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.
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.