Jones Walker Expands to Cincinnati with New Multi-Family Finance Team

News provided by

Jun 10, 2013, 12:51 ET

NEW ORLEANS, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Three partners and one special counsel, all formerly of Peck Shaffer & Williams LLP, have joined Jones Walker LLP, anchoring the firm's new Cincinnati, Ohio office.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110404/DA77215LOGO)

Leading the team is John Weld Peck, who has been in the forefront of affordable housing finance in the United States for the past 40 years. He participated in the legislative hearings that gave birth to the Section 8 program in the 1970s, helped write the original Section 8 financing regulations, and has helped develop innovative tax-exempt multifamily housing finance vehicles since that time.

Mr. Peck hails from a rich legal tradition in Cincinnati. He is the son of Judge John W. Peck, who served as a federal trial and appellate judge for more that 30 years and for whom the city's federal building is named.

"Expanding our public finance and housing practice is part of our dynamic growth strategy," said Jones Walker managing partner William H. Hines. "This combination is really where the equation is two plus two equals eight, or even ten. We already have a great relationship with John and his team. Our lawyers have worked on a number of deals together in the past and share some significant clients."

Joining Mr. Peck at Jones Walker are partners Alysse Hollis and Ronald Bell, and special counsel Robert Bruns.

"This team has an impressive track record in financing and tax issues of affordable/multi-family housing and John Peck is one of the most well-respected practitioners in affordable housing finance in America," said Jones Walker's New York office head and housing industry team chair, The Hon. Rick Lazio, former U.S. Representative from New York. "Their efforts will immediately add tremendous value to the firm's strong presence and reputation in housing development and finance," added Lazio.

"We are thrilled to join Jones Walker and believe our combined experience in navigating the nuances of affordable housing finance and multi-family housing is unmatched," said John Peck. "The firm's strategic growth plans, coupled with the expanded services we can now bring to our clients, makes this a terrific move for us."

Alysse Hollis serves as bond and underwriter's counsel in conduit bond financings in multifamily housing. Her practice focuses on the structuring and documentation of complex public and private housing finance transactions involving tax-exempt obligations. Representative matters Ms. Hollis has advised on include the $15.5 million Ohio Housing Finance Agency Seton Portfolio project; $57.5 million Louisiana Housing Finance Agency GMF-Louisiana Chateau projects; $15 million Capital Trust Agency Multifamily Housing Revenue bonds; and $8.5 million Kentucky Housing Corporation City-Wide Housing project.

Ronald Bell has structured and advised on municipal finance transactions and tax credit matters exceeding in the aggregate of $1 billion, and is actively involved in all aspects of tax credit transactions.

For more than 35 years, Robert Bruns has been serving as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel and disclosure counsel on a wide variety of multifamily housing bond financings. His practice focuses on the structuring and documentation of complex public and private housing finance transactions, usually involving tax-exempt obligations.

About Jones Walker

Jones Walker LLP (www.joneswalker.com), with more than 375 attorneys, provides a comprehensive range of legal services to a national and international corporate client base through offices in Alabama, Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Ohio and Texas.