaw-Lewis, and partner Jessica Skelton, will lead breakout discussions of municipal scenarios that delve into situations and issues that elected officials commonly face.

For more information about Pacifica’s Public Finance and Municipal Law practices, please reach out to Deanna, Stacey, Jessica, or any of our Public Finance and Municipal Law attorneys.

Rich, a partner in Pacifica’s Real Estate practice group who specializes in commercial leasing, is program co-chair for the two-day conference, which will take place in Seattle on December 14 and 15, 2023. Rich will moderate “Owner Perspectives on Meeting Market Demand,” a panel discussion about the primary issues landlords face as they adjust to changes in demand for commercial real estate. Rich will also present “Negotiating Leverage in Today’s Commercial Leasing Market” alongside Program Co-Chair Aleana W. Harris, Esq. Rich has served as program co-chair for the Conference since 2005.

Gerry, a Pacifica founding partner who focuses on major community projects, particularly those realized through public-private partnerships, will moderate a panel discussion about “Urban Core Recovery Trends.” The presentation will provide an update on the implementation and evolution of the Seattle Recovery Plan created to restore vibrancy and prosperity to Seattle’s downtown core following the COVID-19 pandemic.

A production of Law Seminars International (LSI), the Annual Advanced Conference on Commercial Real Estate Leases will take place at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel and live online. For more information and to register visit: https://lawseminars.com/seminars/2023/23ACLWA.php

To learn more about Pacifica’s Real Estate practice, reach out to Rich, Gerry or any member of our real estate team.

Dean Varona, Dean Lawson, and Pacifica’s Carlos Chavez.

Pacifica Law Group had the honor last week of hosting a conversation with Tamara F. Lawson, University of Washington School of Law Toni Rembe Dean and Professor of Law, and Anthony E. Varona, Seattle University School of Law Dean and Professor of Law. During the discussion, moderated by Pacifica partner Carlos Chavez, the Deans spoke about current efforts to increase equity and inclusion in the legal profession, including the roles law schools, law firms, government attorneys, and the wider legal community can play. The Deans also offered ideas for actions legal employers and individual attorneys may take to support students and graduates from underrepresented communities, and to create a more diverse bar.

Below are some key takeaways from the conversation.

Barriers to Legal Education and How to Break Them Down

The discussion with Deans Lawson and Varona touched first on the biggest barriers to legal education that students from diverse backgrounds face, and what can be done to help grow the pipeline of legal students from underrepresented communities.

Dean Lawson noted that finances are a significant barrier to legal education. Increased scholarships and other financial support will improve access to legal education and increase the talent pool, she said. She also highlighted the importance of confidence. “Certain communities have been told more often than others that they don’t belong [in the legal profession],” she said. Welcoming, embracing, and encouraging prospective students from underrepresented communities can have a significant impact on their confidence.

Aspiration is another significant barrier, Dean Varona explained. Many prospective law students from diverse backgrounds do not have contact as children or young adults with legal professionals, and hence do not consider law careers. It is important to find ways to reach, mentor, and inspire more young people to pursue the law.

Legal education is also physically not available to many potential students, Dean Varona added. For instance, he noted the Hispanic and Latinx communities in Central Washington, and that lawyers and law schools are primarily in Seattle or elsewhere. “Not only do [potential law students] not have access to role models, but they don’t have access to local easy legal ed,” Varona explained. He later highlighted Seattle U School of Law’s effort to launch hybrid law school hubs in Yakima Valley, South Puget Sound and Anchorage, areas where no brick and mortar law schools currently exist.

Dean Varona also noted that Washington’s three law schools (Gonzaga University, Seattle University, and University of Washington) partner with Heritage University in Toppenish, WA, on the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program, a law school pipeline for Latino/Latina/Latinx students and Indigenous students from the Yakima Valley. The program, which is funded by LSAC and just finished its second year, has seen Heritage University graduate students into law school programs for the first time. “It’s been very successful,” Dean Varona said.

