Alina Arbuthnot

Alina is a member of the Firm's Public Finance Practice, where she focuses on public finance and government procurement matters.

She has served as bond, disclosure, underwriter’s, bank and borrower’s counsel in general obligation and revenue transactions totaling more than $7.5 billion, including financing or refinancing the acquisition and construction of infrastructure, educational, utilities and senior living facilities. Further, she has aided municipal bond clients in restructuring debt, entering into forbearance agreements and defending receivership actions.

Alina also assists clients in structuring alternative procurements, including progressive design-build and public-private partnerships (P3s), and she has extensive experience in Alabama government procurement matters.

In addition to her work in the municipal bond space, Alina advises clients regarding various federal funding sources such as USDA loan programs, American Rescue Plan Act and CARES Act grants and the RICE Capital Access Program.

Alina co-chairs the Firm’s Women’s Forum, a component of the firm’s Women’s Initiative, and is a founding director and the current Vice President of the Alabama Chapter of Women in Public Finance.

Community & Professional

• Alabama State Bar
• Florida State Bar
• National Association of Bond Lawyers
• Women in Public Finance

• Industry experience includes Senior Living (including CCRCs); City, County and Statewide Issues; Utilities; Development Districts; Transportation; Higher Education and Student Housing; Parochial Schools; Multifamily Housing
• Representative clients include underwriters and banks; municipalities (of all sizes); state departments and agencies; private developers; universities and colleges (public and private); special issuers
• Serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, or disclosure counsel in numerous tax-exempt and taxable bond issuances (thus far totaling $800+ million) to fund the acquisition or construction of new senior living communities
• Advises developers and municipalities regarding development incentives and collateralizing same as security for taxable and tax-exempt bonds
• Represents historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in transactions to receive funding through the Rice Capital Access Program (RCAP) and advise banks regarding requirements of lending to HBCUs with RCAP funding in place
• Facilitates restructuring negotiations, including having represented borrowers in forbearance arrangements and a receivership action related to distressed senior living communities
• Experienced in identifying and forming issuer entities for PABs or 501(c)(3) financing

Recognition

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Project Finance Law, Public Finance Law (2021-Present)
• Mid-South Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" for Government Finance (2022)