Kutak Rock
Kutak Rock LLP has doubled its public finance footprint in Minnesota with the addition of four new public finance attorneys to its team.
Jenny Boulton, Julie Eddington, Gina Fiorini and Sofia Lykke have joined the firm’s Minneapolis office from Kennedy & Graven Chartered.
“Public finance is the bedrock of Kutak Rock,” Justin Reppe, a public finance partner in the firm’s Minneapolis office, told The Bond Buyer. “We are thrilled and excited to welcome Jenny, Julie, Gina and Sofia to our team. Their expertise and their deep experience align well with our strategic plan and significantly enhance our ability to service our clients in Minnesota.”
Boulton said the firm will continue or expand its work in areas like nonprofits and affordable housing. “There will be work in the area of energy utilities and municipal utilities of all kinds,” she added. “So just continuing the work that’s already being done.”
“We’re excited to really deepen our bench in the areas of tax increment financing as well as economic development work, which allows us to enhance the services we can provide to our current clients, as well as the other clients joining us,” Reppe said.
Boulton, an alumna of the University of Michigan Law School, has worked as bond counsel and special development counsel. She brings a well of experience on a variety of financings, including revenue, 501(c)(3), rental housing and TIFs, and has advised cities, economic development authorities, HRAs and other governmental entities.
Eddington earned her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and has two decades of experience advising towns, cities, counties and public finance authorities. Her specialties include the issuance of revenue bonds and general obligation bonds; conduit borrowing; and redevelopment. She also has experience steering clients through IRS audits of tax-exempt bonds.
Fiorini has served as bond counsel and legal counsel for various municipalities. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School.
Lykke, an alumna of Mitchell Hamline School of Law, has worked as bond counsel and development counsel for counties, cities, townships and school districts. She has developed an expertise in financing senior housing facilities, affordable housing, charter schools, and tax increment revenue bonds. She will focus on governmental purpose bonds, conduit revenue bonds and economic development.
“Kutak Rock was founded 60 years ago in public finance and, as evidenced by this announcement, continues its commitment to this core practice,” Kutak Rock Chair John Petr said in a press release. “We’re excited about the contributions our new colleagues will make to our firm and about the additional capabilities and services their affiliation with Kutak Rock will allow them to offer clients.”
“When we looked for a new home for our clients, we wanted a firm that values public finance and its practitioners and has made a long-term commitment to the practice,” added Lykke. “Kutak Rock is that firm. We are excited to bring our team’s experience to Kutak Rock and look forward to working with our new colleagues as we join the Minneapolis office.”
The firm opened its Minneapolis office in 2011 with two public finance lawyers. The new hires bring Kutak Rock’s total attorney headcount to 576, 27 of them in the Minneapolis office.