NABL Signature Conference
The Essentials 2023 All Sessions
View and access individual session videos and materials below.
Gain the knowledge and CLE credit hours you need to excel and grow in the field of municipal finance law at a time and pace that works best for you. We believe you’ll learn a lot as you watch and listen as our panelists delve into the principals and general concepts of public finance practice, covering the fundamentals of bond law, including conduit issues and issuers, state law issues, closing logistics, securities law, and private activity bonds.
Agenda
Videos, outlines, and presentations are available for each session listed below. All sessions of The Essentials conference are also available for purchase.
Wednesday, April 19
This session covers the central structural elements, documentation, and financial aspects of a municipal bond transaction.
Presentation Slides
Outline
PANELISTS
JoLinda L. Herring
Bryant Miller Olive P.A.
Miami, FL
Kareem Spratling
Bryant Miller Olive P.A.
Tampa, FL
Doug Williams
Maynard Cooper & Gale P.C.
Birmingham, AL
This session introduces federal tax laws governing municipal bonds.
PANELISTS
Rene A. Moore
Butler Snow LLP
Denver, CO
Victoria N. Ozimek
Bracewell LLP
Austin, TX
Alison Benge
Pacifica Law Group LLP
Seattle, WA
This session covers the central structural elements, documentation, and financial aspects of a municipal bond transaction.
PANELISTS
Ed Fiero
Bracewell LLP
Houston, TX
Deanna L.S. Gregory
Pacifica Law Group, LLP
Seattle, WA
Teri M. Guarnaccia
Ballard Spahr LLP
Baltimore, MD
Carol J. Mc Coog
Hawkins, Delafield, & Wood, LLP
Portland, OR
Thursday, April 20
Overview of the role of, responsibilities and expectations imposed on issuer’s counsel in a municipal bond transaction.
PANELISTS
Parker Schenken
Sherman & Howard L.L.C.
Denver, CO
Freda J. Wang (Underwriter)
Goldman Sachs’ Public Sector & Infrastructure Group
New York, NY
Ed Fiero
Bracewell LLP
Houston, TX
This session addresses federal securities laws applicable to municipal bonds.
PANELISTS
Lindsey A. Rader
Funk & Bolton, P.A.
Baltimore, MD
Kareem Spratling
Bryant Miller Olive P.A.
Tampa, FL
Harsha Arun Sekar
Harsha Arun Sekar
Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP
Denver, CO
Overview of the private activity bond rules applicable to tax-exempt municipal bond transactions.
PANELISTS
Marc L. Oberdorff
Pope Flynn Group, LLC
Charleston, SC
Benjamin R. Kitto
Ice Miller LLP
Columbus, OH
Victoria N. Ozimek
Victoria N. Ozimek
Bracewell LLP
Austin, TX
Lori Smith-Lalla
Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Introduction to and discussion of the underwriting process, including all aspects of structuring the deal through taking the municipal bonds to market.
PANELISTS
Marc T. Kamer
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Columbus, OH
Everett M. Johnson
Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.
Woodbridge, NJ
Freda J. Wang (Underwriter)
Goldman Sachs’ Public Sector & Infrastructure Group
New York, NY
Introduction to the tax requirements applicable to the issuance of 501(c)(3) bonds, including ownership and use requirements and issues specific to hospital, residential housing, and school financings as well as commonly used financing structures.
PANELISTS
Alison Benge
Pacifica Law Group
Seattle, WA
Sarah Breitmeyer
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Chicago, IL
Sani A. Williams
Bryant Rubbino, LLP
New York, NY
Introduction to the legal and tax aspects of refundings and the core tax concepts of a reissuance.
PANELISTS
Taylor L. Klavan
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Houston, TX
Rene A. Moore
Butler Snow LLP
Denver, CO
Dana M. Lach
Foley & Lardner LLP
Milwaukee, WI
We all know the pithy Schoolhouse Rock version of how a bill becomes law, but do you really know how ideas become law. Join Brian Egan, our Director of Governmental Affairs, for a deeper dive how a bill becomes law, the federal rulemaking and comment process, and how and why NABL advocates for sensible public finance policy. Most importantly, he will share some practical tips on how you can get involved with NABL’s advocacy initiatives. This session is not eligible for CLE but will help attendees better understand how federal advocacy initiatives impact the work of bond lawyers.
Presentation Slides No outline provided, as this session is not CLE eligible.
PANELISTS
Brian Egan, Director of Governmental Affairs
National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL)
Washington, DC
This session addresses federal securities laws applicable to municipal bonds.
PANELISTS
Deanna L.S. Gregory
Pacifica Law Group, LLP
Seattle, WA
Parker Schenken
Sherman & Howard L.L.C.
Denver, CO
Ahmed Abonamah
Chief Financial Officer/Finance Director
City of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Overview of certain transactions that do not fit typical structures but are common such as leases, installment payment contracts, pool programs, certificates of participation and others.
PANELISTS
Kimberly J. Min
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP
Baltimore, MD
Lori Smith-Lalla
Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Dana M. Lach
Foley & Lardner, LLP
Milwaukee, WI
Overview of general arbitrage concepts, arbitrage rebate requirements, and the application of the various exceptions to the arbitrage rebate rules.
PANELISTS
Robert B. Henderson
Kutak Rock LLP
Omaha, NB
Kimberly C. Betterton
McKennon Shelton & Henn LLP
Washington, DC
Sarah Breitmeyer
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Chicago, IL
Discussion of hypotheticals that involve the application of certain private activity bond rules to tax-exempt municipal bond transactions.
