The NABL Member Spotlight initiative is a volunteer-based program. All featured members participate voluntarily and are selected to highlight their contributions and achievements within our community. Participation in the spotlight does not imply endorsement by NABL. If you would like to be featured, please contact us! Now, let’s meet Parker Schenken and learn more about his public finance journey:

1. What inspired you to become a NABL member and how did your career in Public Finance start?   

I was a civil engineer before going to law school, and early in my law career one of the bond lawyers at my firm was looking for someone who knew how to read a survey. I was that guy, and that led to my involvement in my first public finance transaction in the mid-1990s. This same lawyer (my mentor for over two decades, and a fellow-NABL member, now retired) strongly encouraged me to get involved in NABL.  I attended my first “Fundamentals” shortly after that.  

2. You are chairing The Essentials this year, what advice do you have for first time attendees? 

Soak it all in, it’s a lot. But this conference does a fantastic job of laying out the basic principles of all of the areas of law that touch a bond deal. When you return to your practice, I can almost guarantee you that you will read documents and listen to deal calls differently, with a better grasp of these concepts. In addition to the substance, take the time to meet NABL staff, panelists and most importantly your colleagues at other firms. We practice in a very small sandbox, and the relationships we form with each other through NABL really make a difference in our day-to-day practice. Plus, these are really great people! 

3. What NABL resources do you think more members should take advantage of? 

Even now, I am always astonished at the resources available through NABL. From written guides and resources, to online presentations, to the larger conferences. Dive in and take advantage of it all. As a NABL member, you have the ability to leverage decades of experience from the finest public finance attorneys in the country! 

4. What is a skill outside of traditional legal training that you rely on in your public finance work?  

We each have our own backgrounds that can enhance our public finance practices. Many bond lawyers have backgrounds in finance, tax or government, all of which are helpful (and all of which I had to learn “on the job”!). My particular background (civil engineering) was helpful in that I had a good fundamental understanding of the projects we were financing – particularly roads, electric systems and water/wastewater infrastructure. But with that said, public finance touches so many areas, I would encourage attendees to contemplate how their unique backgrounds might tie into any type of public finance project. 

5. What is a fun fact that people might not know about you?

Living in Colorado, I love spending time in the mountains. As a Nebraska native, I’m still hanging in there with Nebraska Football – painful in recent decades, although Husker basketball has been a bright spot!  My wife and I have three great children, all grown and doing interesting things in the world (although I couldn’t convince any of them to get into public finance!).