Industries & Practices
Public Finance
Through bonds and finance options, we support health, safety, education, energy and economic development.
We serve as bond counsel to more than 1,000 state, city, county, school district, library and higher education entities that are seeking the most economical and efficient ways to finance their capital improvements. From clients who are contemplating a bond financing for the first time to those who are frequent issuers, we supply comprehensive advice that begins with the preliminary planning stage, continues through the process of committee meetings, board meetings and council meetings, and culminates after the capital has been secured.
Our group is known statewide for developing innovative financing structures, and several members have actively participated in the drafting of statutory and constitutional provisions that govern bond finance in Ohio. We are the largest public finance practice group in the state, and every attorney in the group is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers. Our lawyers are listed in the “red book” of bond counsel, and we have been recognized by the state and its various political subdivisions, as well as by the underwriting community, as a law firm with a national caliber bond counsel opinion.
We are experienced with the following:
- Election proceedings for voted levies, bond issues and charter questions
- Tax and revenue anticipatory notes
- Taxable and tax-exempt leases
- Capital financings
- Private purpose bond financings
- Structured finance transactions
- Tax-exempt organizations
- Economic development incentives
- Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)/energy efficiency
Areas of Focus
School Bond Finance & Levy Planning
We help school districts obtain and maintain the resources they need. Our experience includes bond and note issuances and tax levies, as well as lease-purchase arrangements, collaborative agreements, protection of assessed valuation, tax abatement and exemption issues, booster and foundation support, and more.
Municipal/County/Township Bond Finance
Representing political subdivisions to finance infrastructure is a key component of our firm’s foundation. We routinely serve as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, trustee counsel, issuer's counsel and/or company counsel in financings ranging from large general obligation and revenue bond issues to small bond issues.
State of Ohio & State Agency Finance
Our attorneys are intimately familiar with the State’s fiscal processes and have worked with public officials for decades. From job-creating programs to bond and note issuances, we help government entities create and use Ohio’s financial tools.
Economic Development Finance
Utilizing the economic development tools that best suit our clients’ goals, we structure and layer resources, connecting government entities and private developers with available financial incentives. Tax increment financing and joint economic development districts are just a few of the areas in which we are highly experienced.
MoreEnergy Finance & PACE
Participating in the issuance of Ohio’s first property assessed clean energy (PACE) bonds, our firm is a trailblazer in the area of energy project finance. We help public entities use funding opportunities to update existing office buildings or warehouses or to acquire an alternative energy source, like solar panels or wind turbines, without impacting certain local debt limitations.
Health Care Finance
We leverage our experience in public finance, tax, health, securities, charitable trust, creditor’s rights and contract law to find creative fiduciary options for our health care clients. Whether embarking on new initiatives or rethinking existing capital structures, our health care clients rely on our assistance with complex transactions.
MoreLibrary Bond Finance & Levy Planning
Whether borrowing money from note or bond issuance or raising money through a voter-approved levy, our team guides libraries through each stages of the process. Having partnered with dozens of public libraries across the state, we bring well-rounded experience this unique type of financial matter.
Underwriter's Counsel
Our attorneys regularly represent underwriters in bond financings. In this role, we draft the official statement, the purchase agreement and the continuing disclosure agreement for the transaction and guide our client in completing due diligence review.
People
John Caleb Bell
Partner
William T. Conard II
Partner
Price D. Finley
Partner
Katie E. Johnson
Partner
Colin J. Kalvas
Associate
Michael Katz
Associate
Glenn S. Krassen
Partner
Sean R. Lehman
Associate
Jacquelin R. Lewis
Associate
Carlos G. Maciel
Public Finance Analyst
M. Shannon Martin
Partner
William D. Mason
Partner
Robert F. McCarthy
Partner
Tracy L. McKenna
Public Finance Analyst
Christopher M. Nalls
Associate
Sarah E. O’Dea
Senior Counsel
Rebecca C. Princehorn
Partner
Paul S. Rutter
Of Counsel
Christiane W. Schmenk
Of Counsel
Richard C. Simpson
Of Counsel
Matthew L. Stout
Partner
Catherine M. Swartz
Of Counsel
Jason Tiemeier
Associate
Insights
Experience
OFCC K-12 Project on State University Campus
Served as counsel for a recently consolidated school district for a $42 million K-12 OFCC (state) co-funded project on the campus of a state university, with the local share bonds sold to the USDA....
MoreCleveland-area solar farm development
Represented Cuyahoga County in closing a $10 million financing transaction for the development of a solar farm on former landfill property near Cleveland. The solar farm covers 17 acres and co...
MoreSyndicated construction loan
Represented a lender in connection with a syndicated construction loan for a large office/residential project including a bridge loan addressing timing issues with public financing.
More"Bridge Street" development
Represented a lender in connection with financing for the first office/retail building in a large multi-phase project with significant public/private partnerships involved.
More$1.6 billion development in Warren County
Served as special counsel to a township in connection with a 1,230-acre, $1.6 billion mixed-use development in southwest Ohio. The transaction involved negotiating and structuring a tax increment f...
MoreCOTA downtown bus pass program
Assisted the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District with structuring and creating a process for implementing a program to encourage 43,000 downtown Columbus, Ohio, commuters to bus to work...
MoreEconomic development counsel for large scale mixed...
Assisted a developer with the negotiation of a development agreement with the City of Dublin for the mixed-use redevelopment project known as Bridge Park. The work included the creation of a n...
More$25 million rehabilitation of Dayton's Delco build...
Served as bond counsel to an Ohio port authority in the financing of efficiency upgrades to Dayton's Delco building, a historic landmark located in the city’s Water Street District. The b...
MoreBillion dollar borrowing program for The Ohio Stat...
Served as bond counsel for the issuance of two series aggregating $630 million in General Receipts Bonds of The Ohio State University issued as the first installment in a billion dollar borrowing p...
More$3.3 million energy upgrade to Columbus’ PNC build...
Served as bond counsel to an Ohio port authority in the financing of efficiency upgrades to the downtown Columbus PNC Plaza building. These upgrades were part of a PACE financing program. The deal ...
More