01/31/2008 04:10:23 PM EST
Chapman & Cutler Names John Trofa and Timothy McGree Co-Chairs of Public Finance Department
CHICAGO -- Financial services law firm Chapman and Cutler LLP has named partners Timothy V. McGree and M. John Trofa as co-chairs of the firm's Public Finance Department. Messrs. Trofa and McGree are taking over the public finance practice from longtime chair Daniel Johnson, who recently was named Chapman's Chief Operating Partner. The decision to appoint joint leaders was intentional: Mr. Trofa will focus on servicing and expanding the firm's representations nationally, including western and southwestern states where Chapman has increased its presence in recent years; Mr. McGree will direct the firm's active engagements across the Midwest, where Chapman has historically been one of the most prominent US public finance law firms since its founding in 1913. In addition to its heavy concentration in Illinois, Chapman worked on tax- exempt financings this past year in Utah, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, California, Wisconsin, Arizona, Massachusetts, Iowa, Washington, Georgia, Florida and numerous other states.
Mr. McGree began his career at Chapman in 1973, concentrating on municipal finance for state and local governments across the Midwest. He serves as bond counsel to hundreds of municipalities throughout Illinois and has represented investment banking firms as underwriter's counsel. His experience includes work on derivative products, including swaps, forward bond purchase agreements, and various investment products. He is a recognized authority on Illinois joint action agencies, particularly with various types of revenue bond financings. He has also provided significant contribution to several legislative acts, including being the chief draftsman for a blue ribbon panel that authored the Local Government Debt Reform Act for Illinois.
Mr. Trofa has built a robust finance practice representing providers of municipal reinvestment products as well as mortgage and other asset-backed finance and tax-exempt derivative products, nationally. He has worked extensively with housing finance agencies, helping them securitize tax-exempt financings, including single family and multifamily bond financings, and on multifamily tax credit financings. He joined Chapman in 1981.
Chapman attorneys working on public finance matters number nearly 80 and represent state governments and agencies, cities, counties and incorporated villages and townships, as well as school districts, special purpose districts and non-profit corporations and authorities. In 2007, the firm represented tax-exempt issuers in offerings for water and sewage plants, schools, hospitals, housing, utilities, public infrastructure and public uses.