Bill Bingham has broad experience with governmental entities, school boards, business associations, and companies in many different industries. He serves as general counsel to a statewide professional organization of dentists and to a regional passenger rail district. Bill counsels school and education clients on school finance, real estate acquisition, facility construction, elections and appointments, open meetings and records, employment matters, and intergovernmental agreements. He has served as the principal lawyer for a major school district for over twenty years and as the principal lawyer for a major community college for more than ten years. With more than 30 years of experience with municipal corporations and zoning, Bill has dealt with all areas of city and county government while representing clients in connection with real estate acquisitions, financing, development, land use, zoning, and water quality. In addition, Bill is experienced in the organization, governance, and financing of all types of corporate and partnership entities, as well as nonprofit corporations. He has represented clients in corporate and business financing and acquisitions, and he has represented municipal authorities in the issuance of bonds and other debt. He is listed in the Bond Buyer's Red Book as a nationally recognized bond attorney. Bill has represented clients in the development of new telecommunications networks and services that involve the application of the Federal Communications Commission, the Public Utility Regulatory Commission, and state and local government statutes and regulations. Bill also has a wide range of litigation experience in state and federal trial and appellate courts.
Representative Experience
· Served as general counsel for two major professional and trade associations involved with political activities including legislative representation, state and federal regulation, nonprofit corporate organizations, for-profit subsidiaries, and general board of directors and employment issues.
· Formed regional passenger rail district and serves as its general counsel.
· Represented entity consisting of all governmental units in Travis County, Texas in development, installation, and operation of fiber optic communication system involving all governmental facilities within the county, one of the first such systems installed in the United States.
· Represented telecommunications provider in designing and contracting to install wide area network using fiber optics to connect schools and governmental buildings throughout North Texas city.
· Represented owner and developer in acquisition, construction, and leasing of major downtown office and hotel development in Austin, Texas.
· Represented major urban school district in of desegregation case lasting more than ten years, and achieved one of the first settlements of a major case in the United States that allowed retention of local control by school board.
· Represented several major school districts in acquisition of property, contracting for construction, construction, and opening of numerous school and related facilities to meet needs of rapidly-growing school districts.
· Represented school districts in requesting and contracting for installation of wide area networks using fiber optics to connect all school and related facilities.
· Served as principal lawyer for several major banking institutions and represented clients in areas of lending, real estate financing, collection, and bankruptcy.
Activities
· State Bar of Texas (President, School Law Section, 1982-83)
· Texas Association of Bank Counsel (Director, 1981-84)
· Austin Symphony, Board of Directors, Treasurer, Executive Committee
· Austin/San Antonio Corridor Council, Board of Directors, Executive Committee
Professional Background
· St. Mary's Law School, J.D. 1970 (Research Editor, St. Mary's Law Journal; Phi Delta Phi, Magister)
· The University of Texas and Stephen F. Austin State University, B.A. 1967
· Briefing Attorney: Supreme Court of Texas (1970-71)
· Admitted to Practice: Texas; Supreme Court of the United States; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; United States District Courts for the Western, Southern, and Northern Districts of Texas