John represents the firm’s clients on a variety of municipal bond and project finance issues, serving as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel or company counsel. He frequently counsels lenders and borrowers in financial transactions and creditors in bankruptcies, complex foreclosures and receiverships. He also serves as corporate counsel to a number of clients and advises companies on investment incentives available for new and expanded industry including tax benefits through taxable bond structures.
He is a frequent speaker and author of articles on public finance, project finance, financial transactions and bankruptcy. He is past Chairman of the Louisville Bar Association’s Business Law Section and of the LBA’s Bankruptcy Section. John is a former leader of Frost Brown Todd’s Lending and Commercial Services group.
Led legal team in acquisition of community hospital in a Chapter 9 bankruptcy proceeding by a larger non-profit Kentucky healthcare system.
Represented the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in negotiating the Bi-State Development Agreement between Kentucky and Indiana for the Louisville Ohio River Bridges project.
Acted as bond counsel for a $330 million tax exempt bond issue in which insured auction-rate bonds were redeemed and replaced by new fixed-rate tax-exempt debt.
Acted as bond counsel for a $125 million tax exempt bond issue for the benefit of a regional non-profit hospital system.
Acted as bond counsel on many direct-purchase bonds for the benefit of non-profit corporations throughout the region.
Duke University School of Law, J.D., 1984,ย with honors
Johns Hopkins University, M.A., 1975
Johns Hopkins University, B.A., 1973
Kentucky, 1993
South Carolina, 1984 – 1993, 2023
U.S. District Courts and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts
Western District of Kentucky
Eastern District of Kentucky
Southern District of Indiana
District of South Carolina
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Selected for inclusion in Kentucky Super Lawyersยฎ, 2012-2023
The Best Lawyers in Americaยฎ: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights Law/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2007-2024, โLawyer of the Year,โ 2016, 2020; Public Finance Law, 2010-2024, โLawyer of the Year,โ 2018, 2024; Litigation โ Bankruptcy, 2011-2024, โLawyer of the Year,โ 2013, 2017, 2021, 2024
AVยฎย Rated,ย Martindale-Hubbellยฎ
Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A, 2015-2020
Kentucky Bar Association
National Association of Bond Lawyers
Subcommittee advising Joint Local Rules Commission of the Eastern and Western Districts of the United States District Court on bankruptcy related issues
American Bankruptcy Institute
Louisville Bar Association, Chairman Business Law Section, 2006
June 16, 2023
November 13, 2017
March 27, 2017
February 1, 2016
June 23, 2015