Locke Lord issued the following announcement on June 29.
Arnold Cantu, a well-known and respected bond lawyer, has joined Locke Lord as a Partner in the Firm’s Public Finance Practice Group. As the fifth public finance lawyer to join Locke Lord’s Austin office since 2020, Cantu further cements Locke Lord’s reputation as a top public finance firm in Texas and nationwide.
“We have built great momentum expanding our public finance capabilities in Texas, and Arnold’s arrival propels us even further ahead,” said Kevin Twining, Co-Chair of the Firm’s Public Finance Practice Group and a Partner in Locke Lord’s Dallas office. “He has an excellent reputation serving as bond counsel to clients in the Austin and San Antonio area and has strong ties within South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, solidifying Locke Lord’s presence in the region.”
“Arnold is a seamless fit for our collaborative, top-performing team in Austin alongside recent additions Carey Troell, Adam Harden, John Hall and Justin Rodriguez,” added Stephanie Massey, Boston Partner and Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Public Finance Practice Group. “We are excited to welcome him as we continue to focus on strategic growth in Texas ― one of the nation’s largest public finance markets.”
Cantu, who joins Locke Lord from Norton Rose Fulbright, serves as bond counsel to state and local government entities, including cities, counties, school districts and municipal utility systems. He also serves as underwriter’s counsel for regional and national investment banks. Cantu is an active member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers.
“Locke Lord’s commitment to its public finance team is remarkable, and I am thrilled to offer a platform to my clients that meets their needs comprehensively. I am also grateful to rejoin some of my former colleagues at this Firm that is positioned for significant growth in Texas and beyond,” Cantu said.
Locke Lord has one of the largest public finance practices in the country. For more than 130 years, the Firm has been involved in the law of public borrowing and the federal tax and securities aspects of public debt obligations. The Firm’s public finance lawyers have extensive experience nationwide serving as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel, issuer’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, bank counsel, special tax counsel and trustee’s counsel for governmental and quasi-governmental issuers, special purpose entities, tax-exempt organizations and other entities and financial institutions.
Locke Lord consistently ranks among the top public finance practices nationally. The Firm was ranked No. 5 Top Bond Counsel for competitive sales in The Bond Buyer's Q1 2021 Top Bond Counsel rankings, with 46 issues totaling $1.05 billion. In addition, The Bond Buyer ranked Locke Lord No. 4 Top Bond Counsel in the nation for competitive sales and No. 8 Top Underwriter's Counsel for the full year 2020.
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