Cozen O'Connor today welcomed seasoned finance attorney Christopher J. Rayl — who for over three decades has negotiated financings and refinancings on behalf of government, nonprofit, and private sector entities looking to fund major economic development projects — to its nationally recognized Public and Project Finance practice. Rayl, who joins as a member, comes to Cozen O’Connor from Eckert Seamans. He will reside in the firm’s Pittsburgh office.
Rayl’s track record includes working closely with state and local government issuers, nonprofit entities, underwriters, and lenders, with a particular focus on working with health care, higher education, CCRC, and other 501(c)(3) organizations. He regularly represents hospital groups, public/private higher education institutions, and other nonprofit entities, serving as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, or lender’s counsel on a range of major transactions. Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013, he also utilizes his securities law background to advise public finance clients on matters involving securities law in the public finance space, including laws relating to disclosure to investors in both primary and secondary markets.
“Chris is fully committed to public and project finance law, and that’s important to us because at Cozen O’Connor, our bond attorneys don’t dabble.” said Suzanne S. Mayes, chair of the firm’s Public & Project Finance practice. “The attorneys in our practice don’t juggle multimillion-dollar municipal bond issues with corporate initial public offerings — they focus on public and project finance deals. As his background clearly demonstrates, Chris is cut from the same cloth, and I’m thrilled to welcome him to Cozen O’Connor.”
“Chris has served as lead counsel on major transactions for state and local authorities and a range of nonprofit entities right here in Pennsylvania, in particular a number of prominent nonprofits in Western Pennsylvania,” said Jeremiah G. Garvey, co-chair of the Capital Markets & Securities practice and managing partner of the Pittsburgh office. “As an attorney fully versed in the particulars of public and project finance law, he can seamlessly serve our clients as both financing interpreter and guide. He’s an important addition to this practice and I’m happy to welcome him to the firm and the Pittsburgh office.”
“I’m excited to be a part of a public and project finance team that is, by any measure, a recognized leader in the field,” Rayl said. “Few large firms have committed resources to public and project finance law to the extent of Cozen O’Connor. I’m very much looking forward to working with Suzanne, Jeremy, and my other new colleagues.”
An active member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers, Rayl earned his J.D. at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a B.A. at the University of Chicago.