Special Districts

Political subdivisions are diverse and numerous in Texas. They include special districts and authorities for utilities, economic development, transportation, health care, navigation, and rail service. Leaders entrusted with governing and operating special districts often require experienced attorneys to help navigate the patchwork of special and general laws and codes created to govern them. Our attorneys are experienced with the numerous laws affecting special districts and can provide special district leaders with the guidance and assistance necessary to navigate them with certainty.

We provide both general and special counsel services to special districts and other governmental entities across Texas in a number of areas, including:

General Representation of Special Districts

Including regional mobility authorities, river authorities, groundwater districts, and the alphabet soup of MUD’s, PUD’s, PID’s, and TIFZ’s;

District Creation and Legislative Representation

Including representing entities before the TCEQ and the Texas Legislature concerning the creation of water districts, groundwater districts, and utility districts; representing the interests of river authorities, water districts, and groundwater districts before the Texas Legislature; and defending entities in state court challenges to their enabling legislation and legislative authority;

Groundwater Districts

Including assisting groundwater districts in enforcing their rules and permitting requirements; aiding districts in drafting and adopting district rules; representing groundwater districts in the permitting of new and existing groundwater wells; and advising clients on their fee structures;

General Counsel and Outside Counsel

Including providing legal assistance on various matters, including employment matters, ethics issues, open records and open meetings matters, general and water-related litigation, voting rights issues, elections, annexations, redistricting, contracts and leases; assisting clients in drafting and adopting rules and policies; aiding clients in preparing takings impact assessments, if necessary; and advising clients on scope of authority issues;

Financing and Bond Counsel for Special Districts

Including serving as bond counsel or issuer’s counsel; conducting bond elections; and representing river authorities, water districts, municipalities, utility districts, and water supply corporations in obtaining financing from a variety of sources including the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture – Rural Development and Rural Utilities, and the private sector with major bond firms.