PANELISTS
Marc L. Oberdorff
Pope Flynn Group, LLC
Charleston, SC
Benjamin R. Kitto
Ice Miller LLP
Columbus, OH
Victoria N. Ozimek
Bracewell LLP
Austin, TX
Lori Smith-Lalla
Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
An overview of the logistics of closing a bond transaction, including drafting of various closing papers, preparing the Form 8038G or 8038, and DTC’s role prior to, during, and after a bond closing.
PANELISTS
Everett M. Johnson
Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.
Woodbridge, NJ
Lindsey A. Rader
Funk & Bolton, P.A.
Baltimore, MD
Sani A. Williams
Bryant Rubbino, LLP
New York, NY
Overview of the role of, responsibilities and expectations imposed on issuer’s counsel in a municipal bond transaction.
PANELISTS
Erin Law
Government Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Washington, DC
Parker Schenken
Sherman & Howard L.L.C.
Denver, CO
David Unkovic
McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC
Lancaster, PA
It’s a new world out there post-pandemic – or is it? This panel explores some practical considerations for a newer practitioner as they embark on their career in a public finance practice. Some things have changed dramatically following the pandemic, and others are just as important as they have always been. We also touch on certain model rules of professional conduct. While everyone’s circumstance is different, this panel (attempts to???) provide parameters that will encompass all types and sizes of practices.
PANELISTS
Deanna Gregory
Pacifica Law Group, LLP
Seattle, WA
Teri M. Guarnaccia
Ballard Spahr LLP
Baltimore, MD
Taylor L. Klavan
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Houston, TX
Friday, April 21
Discussion of hypotheticals that involve the application of certain federal tax laws relating to arbitrage rebate and the exceptions to the arbitrage rebate.
PANELISTS
Robert B. Henderson
Kutak Rock LLP
Omaha, NB
Kimberly C. Betterton
McKennon Shelton & Henn LLP
Washington, DC
Sarah Breitmeyer
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Chicago, IL
Discussion of hypotheticals that involve the application of certain federal tax laws relating to refundings, including the repeal of tax-exempt advance refundings, as well as reissuance.
PANELISTS
Taylor L. Klavan
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Houston, TX
Rene A. Moore
Butler Snow LLP
Denver, CO
Dana M. Lach
Foley & Lardner LLP
Milwaukee, WI
Introduction to state law creation of and limitations on conduit bond issuers, the roles of counsel, multi-state issuers, and many other issues unique to conduit bond issues. Overview of the rules applicable to qualified small issue bonds, including qualifying projects, prohibited and restricted uses and maximum amounts, and the rules relating to qualified exempt facility bonds.
PANELISTS
Harsha Arun Sekar
Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP
Denver, CO
JoLinda L. Herring
Bryant Miller Olive P.A.
Miami, FL
Marc L. Oberdorff
Pope Flynn Group, LLC
Charleston, SC
This session addresses, in an interactive format, some of the ethical and practical issues related to legal representations in municipal finance, including: engagement letters, delivery of opinions and conflicts of interest, and a discussion of applicable ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
PANELISTS
Benjamin R. Kitto
Ice Miller LLP
Columbus, OH
Kimberly J. Min
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP
Baltimore, MD
Marc T. Kamer
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Columbus, OH
This fourth General Session takes attendees through a typical bond issue – from the initial client call to closing – using an interactive, informal platform that incorporates concepts from across the General Sessions and breakout sessions. Panelists play the roles of issuer, underwriter, bond attorney, and tax attorney as they navigate through a bond transaction from start to finish. Along the way, they encounter, explain, and resolve issues typically encountered in public finance transactions.
Outline Note: there are no presentation slides for this session, it is a role-play developed to provide real world insights in a practical setting.
PANELISTS
Ahmed Abonamah (Issuer)
Chief Financial Officer/Finance Director
City of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Deanna L.S. Gregory (Underwriter)
Pacifica Law Group, LLP
Seattle, WA
Doug Williams (Underwriter’s Counsel)
Maynard Cooper & Gale P.C.
Birmingham, AL
Carol J. Mc Coog (Bond Counsel)
Hawkins, Delafield, & Wood, LLP
Portland, OR
General Sessions
The Essentials begins with three general sessions and concludes with a closing general session for all participants:
- Structuring and Financial Aspects of a Municipal Bond Transaction
This will cover the central structural elements, documentation, and financial aspects of a municipal bond transaction. - General Tax Law
This session introduces federal tax laws governing municipal bonds. - General Securities Law
This will address federal securities laws applicable to municipal bonds. - Tying It All Together.
This popular session takes attendees through a typical bond issue – from the initial client call to closing – using an interactive, informal platform that incorporates concepts from across the general and breakout sessions. Panelists play the roles of issuer, underwriter, bond attorney, and tax attorney as they navigate through a bond transaction from start to finish. Along the way, they encounter, explain, and resolve issues typically encountered in public finance transactions.
CLE
Registrants in states with a 60-minute CLE hour may earn up to 15 total hours of CLE credit, and registrants in states with a 50-minute CLE hour may earn up to 18 total hours of CLE credit. Included in the total hours is one 75-minute ethics session.
The CLE certificates will be available the week of May 8, and we will notify attendees when they are ready to download. Nonmembers will receive their CLE certificate(s) by email by Friday, May 12. If you have questions about CLE, contact us via cle@nabl.org.
ON-DEMAND CLE CREDIT
NABL has also applied for on-demand CLE credit for the conference; some states are currently taking up to 60 days to provide approval. On-demand CLE credit is not available in Virginia.
Thank You Sponsors!
We are grateful to our sponsors who help make this conference possible. NABL Sponsorship plays an important role in promoting the integrity of the municipal bond market and is crucial to making all our educational and advocacy events a integral part of NABL’s success. Take a moment and visit their websites to learn more about who they are.
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