Farmington Hills

32300 Northwestern Highway

,

Suite 230

Farmington Hills, MI 48334

T: 248.785.4727

F: 248.538.2090

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John M. Kamins

John Kamins is known for his work with clients in diverse, high-level business, finance, securities, entertainment and governance matters.  He joined Foster Swift in 2009 with a well-established practice in public finance, corporate and securities, non-profit corporate law and entertainment law.

His bond financing clients have included state and local governments, underwriters, trustees and conduit borrowers.  He has served as corporate counsel to publicly traded and privately held companies and 501(c)(3) entities for financings, securities offerings, private placements, SEC reporting, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and governance issues.  All these factors is what makes John a highly sought out finance lawyer and bond attorney in Detroit.

John's entertainment clients have included talent, companies and investors in the movie and music industries.

He is a frequent speaker to legal and industry groups and associations.  His most recent topics include financing charitable and educational facilities, municipal borrowing in a down economy and making movies in Michigan.

John has also been a leader for years in charitable organizations, both nationally and in Greater Detroit.  These include The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Goodwill Industries as well as active involvement in the Michigan and Florida bar associations.

Highlights & Recognitions

Representative Matters

• In 2005, a large municipal government in the United States wanted to fund $1.44 billion of unfunded accrued actuarial pension liabilities. John served as structuring counsel and underwriters' counsel, devising and implementing an unprecedented securities transaction and registering the securities on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. This transaction won The Bond Buyer's 2005 Midwest Regional Deal of the Year Award.
• John assisted a VEBA trust for a large county's retiree medical benefits in 2007. He devised and helped to implement an unprecedented securities transaction for funding over $500 million of unfunded accrued actuarial OBEB liabilities.
• A publicly traded electric utility corporation wanted to finance stranded costs in connection with its state's deregulation of electricity. John helped it to accomplish a complex $1.75 billion securitization bond offering in 2001.
• In February 2010, John advised the board of directors and management of a charitable non-profit on their duties and actions to address and resolve an urgent and confidential matter. He regularly provides counsel of this kind for crisis control and communications.
• A large, multi-state, multi-hospital health care corporation wanted to enter a new non-mortgage master indenture to coexist with an outstanding mortgage master indenture for more than $1 billion of tax-exempt bond debt until a future triggering event. The company relied on John, who in a period of 42 consecutive hours drafted contractual and disclosure language for the first bond offering under both indentures.
• John successfully briefed and presented oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, upholding a small new company's federal trademark registration over the opposition of one of the world's largest breakfast cereal companies.

News

• Kamins elected chairman of ACES section of the State Bar, October 18, 2010

Speaking Engagements

• Making Bond Finance Relevant in Today's Economy, Council of Development Financial Agencies (CDFA), June 7, 2012
• The State of TIF in 2012, Council of Development Finance Agencies, February 9, 2012
• Significant Developments in Municipal Finance, Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association, October 3, 2011
• Kamins and Seurynck to speak at 13th annual PCLS-MAMA Summer Educational Conference, Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys, June 13, 2011
• John Kamins will present "Privacy Issues in Social Networking" at an ICLE Seminar in Ann Arbor, (ACES) Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, May 10, 2011
• Ask a Lawyer, Michigan Township Association, January 26, 2011

For more, click here

Publications

• Potential Limitation of Tax-Exempt Interest, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, October 2011
• Foster Swift’s “PA 4 Team”, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, July 2011
• Emergency Financial Managers Reform Legislation and Training, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, February 2011
• Possible New Life for Build America Bonds, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, February 2011
• No Legislative Relief in 2010 for Delinquent Special Assessment Bonds, Foster Swift Municipal Law News: MTA Edition, January 2011
• Public Act 321 Allows Some Bond Refundings at a Net Present-Value Loss, to Permit Restructuring Future Debt Payments, Foster Swift Municipal Law News: MTA Edition, January 2011

For more, click here

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:

• State Bar of Michigan; Arts, Communications, Entertainment & Sports Section, Chairman - Elect
• State Bar of Michigan, Public Corporation Law Section, Past Chairman
• Michigan State Bar Foundation, Fellow 
• The Florida Bar, Section of Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law

Industry & Professional Associations:

• National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • Steering Committee for Bond Attorneys Workshops
  • Opinion Committee, Past Vice-Chair

Community Involvement:

• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • National Board of Trustees, Past Chairman
  • Board of Directors, Past Chairman
  • Michigan Chapter, Past President
• Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit Foundation, Past President
• Temple Beth El, Bloomfield Hills, Board of Trustees, Past President