Kester K. So
USA Guide 2024
Band 1 : Public Finance
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
517-487-4722Share profile
Band 1
About
Provided by Kester K. So
Practice Areas
A member of the Firm resident in the Lansing office, Kester So focuses his practice on public finance and utility law. Kester serves as bond counsel and underwriter’s counsel on a variety of bond issues involving State of Michigan level issuers, including State offices and university and community college facilities, city, county, village, and township financings, including local building authorities, general obligation, tax increment, and utility revenue bonds, as well as health care financings. He has been involved in state trunk line bonds, the renovation of the State Capitol, and the construction of Heritage Hall, county jails and justice centers, airports, new hospitals and medical centers, and power plants located throughout the State and in Ohio.
Professional Memberships
Elected to the Board of Directors of the American College of Bond Counsel; Chair of the Member Selection Committee, American College of Bond Counsel, July 2023; Fellow, American College of Bond Counsel; State Bar of Michigan, Member (Government Law, Real Property Law, and Health Care Law Sections; Former Chairperson (twice) of the Public Corporation Law Section Council, now known as Government Law Section); Ingham County Bar Association, Member; Member of the Hall of Justice Committee of the State Bar, by appointment of the State Bar President; National Association of Bond Lawyers, Member; Former editor and current contributor to Briefly; Case law summary contributor to Michigan Municipal League publication
Education
University of Michigan
A.B.
University of California College of Law, San Francisco
J.D.
Awards
Municipal, Public Finance, Energy and Utilities Law
Best Lawyers in America®, 2012-2024
"Lawyer of the Year," Utilities Law
Best Lawyers in America®
2021
"Lawyer of the Year," Public Finance Law
Best Lawyers in America®, 2015, 2020
"Lawyer of the Year," Municipal Law and Public Finance Law
Best Lawyers in America®, 2016, 2022
Government Finance Law
Michigan Super Lawyers®, 2014-2023
"Leader in the Law"
Michigan Lawyers Weekly
2013
Hall of Fame
Michigan Lawyers Weekly
2023
Elected to the Board of Directors
American College of Bond Counsel
Fellow
American College of Bond Counsel
Chair of Member Selection Committee
American College of Bond Counsel
2023
Served as bond counsel to the MFA for unemployment insurance bond issue, which was named National and Midwest Region Deal of the Year
The Bond Buyer
2012
Served as underwriter’s counsel for Detroit blight removal bonds, which was named Midwest Region Deal of the Year
The Bond Buyer
2021
Served as bond counsel to the MFA for Wayne County jail and justice center financing, which was named Midwest Region Deal of the Year
The Bond Buyer
2018
Chambers Review
USA
Kester So has wide-ranging experience in the public finance space and is regularly engaged as by government entities and education institutions as bond counsel on municipal financings.