How Legal Employers Can Increase Equity and Inclusion through Hiring

Deans Lawson and Varona also discussed the impact legal employers may have in creating opportunities and widening the pool of talented early career lawyers.

They both suggested that law firms and other legal employers take a hard look at their hiring practices and consider who those practices may be excluding. Students who come to law school with fewer privileges are more prone to struggle initially in law school, causing them to miss out on opportunities such as the Law Review or clerkships, Dean Lawson noted. “Your first grades in law school put you on a pathway, or exclude you from the pathway where you can impact the profession,” Dean Lawson added. “I would encourage us all to step out of some of the traditional stereotypes or limits or barriers that we have set in our profession, around elitism, frankly, and be willing to explore each individual.”

“You have to get to the bottom of what it is that your hiring practices are really screening for,” said Dean Varona. Traditional approaches exclude students who for reasons of personal circumstance may have struggled early in their law school careers, or may not have been able to attend an elite institution. “Is there tremendous talent among other law students that haven’t achieved those particular metrics? Of course there is.” Dean Varona explained that it is common for students who do not come from privileged backgrounds to struggle early on, but to then go on to become excellent students and achieve high marks in their second and third years. “Is that kind of student captured by the current law firm recruiting model? Largely not,” he said. “Isn’t there a talent, isn’t there a tremendous gift, as an employee, as a new lawyer, in overcoming such a set of significant obstacles and becoming a successful law student?”

How Legal Employers May Help Create a More Inclusive Pipeline of Legal Students

Deans Lawson and Varona suggested that law firms also have important contributions to make in increasing the number of students who choose to pursue legal education, and in preparing those students for success.

Dean Lawson suggested law firms find ways to support students and prospective lawyers in their development of written and oral communications skills. “We all know that your writing skills are paramount for our profession. And almost always, they’re slightly lacking [in students],” Dean Lawson noted, including as a result of COVID-related educational disruptions.

Pipeline programs that reach high school and college students need much more involvement from lawyers, Dean Varona said. Legal professionals may get involved in bar association activities, or reach out to high schools and offer to speak to students. “These small things can ripple out in such important ways that it’s easy for us to underestimate,” Dean Varona explained.

On the Need for Mentoring and Sponsorship, and Attorneys’ Professional Obligations

In concluding the discussion, Deans Lawson and Varona singled out the importance of mentoring and sponsorship for students and early career lawyers from underrepresented communities. Dean Varona pointed out that the level of mentoring needs to increase. “In many of the programs that we have set up over the last several decades, ‘mentoring light’ is what we’ve been offering, and it’s simply not enough,” he explained.

Dean Varona also noted the distinction between mentoring and sponsorship, and that the latter means connecting students and early career lawyers with concrete opportunities. “We have a professional obligation as attorneys who have licenses to diversify the profession and provide pro bono service,” Dean Varona said.

Dean Lawson emphasized the importance of DEI activities leading to concrete action and commitment in the form of scholarships, externships and internships, jobs, and other opportunities for students from underrepresented communities. The challenge for law firms and for individual lawyers is to, not just check a box by participating in a DEI activity, but to “follow through…as it relates to making a true impact in the landscape of the future of our profession.”

Alison will participate in a panel discussion on “Tax Hot Topics” on Wednesday, October 18. The session will cover current federal tax issues, including recent notices, rulings, and regulations.

A frequent NABL speaker and panelist, Alison also currently sits on NABL’s Tax Law Committee and has previously served on The Workshop Steering Committee and NABL’s Education Committee.

Jon will chair the “Multifamily Housing” panel on Friday, October 20. The panel will address a full range of housing development strategies, current issues in deal structures, the impact of the return of opportunities for positive arbitrage, issues relating to complex capital stacks and available sources of funds to construct housing developments, and emerging tax and disclosure issues amid rising costs and interest rates.

This is the third straight year that Jon has chaired the “Multifamily Housing” panel at NABL’s The Workshop, and he is concluding a term as the Chair of NABL’s General Law and Practice Committee.

To learn more about Pacifica’s public finance practice, reach out to Alison, Jon, or any member of our public finance team.