Profile

David Unkovic has been a municipal bond lawyer in Pennsylvania for over 40 years. He has served as bond counsel on debt offerings by all sizes of governmental entities, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, state agencies, counties, townships, boroughs, cities, school districts and authorities. He also focuses his practice on the legal aspects of developing and implementing recovery plans for distressed municipalities and improvement plans for non-distressed municipalities.

For most of his career he has worked at private law firms, but he has also served as chief compliance officer at PFM Asset Management, and, in the Corbett Administration, as chief counsel of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and as the first state appointed receiver for the City of Harrisburg.

David joined McNees Wallace & Nurick in 2013 and practices in the Devon and Lancaster offices. He was born in Pittsburgh and resides in Montgomery County. David received his B.A. in political science, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania, and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is a former president of the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers and is a fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel.

David has been active over the years in organizations which promote the availability of civil legal services to all citizens. He has served as board chair of Pennsylvania Legal Services (now the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network), the Pennsylvania Lawyer Trust Account Board (IOLTA Program), the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program (VIP) and the Philadelphia Bar Foundation. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust in Philadelphia. He is a recipient of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation’s Louis J. Goffman Award. David serves as an adjunct professor at Widener Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg where he teaches a course on contract drafting.

EDUCATION

University of Pennsylvania, B.A., summa cum laude, 1976

Harvard Law School, J.D., 1979

MEMBERSHIPS

Lancaster Chamber

EXPERIENCE/REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Served as bond counsel to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority in its sale of almost $400 million of revenue bonds issued to fund critical water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure improvements. McNees’ team, together with PWSA’s leadership team, financial advisors and investment bankers, helped the Authority navigate the high volatility of the bond markets and refinance its existing debt to save both the Authority and Pittsburgh ratepayers money.

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania

PUBLICATIONS

August 8, 2022 - Solicitors: Help Avoid Targeting by the SEC in Municipal Bond Offerings
Even the general practice solicitor that handles all day-to-day legal issues for the client will play an important role in the financing process.

July 5, 2022 - Seven Lessons to be Learned from Recent SEC Enforcement Actions Involving Municipal Bond Financings
McNees Public Finance Client Alert

October 13, 2021 - What are ESG Bonds and Green Bonds and Should You Consider Issuing Them?
Advocate Alert

January 12, 2017 - Bond Issue Disclosure: When Politics and the Law Intersect
The Bond Buyer

January 1, 2015 - Municipal Distress: Reflections of a Receiver
Widener Law Journal

July 2, 2014 - 
Public Finance Alert
Bank Loans Grow In Municipal Market While Bond Issues Shrink

April 23, 2014 - Regional Stormwater Systems: How Should They Be Structured and Financed?

April 18, 2014 - Securing Public Deposits Under Pennsylvania's Act 72


March 12, 2014 - Anatomy of a Bond Issue: The Participants and The Steps

January 20, 2014 - The Critical First and Last Steps in a Municipal Workout: Vallejo, Harrisburg and Detroit

December 23, 2013 - McNees Client Alert
SEC Issues Final Municipal Advisor Registration Regulations

December 21, 2013 - Some Thoughts on Puerto Rico and Other Distressed Issuers

November 18, 2013 - The Role of Issuer's Counsel In A Bond Issue

September 25, 2013 - The Challenges of Being a Municipality Under the Laws of Pennsylvania

August 31, 2013 - Commentary - General Obligation Debt: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Contact Info

Practice Groups