Public Finance Associate

Barnes & Thornburg LLP; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Inclusive and supportive atmosphere

Professional growth opportunities

Consistent deal flow

Job summary

A leading law firm seeks a skilled Public Finance Associate to join their dynamic practice in Washington, D.C. This role offers significant experience in debt securities and tax credit finance, providing opportunities to work with prestigious clients in various finance transactions. Ideal candidates will possess strong drafting and analytical skills, with experience in public finance or transactional law preferred. The firm fosters a supportive atmosphere emphasizing associate development and career advancement.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in public finance, transactional, and/or commercial real estate work.
• Experience serving as bond counsel or disclosure counsel preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must hold a current license to practice law in the state of application.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key member of deal teams in public and project finance transactions.
• Structure and document tax-exempt and taxable municipal securities.
• Draft and review principal transaction documents.
• Conduct legal research related to securities and municipal law issues.
• Assist with restructurings of distressed municipal debt.

Skills

Strong drafting skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Written and verbal communication skills

Ability to manage multiple matters

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Public Finance Associate

Barnes & Thornburg LLP, an Am Law 100 firm with a nationally recognized Public and Project Finance practice, is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Public Finance Associate to join our dynamic and expanding Public and Project Finance practice. Candidates should have finance, real estate or other transactional experience, and will ideally have some public finance experience as well, though not required. This addition is driven by long-term strategic growth and is an outstanding opportunity for a mid to senior-level associate looking to work primarily in debt securities and tax credit finance, with a sophisticated, complex practice, and with a clear path for advancement.

Our nationally recognized Public Finance group is Chambers ranked Band 1 and advises investment banking firms, commercial banks, utilities, health systems, medical centers, universities, state and local governmental entities, LIHTC investors and other clients on some of the most sophisticated and high-impact financings in the market. We serve as bond counsel, borrower’s counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel, bank counsel, investor’s counsel, tax counsel, and indenture trustee’s counsel on complex, rated and unrated debt financings across the country, and we represent key market participants in restructuring public finance debt.

Position Overview

The attorney in this position will gain significant, broad-based public and project finance experience, including substantive experience structuring and executing finance transactions, as well as working with municipal bond workouts and restructurings. In this role, you will work on high-profile and highly rated tax‑exempt and taxable bond financings, as well as distressed and high‑yield municipal bond transactions. This is a fast‑paced practice that involves managing multiple matters simultaneously, frequent client interaction, and engagement with sophisticated financial products and complex credit structures and transactions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key member of deal teams representing a wide range of clients in public and project finance transactions
• Structure and document tax‑exempt and taxable municipal securities as well as other debt instruments and derivatives
• Draft and review principal transaction documents, including:
  • Trust indentures and loan agreements
  • Bond purchase and underwriting agreements
  • Primary and secondary market disclosure and disclosure undertakings
  • Security documents
  • Tax certificates and opinions
• Conduct legal research and analysis related to securities, tax, bankruptcy, and municipal law issues
• Assist with restructurings of distressed municipal debt, including workouts, etc.
• Interface directly with clients, financial advisors, investment bankers, rating agencies, and other transaction participants.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in public finance, transactional, and/or commercial real estate work
• Experience serving as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, or underwriter’s counsel preferred but not required
• Experience with bond and finance transactions and restructurings, tax and bankruptcy not required but would be a plus
• Strong drafting, analytical, and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple matters in a deadline‑driven environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• J.D. from an accredited law school and strong academic credentials
• Must hold a current license to practice law in the state of application, or be eligible for admission by reciprocity (waiver) in that state

Why Join Barnes & Thornburg LLP

• Join a nationally known, well‑respected, expanding public finance department with consistent deal flow
• Work with market‑leading financial institutions and organizations
• The firm is known for fostering an inclusive, collegial, and supportive atmosphere
• We are committed to long‑term associate development and a well‑defined and transparent path for professional growth

We will not consider resumes submitted by external agencies or recruiters for this position. Recruiters and agencies will not be compensated for assisting Barnes & Thornburg LLP in recruiting for this position, regardless of whether such party has a recruiting contract with us.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Statement

Barnes & Thornburg is committed to equal employment opportunity in both principle and as a matter of policy. We will recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate and provide benefits to all applicants and employees without regard to ancestry, sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, religious creed, mental and/or physical disability, medical condition, military and/or veteran’s status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all recruiting, hiring, promotions, upgrades, layoffs, compensation, benefits, terminations and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment. The firm complies fully with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws.