Clark Hill PLC expanded its public finance presence in the Mid-Atlantic region by hiring two attorneys in Pennsylvania.
The law firm’s Public Finance Group has added Michael C. Barnes as a member in the Philadelphia office and Andrew C. Maher as senior counsel in Pittsburgh.
Barnes arrived at Clark Hill after working as partner in the public finance group at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr in Philadelphia. Maher was previously at Cohen Grigsby’s Pittsburgh office as a director in the firm’s 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,” Jeff Conn, leader of Clark Hill’s Banking & Financial Services Group, said in a statement.
The hiring of Barnes and Maher brings Clark Hill up to 14 attorneys in its public finance group operating out of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Michigan and Illinois. Barnes is Clark Hill’s first public finance hire for its Philadelphia office and he hopes the firm’s outreach in Pennsylvania’s largest city can expand its footprint throughout the region.
“I want to be able to expand Clark Hill’s practice with further penetration in New Jersey and Delaware,” said Barnes, who will work in the roles of bond counsel, borrower’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel. “To see a law firm that is looking to expand in public finance and sees the value of the practice was a big draw.”
Prior to arriving at Clark Hill, Barnes gained particular public finance experience working on financial transactions involving nonprofit health care systems, hospitals and continuing care retirement communities. Barnes has also worked on tax increment financings as well as bond deals involving special assessments, special taxes, neighborhood improvement districts and neighborhood improvement zones.
Maher will act as bond counsel and special counsel for a wide variety of clients, including school districts, municipalities, universities, municipal authorities, state agencies, counties and healthcare systems. He previously was disclosure counsel and underwriter’s counsel for issuers and financial institutions involved in municipal bond sales.
“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,” Maher said in a statement.
Barnes received his law degree from Rutgers University Law School and a Bachelor of Science from St. Joseph’s University. Maher earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts at Georgetown. Both are members of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers.
“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,” Lisa A. Chiesa, leader of Clark Hill’s public finance law practice, said in a statement.
Clark Hill has been in expansion mode in recent years starting in 2013 when it added 100 lawyers through a merger with Thorp Reed & Armstrong. The firm, which was founded in 1890, also merged with Los Angeles-based Morris Polich & Purdy LLP in 2017 to add an additional 100 attorneys. Another 200 lawyers were added last year when Clark Hill combined forces with Strasburger & Price in Texas.
