Mike Busada is an experienced public finance and economic development attorney representing local governments, school districts, 501(c)(3)s, and major companies. Mike serves as the Chair of the National Association of Bonds Lawyers’ (NABL) Governmental Affairs Committee and is a member of Louisiana’s Committee of 100 for Economic Development and the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association. In 2022, Mike wrote the law establishing Louisiana’s mega-site economic development program.
Overview
Mike Busada is an experienced public finance and economic development attorney representing local governments, school districts, 501(c)(3)s, and major companies. Mike serves as the Chair of the National Association of Bonds Lawyers’ (NABL) Governmental Affairs Committee and is a member of Louisiana’s Committee of 100 for Economic Development and the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association. In 2022, Mike wrote the law establishing Louisiana’s mega-site economic development program.
Practice Areas
About
Mike Busada started his career practicing under some of the state’s preeminent bond finance and economic development attorneys. Over the 14 years, he has represented government bodies throughout the state as bond counsel and investment banks as underwriter’s counsel. Mike serves as the Chair of the National Association of Bonds Lawyers’ (NABL) Governmental Affairs Committee and served on NABL’s 2022 nominating committee.
Mike’s focus also includes economic development financing law. He works with economic development agencies, 501(c)(3) organizations, private developers, governments and some of the nation’s largest companies on economic development projects utilizing a variety of tools such as Economic Development Districts/TIFs, PILOTS, tax credits and performance grants. Mike’s experience includes representing clients in two of the largest non-industrial economic development projects in Louisiana history, totaling over $400,000,000 in capital investment. In 2010, Mike was instrumental in working with the state legislature to amend the state’s Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) economic development law to provide for more security to local governmental bodies. Recently, Mike wrote the law establishing Louisiana’s mega site economic development program, the Louisiana Competes Regional Economic Development Program.
Mike is a member of the Louisiana Committee of 100 for Economic Development. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike was appointed by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to serve on the Resilient Louisiana Commission’s Economic and Community Development Task Force where he advocated for the expanded use of tax-exempt bond financing to aid in the economic recovery. Mike is active in the community where he serves on numerous boards including the LSU Health Science Center Shreveport Foundation, Shreveport-Bossier Military Affairs Council, Bossier Chamber of Commerce, and the Red River Valley Association. He was appointed an Honorary Commander for the US Air Force, 2nd Bomb Wing, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Barksdale Air Force Base and is a past Shreveport-Bossier 40 under 40 class member.
Experience
- Prior to joining the firm, Mike began practicing law with a large southern law firm in 2008. During this time, he had the opportunity to practice under some of the state’s preeminent public finance and economic development attorneys. Over the last decade, he has represented numerous government bodies and 501c3 organizations as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, disclosure counsel, bank counsel, trustee’s counsel and issuer’s counsel, on bond issues throughout the state. Mike has worked with economic development agencies, 501c3 organizations, and private developers on economic development projects utilizing a variety of tools such as tax increment financing (TIF) and payment in lieu of taxes agreements (PILOT). In 2010, Mike was instrumental in working with the state legislature to amend the state’s PILOT laws to provide for more security to local governmental bodies and more opportunities for businesses. He has extensive experience in legislative and administrative law which includes serving on a federal regulation rule-making panel. With workforce development representing a critical ingredient for successful economic development, Mike’s experience representing one of Louisiana’s major workforce development companies allows him to provide clients with unique insight.
Distinctions
- Wrote the law establishing Louisiana’s mega site economic development program, the Louisiana Competes Regional Economic Development Program.
- Appointed Chair of the National Association of Bond Lawyers Governmental Affairs Committed.
- Appointed by the US Secretary of Education to a federal rulemaking panel to provide input related to career training and workforce development.
- Appointed by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards to serve on the Economic and Community Development Task Force of the Resilient Louisiana Commission
- Honorary Commander, United States Air Force, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base
- Greater Shreveport 40 Under 40
- Norman C. Francis Leadership Institute Fellow
- Appointed General Counsel of the International Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund by its Board of Trustees, which included the current Chairman of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee, Richard Burr and former Deputy Executive Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, Marty Peterson.
- Louisiana State University Alumni Greek Excellence Award, 2017, Lieutenant, Mystic Krewe of Louisianans (Washington, DC Mardi Gras)
- Elected to two terms on the Baton Rouge Bar Association's Young Lawyers Council, 2010-2011
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana, 2008
- U.S. District Courts
- Louisiana: Eastern, Western, Middle
- Federal Court, 2008
Education
- Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, J.D., 2008
- Commencement Speaker
- Louisiana State University, B.A., Political Science, 2005
- Student Senate President
- Leadership LSU
- Omicron Delta Kappa
Associations
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- Nominating Committee, 2022
- Governmental Affairs Committee
- Chair, 2022-2023
- Co-Chair, 2021-2022
- Committee of 100 of Louisiana
- Louisiana Bar Association
- Shreveport Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association
Papers, Presentations & Publications
- Co-Author, "Bond Finance Reference Guide," Council of Development Finance Agencies, July 31, 2023.
- Presenter, “Closing the Deal,” Council of Finance Development Agencies, Intro Bond Finance Course, March 14, 2023.
- Featured, "Member Spotlight - Michael J. Busada, Butler Snow, Shreveport, LA," NABL, April 28, 2022.
- Presenter, “Intro to Bond Law,” Council of Finance Development Agencies, Virtual Summer School Program, August 4, 2021.
- Presenter, "Knowing Your Options in the Bond Issuance Process," Louisiana School Board Association, 83rd Annual Convention, March 7, 2021.
- Presenter, “Demystifying the Bond Issue Process” Louisiana School Boards Association Annual Winter Conference, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 17, 2020.
- Presenter, “Overview Of Municipal Bonds And The Roles Of The Professionals Involved” Louisiana School Boards Association Fall 2019 Trailblazers Series Professional Development, Natchitoches, Louisiana, November 8, 2019.
- Presenter, “Overview Of Municipal Bonds And The Roles Of The Professionals Involved” Louisiana School Boards Association Fall 2019 Trailblazers Series Professional Development, Kenner, Louisiana, October 21, 2019.
- Presenter, “New Laws for Bond Issue Continuing Disclosure; How Local Governments Can Stay Compliant and Avoid Civil and Criminal Liability”
- Presenter, “Utilizing Bond Financing and Economic Development Incentives"
- Testified before the United States Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy regarding federal regulatory reform and its impact on business growth and creation.
- Guest on Mark Willis’s national radio show to discuss training, workforce development, and federal regulations affecting the trucking industry.
Civic Involvement
- LSU Health Sciences Shreveport Foundation, Trustee
- Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Board of Directors, 2019-2021
- HBCU Legacy Bowl Inaugural Steering Committee Member
- Capital campaign responsible for developing, funding, and constructing a new $7.5 million Kappa Sigma Fraternity House at LSU, Co-Chairman
- Shreveport-Bossier Military Affairs Council, Board of Directors
- Eddie Robinson Legacy Society, National Chairman, 2012-2015
- Bossier Chamber of Commerce
- Board of Directors
- Executive Committee, Community Sustainability Chair
- Mikie Mahtook Foundation, Board of Directors
- National Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund, General Counsel, 2007-2017
- Red River Valley Association, Board of Directors
- Captain Shreve High School Alumni Association, Board of Directors
- Roy Griggs School of Business, Board Member (In Conjunction with Southern University Shreveport)