Clark Hill PLC today announced the addition of Michael C. Barnes as a Member in the Philadelphia office and Andrew C. Maher as Senior Counsel in the Pittsburgh office, both in the firm’s Public Finance Group. Barnes joins the firm from the Philadelphia office of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr where he had been a partner in the firm’s Public Finance Practice. Maher joins the firm from Cohen Grigsby’s Pittsburgh office where he had been a Director in the Real Estate and Public Finance practice.
“The addition of these two talented, rising stars in public finance law strengthens our capabilities in the Mid-Atlantic region and highlights Clark Hill’s commitment to the strategic development of our already strong Public Finance Law Practice,” said Jeff Conn, Leader of Clark Hill’s Banking & Financial Services Group.
“Michael and Andrew’s combined skill set will provide a significant boost to our clients in need of public finance experience, including state and local governmental entities, colleges and universities, school districts, health care systems and other tax-exempt issuers, borrowers, lenders and underwriters that Clark Hill represents here in the Mid-Atlantic region,” said Lisa A. Chiesa, Leader of Clark Hill’s Public Finance Law practice.
Barnes served as bond counsel, borrower’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel on finance matters involving states, municipalities, nonprofit entities, developers, economic development authorities, universities, independent schools and school districts. Barnes has particular experience helping nonprofit health care systems, hospitals and continuing care retirement communities with their financing needs. He also has significant experience with tax increment financings, special assessment and special tax bonds, neighborhood improvement district and neighborhood improvement zone bonds and other economic development financings.
“It is tremendously exciting to have the opportunity to collaborate with such a talented group of public finance practitioners and to benefit from, and contribute to, the depth and strength of Clark Hill’s Banking and Financial Services Group as a whole,” Barnes noted. He earned his J.D. from Rutgers University Law School, magna cum laude and his B.S. from St. Josephs University, magna cum laude. He is a member of both the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers, and a board member of the Center for Aquatic Sciences, a nonprofit entity based in Camden, New Jersey.
Maher acts as bond counsel and special counsel for a wide variety of clients, including school districts, municipalities, universities, municipal authorities, state agencies, counties, healthcare systems, and other governmental and 501(c)(3) entities. Maher has also served as disclosure counsel and underwriter’s counsel for issuers and financial institutions issuing/underwriting the purchase and sale of municipal securities.
Maher noted, “I’m excited to be a part of Clark Hill’s expansion of its public finance footprint in the region, and look forward to working with the team and the firm’s outstanding clients.” He earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and his A.B., cum laude from Georgetown University. He is a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers and a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers.
Founded in 1890, Clark Hill has been significantly expanding since 2013, beginning with the addition of 100 lawyers from Thorp Reed & Armstrong. In 2017, the firm merged with Los Angeles-based Morris Polich & Purdy LLP, adding some 100 lawyers, and in 2018 the firm combined with Texas-based Strasburger & Price, adding 200 more lawyers in Texas, New York, Washington, D.C. and Mexico City.
Source: www.clarkhill.com
