Betsy Knotts has joined Bass, Berry & Sims as counsel in its Nashville, Tennessee, office and will focus on public finance, the firm announced Wednesday
Knotts has worked for many years in state government, most recently as director of the Division of Local Government Finance in the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury's office.
While at the comptroller's office, she counseled governmental entities on matters related to financing transactions, such as general obligation bonds for cities and counties, and revenue bonds for municipal utilities and utility districts. Knotts worked with government and private entities on incentives to spur growth in communities.
At Bass, Berry & Sims, Knotts will use her experience in public finance and economic development incentive matters.
"After many wonderful years working with the Tennessee state government in a variety of capacities, I am excited to now leverage that experience to support the wide range of government entities that drive economic growth and opportunity in our state," Knotts said.
Prior to working in the comptroller's office, she was the executive secretary at the Tennessee State Board of Equalization. In that role, she reviewed and approved certain tax incentive transactions and acted as administrative judge for the Tennessee Assessment Appeals Commission.
Knotts has also served in the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury's Office of General Counsel, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General's Financial Division and the Office of the Texas Attorney General's Public Finance Division.
"Betsy brings years of experience working with state and local governments that will provide our clients with comprehensive perspective as they navigate the financing and economic incentive opportunities for continued development across our state and region," said Mark Mamantov, chair of the firm's public finance practice group. "We're excited to welcome Betsy, her legal acumen and deep insight into the inner workings of government-connected transactions. Her solutions-focused approach to client service makes her an especially great fit for our team."
Knotts serves on the board of the Tennessee Chapter of Women in Public Finance and is a member of the Tennessee Government Finance Officers Association.
She previously served on the Administrative Law Section Executive Council for the Tennessee Bar Association and was Appellate Moot Court Coordinator for the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature.
Knotts earned her law degree and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Louisiana State University Law Center and her undergraduate degree in music and German literature from Tulane University. She is a Fulbright Scholar, having spent one year in Hanover, Germany, teaching English as a second language to German public school students.
"I've had the great fortune to work with attorneys at Bass, Berry & Sims often through the years and it is an honor to join a team with so many talented attorneys who share my passion for constantly improving our communities," Knotts said.
