Kutak Rock has elected 14 new partners from its attorney ranks. The promotions became effective on January 1, 2016.

“This outstanding group of lawyers has consistently demonstrated the legal skills, partner-level judgment and leadership exemplified by Kutak Rock partners,” said David Jacobson, chairman of the firm. “As attorneys, they’ve provided sophisticated, valued legal counsel to clients. As colleagues, they've demonstrated collaborative and business-minded qualities that have earned them widespread recognition within the firm. We’re proud to welcome them to the firm’s partnership.”

Kim McKelvey, Director of Strategic Focus and Director of Diversity for the firm, notes, “One-third of our new partners are women, a fourth of them identify as members of a minority group, and one-fifth of our new partners identify as races and ethnicities other than white/Caucasian. Our diverse partnership, comprised of 40% more women partners, 13% more partners of races and ethnicities other than white/Caucasian, two times more LGBT partners, and 10 times more partners with disabilities than the national average, provides tremendous benefit for our clients who seek the creativity that diverse teams inspire.”

Joining the partnership:

Chicago

Lance Tyson devotes his time to public finance law, real estate and government affairs and has provided legal services in several note and bond issues, including many innovative and complex financings. Mr. Tyson also acts as counsel to banks, trustees and investment banking firms in connection with public offerings of municipal debt.

Denver

Melissa Bleser focuses her practice on tax credit transactions and commercial real estate finance matters. She represents investors and syndicators in affordable housing projects across the country utilizing federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. In addition, her practice includes advising tax credit investors on loan refinancing transactions, workouts and exit strategies.

Matthias Edrich advises government, non-profit and for-profit clients concerning federal tax treatment and Internal Revenue Service audits of municipal and certain related corporate securities offerings, certain tax credit matters and other bond-related tax-incentivized debt and equity financing structures. He also advises clients in connection with private letter ruling requests to the Internal Revenue Service.

Kansas City

Joseph Serrano focuses on public finance, representing bond issuers and underwriters in a variety of financing transactions and serves as bond counsel or disclosure counsel to municipalities, public utilities and transportation entities. He handles a variety of bond issues including general and special obligation bonds, current and advance refunding, revenue bonds, industrial revenue bonds and benefit districts.

Little Rock

Geoffrey Neal focuses his practice on corporate, securities and other transactional and business-related matters affecting both public and private companies, with particular emphasis on corporate governance, public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and securities regulation.

Omaha

P. Brian Bartels works with public (governmental), tax-exempt, and private sector clients on employee benefit plan issues. He advises clients on health and welfare plans, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), HIPAA compliance, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), and employee benefits issues in the context of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. He regularly counsels on plan design and administration issues and prepares plan documents.

Garth Glissman practices in the areas of commercial litigation and corporate counsel. As a commercial litigator he focuses on complex business disputes, including cases involving piercing of the corporate veil, breach of fiduciary duties, and the sale of goods. His work as corporate counsel primarily involves advising small to mid-sized companies in the sports, consumer products and agribusiness sectors on a wide range of legal issues.

Winifred Hawkins has experience representing institutional lenders, banks, syndicators, investment funds and corporations in the acquisition, disposition and financing of affordable housing properties. She focuses her practice on equity investment in lower-tier transactions involving low-income housing tax credits, historic rehabilitation tax credits, renewable energy tax credits and other related state and federal financing products.

Michael Mollner concentrates his practice in the areas of public and structured finance. He represents governmental and financial institutions with regard to financial and derivative products, and has acted as issuer’s, bond, underwriter’s, disclosure and structuring counsel for a wide range of transactions including synthetic tax-exempt securities, derivative products, securitization transactions, and health care and energy bonds.

Lisa Peters represents creditors in connection with front-end structuring and documentation, insolvency, restructuring, workout and enforcement matters. She has represented asset-based commercial lending and landlord clients in bankruptcy, district and state courts and also has significant involvement in the structuring and documentation of commercial lending, leasing and purchase transactions, including transactions using bankruptcy-remote vehicles.

Dawn Roth concentrates her practice in the area of public finance. She represents governmental bond issuers and underwriters, as well as nonprofit and private borrowers in public finance offerings. She has acted as issuer's, underwriter’s, bond, special, and disclosure counsel for a wide range of transactions including for student and multifamily housing, health care facilities, energy and utility transactions, and various governmental entities.

Philadelphia

Oliver Griffin has tried numerous cases involving complex financial transactions in state and federal courts. He has prosecuted and defended civil RICO actions, creditor rights claims, lender liability claims, partnership/shareholder disputes, shareholder rights claims, licensing disputes, and accounting and legal malpractice.

Andy Schmutz focuses his practice on complex public and private financing transactions, often involving tax-exempt debt obligations. He is experienced in numerous areas of municipal and structured finance, including multifamily housing, airport, water and sewer, university, health care, 501(c)(3), transportation, industrial development and asset securitization. His experience includes derivative products including total return swaps, credit derivatives and other financial products typically related to a tax-exempt financing.

Richmond

Jeremy Williams practices in the Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights group where he represents corporate debtors, financial institutions, trustees and various businesses and individuals. Mr. Williams has significant trial experience at all levels of state and federal court, including discharge/dischargeability disputes, preference actions, fraudulent transfers, plan disputes, collateral valuation, relief from stay, receiverships, loan defaults, turnover actions, coverage actions, contract disputes, and multiple other areas.