Government Finance
We serve as bond counsel for cities, counties, districts and authorities in every part of Tennessee, closing more Tennessee issues than all other firms combined. Representing approximately three quarters of the top 50 Tennessee cities by population, including the five largest cities, our clients have financed the entire range of governmental facilities, including:
- Schools and transportation infrastructure
- Water, sewer, gas, electric and telecommunications systems
- Sports and tourism facilities
- Airport facilities
The knowledge and depth we have built as a result of this experience enables us to deliver unique insight, value and efficiency to our governmental clients.
Our team is adept with state law issues relating to public finance, having been involved in drafting the statutes under which cities in our state generally issue bonds and in drafting important public finance legislation. We are also actively involved in obtaining Attorney General opinions on behalf of clients and frequently work with the State Comptroller's office on regulatory projects.
We have extensive experience working with Tennessee governmental issuers on alternative financing products and other financial products. For example, we have been heavily involved in establishing commercial paper programs for both general governmental and utility capital financing programs.
We are very active in the direct placement of municipal debt with banking institutions and are well acquainted with the unique tax and disclosure issues arising within the context of those transactions. We are one of the few firms in Tennessee with experience in lease-purchase financing from both a state and federal tax perspective, and have a high level of unique experience working with derivative products used in municipal finance transactions, such as interest rate swaps.
Specialized Tax Experience
We offer a comprehensive federal and state tax practice relating to municipal bonds with particular depth in private use issues due to our extensive involvement in most of the public financings for event facilities across Tennessee. We are actively involved on a regular basis in tax issues related to municipal bonds, including post-issuance compliance issues.
Members of our firm have assisted with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits of municipal bond transactions for almost 30 years. Familiarity with the audit process is very useful experience in helping clients structure and document public finance transactions. We also have extensive experience working with local governments on other post-issuance compliance matters, including drafting tax compliance policies for our municipal clients.
Due to the depth and experience of our public finance attorneys, we have extensive knowledge in this area with very few tax issues that our team has not considered.
Disclosure and Securities Law Counsel
We serve as disclosure counsel to local governments in the issuance of municipal bonds and in the development and implementation of securities law disclosure processes. We also serve as underwriter's counsel for large governmental transactions, ensuring that offerings are in compliance with applicable securities laws.
We serve as bond counsel for cities, counties, districts and authorities in every part of Tennessee, closing more Tennessee issues than all other firms combined. Representing approximately three quarters of the top 50 Tennessee cities by population, including the five largest cities, our clients have financed the entire range of governmental facilities, including:
- Schools and transportation infrastructure
- Water, sewer, gas, electric and telecommunications systems
- Sports and tourism facilities
- Airport facilities
The knowledge and depth we have built as a result of this experience enables us to deliver unique insight, value and efficiency to our governmental clients.
Our team is adept with state law issues relating to public finance, having been involved in drafting the statutes under which cities in our state generally issue bonds and in drafting important public finance legislation. We are also actively involved in obtaining Attorney General opinions on behalf of clients and frequently work with the State Comptroller's office on regulatory projects.
We have extensive experience working with Tennessee governmental issuers on alternative financing products and other financial products. For example, we have been heavily involved in establishing commercial paper programs for both general governmental and utility capital financing programs.
We are very active in the direct placement of municipal debt with banking institutions and are well acquainted with the unique tax and disclosure issues arising within the context of those transactions. We are one of the few firms in Tennessee with experience in lease-purchase financing from both a state and federal tax perspective, and have a high level of unique experience working with derivative products used in municipal finance transactions, such as interest rate swaps.
Specialized Tax Experience
We offer a comprehensive federal and state tax practice relating to municipal bonds with particular depth in private use issues due to our extensive involvement in most of the public financings for event facilities across Tennessee. We are actively involved on a regular basis in tax issues related to municipal bonds, including post-issuance compliance issues.
Members of our firm have assisted with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits of municipal bond transactions for almost 30 years. Familiarity with the audit process is very useful experience in helping clients structure and document public finance transactions. We also have extensive experience working with local governments on other post-issuance compliance matters, including drafting tax compliance policies for our municipal clients.
Due to the depth and experience of our public finance attorneys, we have extensive knowledge in this area with very few tax issues that our team has not considered.
Disclosure and Securities Law Counsel
We serve as disclosure counsel to local governments in the issuance of municipal bonds and in the development and implementation of securities law disclosure processes. We also serve as underwriter's counsel for large governmental transactions, ensuring that offerings are in compliance with applicable securities laws.
Experience
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We represented the City of Lexington, Tennessee as bond counsel in connection with the issuance of $12 million in Electric...
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We represented the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) as bond counsel in connection with the issuance of $91 million in electric...
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We represented the City of Memphis, Tennessee, as co-disclosure counsel in connection with the issuance of $135.3 million in General...
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We represented The Sports Authority of the County of Hamilton and the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in connection with the...
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We served as bond counsel and disclosure counsel to the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority in connection with the issuance of...
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We represented The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and its Electric Power Board (EPB) as bond counsel and disclosure counsel in...
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We served as co-disclosure counsel to the City of Memphis in connection with the issuance of $150 million in General...
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We represented the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council in connection with the negotiation and documentation of tax and other incentives...
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We represented Raymond James & Associates, Inc. in connection with the issuance of $366.7 million in electric system revenue bonds....
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We represented the City of Knoxville and Knox County and served as bond counsel to The Sports Authority of the...
Experience
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We represented the City of Lexington, Tennessee as bond counsel in connection with the issuance of $12 million in Electric...
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We represented the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) as bond counsel in connection with the issuance of $91 million in electric...
-
We represented the City of Memphis, Tennessee, as co-disclosure counsel in connection with the issuance of $135.3 million in General...
-
We represented The Sports Authority of the County of Hamilton and the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in connection with the...
-
We served as bond counsel and disclosure counsel to the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority in connection with the issuance of...
-
We represented The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and its Electric Power Board (EPB) as bond counsel and disclosure counsel in...
-
We served as co-disclosure counsel to the City of Memphis in connection with the issuance of $150 million in General...
-
We represented the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council in connection with the negotiation and documentation of tax and other incentives...
-
We represented Raymond James & Associates, Inc. in connection with the issuance of $366.7 million in electric system revenue bonds....
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We represented the City of Knoxville and Knox County and served as bond counsel to The Sports Authority of the...
Professionals
| Name | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lillian M. Blackshear Member |
(615) 742-7902 | lblackshear@bassberry.com |
|
Michael J. Bradshaw, Jr. Counsel |
(901) 543-5781 | Michael.Bradshaw@bassberry.com |
|
Betsy F. Knotts Counsel |
(615) 742-7878 | Betsy.Knotts@bassberry.com |
|
G. Mark Mamantov Member |
(865) 521-0365 | mmamantov@bassberry.com |
|
Russell A. Miller Member |
(615) 742-7778 | rmiller@bassberry.com |
|
James Polk Moneyhun, Jr. Member |
(865) 521-0368 | jmoneyhun@bassberry.com |
|
Stephanie Allen O'Hara Public Finance Attorney |
(865) 521-2026 | stephanie.ohara@bassberry.com |
|
Jeffrey A. Oldham Member |
(615) 742-7704 | joldham@bassberry.com |
|
Alexandrea R. Samber Senior Public Finance Attorney |
(865) 521-2038 | alexandrea.samber@bassberry.com |
|
Russell E. Stair Member |
(865) 521-2021 | rstair@bassberry.com |