Foster Garvey announces today a change in the leadership of its acclaimed Municipal, Health & Housing practice. After three years of devoted service as Chair, Lee R. Marchisio will be stepping down, passing the torch to the highly experienced Allison C. Schwartzman, both of whom are Principals based in the firm’s Seattle office. The transition in leadership was effective February 1, 2024.
Lee, during his tenure as Chair, worked to further the growth and success of the practice while the team continued to navigate complex municipal finance transactions. The group earned several accolades for its industry-leading work and client-centric approach, including receiving national first-place honors as Top Bond Counsel (Competitive) in The Bond Buyer's Third Quarter 2023 rankings and garnering praise for Public Finance in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms®.
Foster Garvey Co-Chair Diana Shukis expressed her gratitude, stating, “Lee’s leadership has been instrumental in our ability to adeptly serve our firm’s broad-based municipal government clients, while upholding the practice’s longstanding reputation as a powerhouse in the Pacific Northwest. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Lee for his outstanding contributions and wish him continued success.”
Stepping into the role as Chair is Allison Schwartzman, a well-respected public finance attorney with nearly two decades of experience. Her practice centers around representing clients as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and borrower’s counsel in tax-advantaged financings, with a focus on the multifamily and senior housing, health care, transportation, higher education and nonprofit arenas.
“We are thrilled to welcome Allison as the new Chair of the Municipal, Health & Housing group,” added Foster Garvey Co-Chair Rafael Stone. “Her strategic vision, extensive industry insights and diverse representation of wide-ranging government entities make her an ideal leader for this vital practice area. Under Allison’s guidance, we are confident she will seamlessly build upon the foundation created by Lee and others, continuing the firm’s tradition of client service excellence and taking the practice to new heights.”
Foster Garvey’s Municipal, Health & Housing group has maintained a nationally recognized bond counsel practice for more than 70 years and is well-known by issuers, underwriters, rating agencies and bond issuers for its extensive knowledge. Its public finance attorneys are active participants in both the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the American College of Bond Counsel, regularly serving as bond counsel to more than 450 governmental agencies in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
Foster Garvey PC, a preeminent law firm with offices on both coasts, offers an extended national and international reach to serve many influential and innovative companies, government entities and individuals across a full spectrum of legal services. The firm's attorneys are consistently recognized for their deep industry knowledge and superior client service by prominent legal industry publications, including Best Lawyers in America©, Chambers USA and U.S. News-Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms.” In addition to providing efficient and effective counsel, Foster Garvey upholds a strong commitment to community service, pro bono representation, diversity and inclusion efforts, and a collegial and equitable work environment. The firm has offices in Seattle, Portland, Washington, D.C., New York, Spokane and Tulsa.
