Public Finance Counsel

McGuireWoods • Atlanta, GA

17h

About The Position

McGuireWoods seeks a Public Finance Counsel to join its nationally recognized Public Finance Practice Group, part of the Public and Private Infrastructure & Real Estate Department. The group advises clients on tax-exempt and taxable financings and refinancings across nonprofit, higher education, for-profit, energy infrastructure, healthcare, governmental, industrial, waste-to-energy, and recycling sectors. Its work includes reviewing, drafting, and analyzing credit support, tax, construction, and management agreements; preparing and negotiating financing and offering documents, certificates, and opinions; and addressing complex federal tax issues.

The Counsel will lead transactions from structuring through closing with a high degree of independence and serve as a primary contact for clients, issuers, underwriters, lenders, and other working-group members. The role also involves supervising and mentoring associates and paralegals, developing client relationships with partners, and supporting business development.

McGuireWoods states that it offers excellent benefits, competitive salary, hours and merit bonus opportunities, and billable-hours credit for pro bono work. The firm also describes initiatives to support lawyers’ careers and the use of Harvey AI to accelerate research, streamline document drafting, and enhance analytical work. This is a national search focused on Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, New York, Raleigh, Richmond, Tysons, and Washington, DC.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of public finance experience, including substantial tax-exempt bond experience, in a top 100 law firm or comparable setting.
• Demonstrated ability to lead tax-exempt and taxable financing transactions from start to finish, including serving as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, lender’s counsel, or borrower’s counsel.
• Deep knowledge of federal tax requirements for tax-exempt obligations, federal securities law disclosure obligations, and related documents, including official statements, trust indentures, loan agreements, continuing disclosure agreements, and legal opinions.
• Proven ability to manage complex transactions and working groups, supervise and train junior lawyers, and provide practical, business-focused client advice.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, business teams, and legal teams.
• Strong academic record and excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Admission to practice in, or eligibility for admission in, the state where the candidate will be based.
• Willingness and desire to work with innovative technology platforms.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with real estate, secured lending, and project finance transactions, particularly representing lenders and underwriters.
• An established client base or demonstrated interest in business development.

Responsibilities

• Lead public finance transactions from structuring through closing with a high degree of independence.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, issuers, underwriters, lenders, and other working-group members.
• Handle tax-exempt and taxable financing transactions, including work as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, lender’s counsel, or borrower’s counsel.
• Supervise and mentor associates and paralegals.
• Work with partners to develop client relationships and support the practice’s business development efforts.
• Review, draft, and analyze underlying credit support, tax, construction, and management agreements; prepare and negotiate financing and offering documents, certificates, and opinions; and analyze federal tax issues.

Benefits

• Excellent benefits.
• Competitive salary with hours and merit bonus opportunities.
• Billable-hours credit for pro bono work.
• Support initiatives for lawyers’ careers.
• Use of Harvey AI to accelerate research, streamline document drafting, and enhance analytical work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed