Barnes & Thornburg enters Phoenix market with team additions
Barnes & ThornburgBarnes & Thornburg is adding 35 lawyers, including 25 partners, to its Government Services and Finance Department.
The move catapults Barnes & Thornburg to the national forefront in advising private and public sector clients on complex public finance deals and advancing infrastructure projects. This talented group joins the firm’s 21 existing public finance lawyers to bring the firmwide practice to 56 public finance and infrastructure lawyers serving clients across the country in a broad range of industries from state and local government, to underwriting and banking, to healthcare and education, to solid waste and renewable energy, to housing and securitizations, to civil and social infrastructure, to defaults and bankruptcies, to municipal securities regulation and enforcement, and to the purchase and restructuring of distressed debt.
“We’re thrilled to kick off 2026 by welcoming one of the nation’s top public finance and infrastructure practices to the firm. With this group, we also expand in our existing offices, while entering three new markets — all of which supports the strategic growth we have been focused on,” said Managing Partner Andrew J. Detherage. “This team represents a premier practice that enhances the firm’s existing public finance practice, and supports the firm’s strategic growth strategy to be a top destination for talented lawyers and marquee practices.”
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New partner Valarie Allen will join current partner Kimberly Blanchet in serving as department vice chairs for public finance. John Smolen and Steve Park will lead the Infrastructure practice. Among the others joining BT are partners William Rhodes and Kimberly Magrini in Philadelphia; Jeffrey Ballard, Andrew Spicknall, Charles Treece and Daniel Nunez in Washington, D.C.; Peter Lam in New York City; Silvia Shin and Emilie Ninan in Wilmington, Del.; and Teri Guarnaccia, Anastasia Khokhryakova and Michele Bax in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix, respectively. The group also includes partner Benjamin Johnson, who previously practiced at Barnes & Thornburg and served as co-chair of the Charter School and School Innovation practice.
“This is transformative for our team and the firm,” said Government Services and Finance Department Chair Richard J. Hall. “Our newly expanded bench positions Barnes & Thornburg in the nation’s top 10 practices for public finance and deepens the services and value we can provide to clients across the finance and regulatory landscape.”
With this game-changing addition, Barnes & Thornburg now boasts approximately 850 lawyers serving clients across the globe from 26 U.S. offices. Since 2020, the firm has added over 200 lawyers and established market presence in Boston, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, and Morristown, N.J.
New team members are resident in 10 offices, including the three new markets of Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix. The additions also strengthen the firm’s existing presence in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Morristown, N.J., New York, Los Angeles and Wilmington, Del. The firm now has public finance lawyers in 15 offices, including Indianapolis; South Bend, Ind.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Columbus, Ohio; and Chicago.
The group joins from Ballard Spahr, where they were ranked regularly by The Bond Buyer in the top 10 nationally by dollar volume of bond issuances as bond and underwriter counsel. They have been nationally and internationally recognized for advancing many of the largest and most complex alternative project delivery — including public-private partnership (P3) — infrastructure projects in the nation.
The new finance team represents issuers, borrowers, bankers, investors, credit providers, trustees, developers, securitizers and GSEs in almost every type of public or project finance or other tax-advantaged transaction. The team leads infrastructure projects ranging from transportation, rail/transit and port/airport systems and energy facilities to affordable housing (multifamily, single family, student, military and senior housing) and all other types of social infrastructure. They represent federal, state and local governments and private sector developers, investors and lenders in pre-procurement activities, project development and delivery, regulatory compliance, legislative support, community relations, project implementation and related tax issues. The team is also well known for its experience with 103 tax matters, municipal securities regulation and enforcement, and defaults, work-outs, restructurings and municipal bond bankruptcies.
Barnes & Thornburg currently provides comprehensive legal services to participants in public finance transactions for both public and public-private projects. The firm regularly serves as bond counsel or counsel to underwriters, issuers, borrowers, and banks, as well as investors, indenture trustees and credit and liquidity providers.
“We are excited to launch Barnes & Thornburg offices in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix, and to join this growing and dynamic firm of collaborators,” said Allen. “Barnes & Thornburg shares the same commitment to excellence and client service that we developed at Ballard Spahr, and we look forward to working with our new colleagues.”
Blanchet added, “This combination of outstanding lawyers creates a dynamic team that will continue to expand.”
Phoenix partners
Michele Bax, Phoenix
John Wheatley, enters Phoenix market
REDW Advisors & CPAs appoints first-ever CFO
REDW Advisors & CPAs, a nationally recognized accounting and advisory firm celebrating more than 70 years of growth and innovation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Maxwell S. Kagan as the firm’s first-ever Chief Financial Officer.
“The creation of the Chief Financial Officer role marks a significant milestone in REDW’s evolution as the firm continues to expand in size, complexity, and geographic reach. As CFO, Max will provide executive-level financial leadership across REDW’s entire footprint, strengthening the firm’s financial infrastructure while supporting long-term strategic growth, innovation, and operational excellence,” said Steve Cogan, CPA, REDW Managing Principal.
Kagan brings more than two decades of senior financial leadership experience across healthcare, professional services, and large, complex organizations. In his role, he will collaborate closely with firm leadership to drive financial performance, oversee capital planning and financial aspects of mergers and acquisitions, further modernize finance operations, and enhance risk management and compliance across the organization. The role also consolidates key financial responsibilities under a single leader, positioning REDW to more effectively support its expanding service lines and national client base.
Prior to joining REDW, Kagan most recently served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wellstar Medical Group, where he oversaw all accounting and finance functions for a rapidly growing organization. His leadership included managing a multi-million-dollar capital plan, improving provider productivity, strengthening cash collections, and guiding financial strategy for acquisitions and de novo growth. Earlier in his career, Kagan held senior executive roles with Centura Health, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Protiviti, Arthur Andersen, and BP Amoco.
International Women’s Forum Arizona announces 2026 board of directors
The International Women’s Forum Arizona (IWF Arizona) announced its 2026 Board of Directors, a group of prominent local professionals committed to advancing the organization’s mission to unite a global community of women leaders and elevate women’s leadership now and in the future.
As part of this mission, the IWF Arizona will launch its new Leadership Fellows Program: Women Opening Doors to Women this fall, designed to cultivate the next generation of women leaders through training, mentorship, and networking.
“We are thrilled to welcome our 2026 Board of Directors,” said IWF Arizona Board President, JoAnn Holland. “This remarkable group brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective that will be instrumental in driving our mission forward. It is my distinct honor to extend a heartfelt welcome to these extraordinary leaders.”
The board members hold a one-year term, concluding on December 31, 2026. The board members are:
- JoAnn Holland of Central Phoenix Women | East Valley Women | Women of Scottsdale (President) (Chandler)
- Adelaida Severson of Bushtex, Inc. (Vice President) (Gilbert)
- Carey Chambers of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust (Treasurer) (Gilbert)
- Lisa Hartsock of Valleywise Health (Secretary) (Phoenix)
- Heather Rausch of Foxfire Events & Joyfully Centered (Membership Chair) (Glendale)
- Lauren Chazal of Headlands Research (Mission Advancement Chair & Program Chair) (Scottsdale)
- Hershey Khan of Ignite AI (Communications Co-Chair) (Chandler)
- Mindy Weinstein of Market MindShift (Communications Co-Chair) (Scottsdale)
- Shannon Clancy of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (At Large) (Phoenix)
- Vanecia Kerr of United Way Tucson (At Large) (Tucson)
- Mary Mitchell of Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine (At Large) (Laveen)
To learn more about International Women’s Forum Arizona, click here.
