Barnes & Thornburg snaps up four more ex-Ballard attorneys

Barnes & Thornburg has hired four more attorneys from Ballard Spahr as the Indiana-based firm continues its big push into public finance.

The firm has hired partners Megan McCarthy in Minneapolis and Benjamin Vernon in Los Angeles, as well as counsel Donna Brady in Los Angeles and associate Garrett Shaikh in the firm's newly opened Phoenix office.

The latest hires come after Barnes announced in February it had snagged almost all of the top-ranked public finance and infrastructure team from Ballard Spahr. The move added 35 attorneys, including 25 partners, to Barnes' Government Services and Finance Department.

The firm's public finance practice previously totaled 21 attorneys. Bringing the Ballard group over marks a major expansion into public finance, boosting its East Coast presence, its entrance into Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix and its public finance debut in the Texas market.

Ballard Spahr, which long had one of the top-ranked public finance practices in the municipal market, has exited the space.

"We couldn't be happier with how the integration of this group has gone so far," managing partner Andrew Detherage said in a statement announcing the four hires. "The new team adds enhanced sophistication, significant depth and new capabilities across our Public Finance and Infrastructure teams. We are looking forward to the continued growth and achievements of this combined group."

Valarie Allen leads the group as the vice chair of the firm's Government and Services Department.

The four new hires "will be valuable contributors to our goals of supporting sophisticated and collaborative work and developing and maintaining longstanding relationships with clients," Allen said.

McCarthy, based in Minneapolis, focuses on high-yield public and project finance with an emphasis on education, healthcare, housing, senior living and innovative project financings, the firm said.

In Los Angeles, Vernon represents various public bond issuers, investment banks and private companies with a focus on infrastructure, higher education, multifamily and affordable housing and public-private partnership projects.

Brady, also based in L.A., focuses on traditional and innovative procurement, financing, and administration of infrastructure projects, including public-private partnerships.

In the new Phoenix office, Shaikh's practice will include an emphasis on general public finance and infrastructure, representing state and local governments, state agencies, and broker-dealers, the firm said.