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MOST SOPHISTICATED BUSINESSES ON MARKET LEADING TRANSACTIONS

ROGER E. MURRAY

PARTNER

Mr. Murray has specialized in public finance since 1989.  He represents counties, cities, school districts, authorities, non‑profit corporations, private companies and investment banks in a variety of public finance matters as bond counsel and underwriter’s counsel.

Mr. Murray has extensive experience in healthcare finance and implementing and leveraging the special 1% local option sales tax for counties, cities and schools.  He was integrally involved in the development of ACCG’s, GMA’s and GSBA’s lease-purchase programs.  Because of Mr. Murray’s early and continued involvement in these programs, he has unique insight into lease-purchase transactions.

He frequently speaks at seminars and has written several articles that have been published in Georgia County Government. Mr. Murray previously served on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia, the Board of Directors of The Henry W. Grady Foundation and was the Chairman of the Board of Special Olympics Georgia. He was in the Leadership Georgia class of 2002 and was on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Toledo’s law school.

He frequently speaks at seminars and has written several articles that have been published in Georgia County Government. Mr. Murray previously served on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia, the Board of Directors of The Henry W. Grady Foundation and was the Chairman of the Board of Special Olympics Georgia. He was in the Leadership Georgia class of 2002 and was on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Toledo’s law school.
Mr. Murray earned BBA’s in Accounting and Business Management from Kent State University, and he earned a J.D./M.B.A. from the University of Toledo Law School. He was a member of Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif.

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678-999-0354

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MAE CHARLES BARNES

PARTNER

Ms. Barnes has specialized in public finance law since 1995. She represents counties, cities, authorities, non profit corporations, hospitals, private companies and investment banks in a variety of public finance matters as bond counsel and underwriter’s counsel. In addition, Ms. Barnes serves as counsel to financial institutions that provide credit support for municipal bond issues.

Ms. Barnes has extensive experience in the financing of projects for institutions of higher education with particular emphasis on projects for member institutions of the University System of Georgia. She has served as underwriter’s counsel or bond counsel to various colleges and universities in the State of Georgia in connection with the issuance of more than $2 billion in tax exempt bonds.

 Ms. Barnes is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers. She is also a member of the State Bar of Georgia.

Ms. Barnes graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987 with a B.S. in Business Administration. She received her J.D. cum laude from Mercer University in 1994. In law school, Ms. Barnes served as the editor of The Georgia Survey and was a member of the national moot court team. After law school, Ms. Barnes served as a law clerk to the Honorable Duross Fitzpatrick, U.S. District Judge.

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678-999-0355

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Teresa-Finister

TERESA P. FINISTER

PARTNER

Ms. Finister has specialized in public finance law since 1990. Her practice primarily involves financings for state and local governments and nonprofit issuers.

She represents governmental issuers, investment banks and conduit borrowers as bond counsel and underwriter’s counsel in a variety of tax-exempt financings for public infrastructure, healthcare, higher education, transportation and public-private partnership projects (through tax allocation district bonds). She also represents financial institutions that purchase municipal bonds and that provide credit support for municipal bonds.

Ms. Finister is a member of the State Bar of Georgia. She is also a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and a member of the American College of Bond Counsel. The American College of Bond Counsel is a national organization with approximately 250 members that recognizes lawyers who have established reputations among their peers for their skill, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of bond law.

Ms. Finister graduated from Emory University in 1984 with a Bachelor in Business Administration. Ms. Finister passed the Certified Public Accountancy exam in 1985. In 1987, she received her M.A. in Taxation from Georgia State University. In 1990, Ms. Finister received her J.D., with distinction, from Emory University. In law school, she served as Articles Editor of the Bankruptcy Developments Journal and is a member of the Order of the Coif.

Ms. Finister annually attends the Bond Attorneys Workshop and the Tax & Securities Law Institute (both sponsored by the National Association of Bond Lawyers). In addition, she attends the spring workshop of the American College of Bond Counsel (2010, 2011 and 2012). Ms. Finister has spoken at seminars sponsored by the Georgia Municipal Association, the Georgia Government Finance Officers Association and the Georgia Society of CPA’s on various issues relating to municipal bond finance.

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678-999-0353

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Ben-Vernon-8848

BENJAMIN L. VERNON

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Mr. Vernon joined Murray Barnes Finister LLP in August 2017 after graduating from Emory University School of Law. He assists firm partners as bond counsel and disclosure counsel on a variety of transactions involving public bond issuances and other tax-exempt financings. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the National Association of Bond Lawyers.

Mr. Vernon graduated cum laude from Emory University School of Law in 2017. He was an active member of the Moot Court Society, serving on the Executive Board and competing in bankruptcy tournaments around the nation. During law school Mr. Vernon worked for Georgia-Pacific, LLC, in its real estate law group. He also worked for the healthcare law firm Insley & Race, LLC, and served as an intern to the Chief Judge of Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta.

Mr. Vernon graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia’s Honors Program in 2013, earning his B.B.A. in Finance and his B.A. in Spanish. Mr. Vernon played on the University’s Club Tennis team and served as a tutor throughout college. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
Mr. Vernon grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. When he is not practicing law, Mr. Vernon enjoys playing tennis, hiking and traveling.

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678-999-0352

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Tommy-Ratchford

J. THOMAS RATCHFORD III

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Mr. Ratchford joined Murray Barnes Finister LLP in August 2018 after graduating with honors from Emory University School of Law.  Tommy is a member of the student section of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and is awaiting results from the July 2018 Georgia Bar Exam.

At Emory, Mr. Ratchford was a Notes and Comments Editor for the Emory International Law Review, where his journal comment was selected for publication in the fall of 2017.  During Law School he worked in the Office of the Executive Counsel of Governor Nathan Deal, as well as the Office of the Executive Counsel of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Additionally, Mr. Ratchford has worked for a multi-national forestry products company, a Fulton County Superior Court Judge, and the Professional Staff of the Foreign Relations Committee in the United States Senate.

Mr. Ratchford earned his Political Science degree with honors from Yale University in 2014. At Yale, he played on the Varsity Tennis Team and was a two time Intercollegiate Tennis Association Academic All-American. He remains active in the local Yale community as an Alumni Interviewer.

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678-999-0356

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