"An absolute superstar"
Chambers USA

Overview

Mitch Holzrichter is a partner in the Projects & Infrastructure practice of the Chicago office. Mitch represents owners, sponsors, investors, contractors and lenders in complex public infrastructure transactions. His work includes revenue-risk concession agreements, availability payment projects and design-build agreements across a variety of asset types. Mitch was recognized nationally by Chambers USA (2021-2022) for his “commercial and creative” approach to transactions and for being ”an extremely talented and pragmatic lawyer who has a strong commercial sense.” He was named a 2017 Rising Star for transportation law by Law360, which honors lawyers under 40 "whose legal accomplishments transcend their age," for his prominent role in "crafting financing deals for several high-profile infrastructure projects." He has also been named a Next Generation Partner in government relations by Legal 500 (2019 – 2022) and recognized in the construction law rankings (2019 – 2021) for his work on complex infrastructure projects. Mitch was honored as the Emerging Leader of the Year (2021) by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

Mitch has advised on many first-of-their-kind and award-winning projects. He has represented clients in structuring development and concession agreements recognized as “deals of the year” by The Bond Buyer, Project Finance International, and the P3 Bulletin awards, among others. He advised on the first long-term lease of a major U.S. commercial airport, the first revenue-risk highway concession deal to offer a net concession payment to the government owner, and the first public university student housing availability payment transaction, among other innovative projects. Mitch also regularly advises on the investment, sale and acquisition of equity interests in infrastructure companies and concessions.

In addition, Mitch is a member of the firm’s Public Policy, Regulatory & Government Affairs practice, advising clients on various government and political law matters, including government ethics, lobbyist registration rules, public records laws, and regulatory matters. He advises many sophisticated governmental entities, including public pension systems, financing authorities, and development agencies, on their governance and transactions. Mitch represents several major gaming companies and suppliers on licensure and other regulatory matters. He also counsels political committees, donors and candidates on election and campaign finance laws. He has represented plaintiffs, including members of Congress and government reform advocates, in voting rights litigation, redistricting litigation, and constitutional ballot initiatives.

Mitch returned to Mayer Brown in 2017 after serving for two years in senior positions in the Office of the Governor of Illinois. He also served as a member of the Illinois State Board of Education, which oversees public education in Illinois. In recognition of his leadership in the state, Mitch was named a 2017 Edgar Fellow by the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

Areas of Focus

Practices
Industries

Spoken Languages

  • English

Experience

  • Represented investors in the lease and development of new Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, a $3.9 billion project.
  • Represented the government of Puerto Rico on the long-term lease of the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, the first such lease of a major US airport, which was named P3 Deal of the Year by Project Finance International.
  • Represented the Texas Department of Transportation on the SH 288 toll lanes project near Houston, a revenue-risk concession deal with a construction value of $800 million, which was the first transaction of its type to offer a concession payment to the owner.
  • Represented the developer of the East End Crossing bridge project near Louisville, which was named Deal of the Year by The Bond Buyer and Transport Deal of the Year by Project Finance International, and subsequently represented the developer on a refinancing of the project debt.
  • Represented the consortium of Abertis Infraestructuas and John Hancock in their acquisition of Elizabeth River Crossings, a long-term toll highway and tunnel concession in Virginia with an enterprise value of more than $2 billion.
  • Represented a major commercial airline in the development of new Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, a $9.5 billion project.
  • Represented lenders to the PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge Public Private Partnership program, which included an issuance of $1.8 billion in private activity bonds, the largest issuance of surface transportation private activity bonds ever.
  • Represented Accelerate Maryland Partners, a consortium of Transurban and Macquarie, on the development of the Maryland express lane program near Washington, D.C.
  • Represented Capital One in the development of its airport lounge program, including at airports in Denver, Dallas and Washington, D.C., among other locations.
  • Represented the City of Chicago and the City of St. Louis in proposed leases of Midway International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport, respectively.
  • Represented the Alabama Department of Transportation on the proposed redevelopment of the Mobile River Bridge along I-10.
  • Represented Purdue University on a first-of-its-kind use of availability payments to develop new student housing facilities.
  • Represented the consortium of Abertis Infraestructuas and John Hancock in their acquisition of Elizabeth River Crossings, a long-term toll highway and tunnel concession in Virginia with an enterprise value of more than $2 billion.
  • Represented HMSHost Corporation in the sale of its highway rest area concession business as a carve-out sale transaction.
  • Represented DIF Capital Partners in its acquisition of a majority interest in a fiber and fixed wireless provider in the Midwestern US.
  • Represented BBGI in its acquisition of a controlling interest in East End Crossing Partners, which holds the concession for the East End Crossing bridge project near Louisville.
  • Represented shortlisted bidders in offers for Pan Am Railways and the Lake State Railway Company.

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Education

The University of Michigan Law School, JD, cum laude

Northwestern University, BA, with department honors

Admissions

  • Illinois

Court

  • US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • Ranked by Chambers USA - Projects: PPP (2021-22; “Up and Coming”)