Four public finance attorneys have joined New Jersey-based Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP in a move meant to increase the law firm’s public finance business.
Gary E. Walsh and Maryann Kicenuik, who were both partners with Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP joined Windels Marx as partners. Walsh had been the head of Riker Danzig’s public finance practice since 1981. Francine Halushka Katz, who had been an associate with Riker Danzig, and John Bitar, who was previously an associate in the public finance practice at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer PA, joined the firm as special counsel.
“We are going to be looking to get into the business in a much larger way,” said Walsh, who heads up the public finance practice. “It’s a greater opportunity to expand the practice beyond just a New Jersey practice, into a broader New York and New Jersey practice. That is really the major reason for it. This is a viable place to accomplish that.”
Walsh, Kicenuik, and Halushka Katz officially started at Windels Marx early last month. Bitar joined the firm in August.
Walsh said he expects the public finance practice to have a core group of six attorneys, and to also work on an as-needed basis with four or five other specialists at the firm. The group will primarily work out of the New Brunswick and New York City offices.
While at Riker Danzig, the group specialized in working with nonprofit conduit issuers such as New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority and the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority. The group handled two deals for Atlantic Health System totaling about $90 million.
Walsh said that for business reasons he has been looking for diversify the practice beyond New Jersey. In addition to offices in New Brunswick and Princeton, Windels Marx also has an office in New York City. The firm has about 100 attorneys.
