CHICAGO – Missouri-based public finance law firm Gilmore & Bell PC is bulking up, adding two bond lawyers who primarily focus on school district finance.
Kansas City-based attorneys William Hess and Benjamin Thompson, both formerly of Bryan Cave LLP, recently joined the firm as shareholders.
Hess has served as bond counsel for Missouri school districts for more than three decades. His practice has also covered other public entities in Missouri and Kansas and he has served as general counsel to the Missouri Securities Investment Program.
Thompson has worked on deals as bond counsel for Missouri school districts and local municipalities since graduating from law school in 2008. He also has worked in the role of underwriter's counsel on bond offerings.
"Bill and Ben have built an impressive practice representing Missouri and Kansas public entities, especially Missouri schools," the firm's president, Gary Anderson, said in a statement. "Their practice is a perfect complement to our Missouri and Kansas bond practice. We welcome them both to the Gilmore & Bell team."
The two bring to 14 the number of Gilmore Bell attorneys that devote a significant amount of their time on school district finance, the firm said.
"My clients are faced with an ever-increasing array of complex federal regulations. The singular focus of Gilmore & Bell on municipal bonds will bring additional resources and people to help them meet these compliance burdens," Hess said.
"As a bond attorney I can't think of a better place to continue building my career," Thompson said.
The new additions bring to 52 the firm's compliment of bond lawyers with 33 in Kansas City, eight in St. Louis, seven in Wichita, three in Omaha, and one in Edwardsville, Ill. The firm employs another three non-public finance lawyers.
The firm had a strong first quarter, jumping from the 11th spot last year to fifth nationally, credited with a par amount of $2.59 billion, according to data from Thomson Reuters. The firm finished second in the Midwest last year, credited with working on $2.5 billion of deals.
