Dykema Selects Jarrod T. Smith to Lead Its Public Finance Practice Group

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced today that Lansing-based Member Jarrod Smith has been selected as Leader of the firm’s Public Finance Practice Group.

Smith has more than 16 years of experience in public finance. In his practice, he serves as bond counsel to the State of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Treasury, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the State Building Authority, the Michigan Finance Authority, the Michigan Strategic Fund, and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, as well as various municipal clients including the Detroit Downtown Development Authority and the City of Lansing. Smith also frequently serves as underwriter’s or bank counsel to numerous national underwriting and financial institutions. Smith’s experience includes some of the most complex public finance transactions in Michigan over the past several years—including the $3 billion Unemployment Obligation Assessment Revenue Bonds transaction, and a $288+ million transaction that funded the completion of a large county criminal justice complex, each of which received “Deals of the Year” recognition by The Bond Buyer.

Smith also provided counsel for various transactions involving the construction of Little Caesar’s Arena, home to the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons. He also was a key player in the Michigan Finance Authority’s refunding bond transaction to restructure and fix out the debt of the Detroit Public Schools and he assisted in the State’s restructuring of its School Bond Qualification and Loan Fund program through the creation of a School Loan Revolving Fund program.

Prior to joining Dykema, Smith was an Assistant Attorney General with the Michigan Department of Attorney General for more than a decade. During that time, he acted as issuer's counsel to the State of Michigan and its various authorities for numerous transactions representing billions of dollars in public finance transactions.

Smith earned a J.D., cum laude, and a B.S. from Michigan State University.

Dykema’s Public Finance Practice Group has served as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, purchaser’s counsel or issuer’s counsel on more than 230 transactions with a par value in excess of $18 billion over the last five years. 2020 was one of the highest years ever in terms of volume for the group.