BT Adds National Top-Tier 35-Lawyer Public Finance and Infrastructure Teams, Opens Three New Offices

Nearly 50 lawyers and business professionals in the nationally ranked practices joining across 10 markets including new offices in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix

PHILADELPHIA and WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Barnes & Thornburg is adding 35 lawyers, including 25 partners, to its Government Services and Finance Department.

The move catapults Barnes & Thornburg to the national forefront in advising private and public sector clients on complex public finance deals and advancing infrastructure projects. This talented group joins the firm's 21 existing public finance lawyers to bring the firmwide practice to 56 public finance and infrastructure lawyers serving clients across the country in a broad range of industries from state and local government, to underwriting and banking, to healthcare and education, to solid waste and renewable energy, to housing and securitizations, to civil and social infrastructure, to defaults and bankruptcies, to municipal securities regulation and enforcement, and to the purchase and restructuring of distressed debt.

"We're thrilled to kick off 2026 by welcoming one of the nation's top public finance and infrastructure practices to the firm. With this group, we also expand in our existing offices, while entering three new markets —  all of which supports the strategic growth we have been focused on," said Managing Partner Andrew J. Detherage. "This team represents a premier practice that enhances the firm's existing public finance practice, and supports the firm's strategic growth strategy to be a top destination for talented lawyers and marquee practices." 

New partner Valarie Allen will join current partner Kimberly Blanchet in serving as department vice chairs for public finance. John Smolen and Steve Park will lead the infrastructure practice. Among the others joining BT are partners William Rhodes and Kimberly Magrini in Philadelphia; Jeffrey Ballard, Andrew Spicknall, Charles Treece and Daniel Nunez in Washington, D.C.; Peter Lam in New York City; Silvia Shin and Emilie Ninan in Wilmington, Del.; and Teri Guarnaccia, Anastasia Khokhryakova and Michele Bax in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix, respectively. The group also includes partner Benjamin Johnson, who previously practiced at Barnes & Thornburg and served as co-chair of the Charter School and School Innovation practice.

"This is transformative for our team and the firm," said Government Services and Finance Department Chair Richard J. Hall. "Our newly expanded bench positions Barnes & Thornburg in the nation's top 10 practices for public finance and deepens the services and value we can provide to clients across the finance and regulatory landscape."

With this game-changing addition, Barnes & Thornburg now boasts approximately 850 lawyers serving clients across the globe from 26 U.S. offices. Since 2020, the firm has added over 200 lawyers and established market presence in Boston, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, and Morristown, N.J.

New team members are resident in 10 offices, including the three new markets of Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix. The additions also strengthen the firm's existing presence in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Morristown, N.J., New York, Los Angeles and Wilmington, Del. The firm now has public finance lawyers in 15 offices, including Indianapolis; South Bend, Ind.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Columbus, Ohio; and Chicago.

The group joins from Ballard Spahr, where they were ranked regularly by The Bond Buyer in the top 10 nationally by dollar volume of bond issuances as bond and underwriter counsel. They have been nationally and internationally recognized for advancing many of the largest and most complex alternative project delivery — including public-private partnership (P3) — infrastructure projects in the nation.

The new finance team represents issuers, borrowers, bankers, investors, credit providers, trustees, developers, securitizers and GSEs in almost every type of public or project finance or other tax-advantaged transaction.  The team leads infrastructure projects ranging from transportation, rail/transit and port/airport systems and energy facilities to affordable housing (multifamily, single family, student, military and senior housing) and all other types of social infrastructure. They represent federal, state and local governments and private sector developers, investors and lenders in pre-procurement activities, project development and delivery, regulatory compliance, legislative support, community relations, project implementation and related tax issues. The team is also well known for its experience with 103 tax matters, municipal securities regulation and enforcement, and defaults, work-outs, restructurings and municipal bond bankruptcies.

Barnes & Thornburg currently provides comprehensive legal services to participants in public finance transactions for both public and public-private projects. The firm regularly serves as bond counsel or counsel to underwriters, issuers, borrowers, and banks, as well as investors, indenture trustees and credit and liquidity providers.

"We are excited to launch Barnes & Thornburg offices in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix, and to join this growing and dynamic firm of collaborators," said Allen. "Barnes & Thornburg shares the same commitment to excellence and client service that we developed at Ballard Spahr, and we look forward to working with our new colleagues."

Blanchet added, "This combination of outstanding lawyers creates a dynamic team that will continue to expand."

Partners

1. Valarie Allen, Philadelphia
2. Jeffrey Ballard, D.C.
3. Michele Bax, Phoenix 
4. David Fernandez, New York (joins 3/2)
5. Garland Gantt, D.C. (joins 2/21)
6. Teri Guarnaccia, Baltimore
7. Charles Henck, D.C.
8. Holly Horsley, Philadelphia
9. Benjamin Johnson, Minneapolis
10. Anastasia Khokhryakova, Denver
11. Stephanie Kim, D.C. (joins 2/21)
12. Peter Lam, New York
13. Kimberly Magrini, Philadelphia
14. Skye Nickalls, Philadelphia
15. Emilie Ninan, Wilmington, Del. (joins 2/21)
16. Daniel Nunez, D.C.
17. Steve Park, Philadelphia
18. William Rhodes, Philadelphia
19. Silvia Shin, Wilmington, Del.
20. John Smolen, Baltimore
21. Andy Spicknall, D.C.
22. Jere Thompson, Philadelphia
23. Randall Towers, Philadelphia
24. Charles Treece, D.C.
25. John Wheatley, D.C.

About Barnes & Thornburg
Barnes & Thornburg operates 26 offices across the United States, enabling more than 850 lawyers to serve clients nationwide. As one of the 100 largest law firms in the country, we provide seamless coast-to-coast coverage for high-stakes litigation, complex transactions and innovative IP matters. Our national reach and knowledge of local markets help clients conduct business confidently wherever opportunities arise. Visit btlaw.com.

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SOURCE Barnes & Thornburg LLP