Henry A. Gempeler is a retired partner with Foley & Lardner LLP where he practiced in the area of government finance. He was a member of the firm’s Finance & Financial Institutions, Real Estate, and Public Finance Practices. He has extensive experience in zoning and land use control, real estate, and economic development projects. He served as city attorney for the City of Madison, Wis. from 1975 to 1991. While city attorney, he also served as counsel to the Community Development Authority, Water Utility, Parking Utility, and from 1975 to 1982, the Madison Metropolitan School District.
Awards and Recognition
He was selected for inclusion in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 lists of Wisconsin Super Lawyers® and is rated as a “top lawyer” in Madison Magazine.
Affiliations
Henry was a founding director of the Wisconsin Municipal Mutual Insurance Company, a company which was created to provide insurance services to local governmental units throughout the state of Wisconsin. He is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, the American Bar Association and State Bar of Wisconsin (chairman, Government and Administrative Law Section, 1990). He also was a member of the Attorney Section, League of Wisconsin Municipalities (chairman, 1978) and the International Municipal Lawyers Association (regional vice president and state chairman, 1982-1985; former chair, Associate Department; former chair, Economic Development, Taxation and Finance Section).
Community Involvement
As city attorney Henry served as issuer’s counsel on general obligation bonds; general revenue bonds for parking, water and hospital; industrial development bonds; housing bonds; redevelopment bonds; special assessment bonds and lease revenue bonds. In addition, he represented the City and the Community Development Authority in the structuring and negotiation of downtown redevelopment projects, oftentimes involving tax increment financing.