Justin Pruitt, Partner

Justin gained a wealth of experience while serving in his roles as Assistant City Attorney and as Business Development Director for the City of Lubbock. Among his many responsibilities, Justin directed matters in the areas of land use, economic development, tax increment financing, public improvement districts, and downtown revitalization. While in Lubbock, he worked closely with the City Council, City Management, and the development community to make sure that key projects moved through the City’s regulatory framework without issue. He has significant experience with annexation, planning and zoning, economic development, community development, parks and recreation, public transportation, and open records. Justin served as lead counsel for the City of Lubbock’s first comprehensive planning initiative in over thirty years and also directed the creation and establishment of three public improvement districts. He was directly involved with the City’s hiring of a Convention Center Hotel developer, organized and established the City’s first Neighborhood Empowerment Zone, provided oversight for the City’s Opportunity Zone and Community Land Trust strategies, and managed the City’s special districts. He was involved with the negotiation of several major contracts that directly affected Lubbock’s economic growth and downtown revitalization.

Doctor of Jurisprudence
Texas A&M University School of Law, 2013

Master of Public Administration – Economic Development, Summa Cum Laude
University Scholar, School of Urban and Public Affairs, 2010

Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies/History)
Texas Tech University, 2002

Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2023 – present | Partner
Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2019 – 2022 | Attorney
City of Lubbock | Lubbock, Texas | 2018 – 2019 | Business Development Director
City of Lubbock | Lubbock, Texas | 2015 – 2018 | Assistant City Attorney
FWT, LLC | Kennedale, Texas | 2014 – 2015 | Contracts Attorney/Chief In-House Counsel
Orasi Municipal Development | Fort Worth, Texas | 2011 – 2013 | Economic Dev. Analyst

Justin offers a wealth of experience to our municipal clients with council matters, ordinances, and resolutions. He has the knowledge and experience to guide our clients with the appropriate utilization of economic development tools to encourage progress, stabilize or increase the tax base, generate employment, and regulate development. Justin will help our clients with all aspects of tax abatement, tax increment financing, free port exemptions, foreign trade zones, hotel occupancy taxes, economic development corporations, and sales taxes. He will help with economic development grants and incentives under Chapter 380 of the Local Government Code, public improvement districts, tax increment reinvestment zones, local government corporations, and municipal management districts.  

• The Shaky Ground of Immunity, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 18th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2022, Stafford, Texas
• ESDs and Sales Tax During COVID-19, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 17th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2021, Stafford, Texas
• EDC 101: What Is It?, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 16th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2020, Stafford, Texas