Ms. Barnhill has more than 20 years of experience in real estate development
representing developers, builders and contractors and their businesses. Ms.
Barnhill is a member of the Attorney Forum of National Association of Homebuilders
(a by -invitation only forum consisting of one attorney who practices primarily
in real estate and real estate development
representing homebuilders and real
estate developers from each state ) and also the NAHB LANDS Forum for real estate
development attorneys. She is a member of the Greater Des Moines Association of
Homebuilders where she is a past board member and former counsel. She is an
active member of the Associated Builders
and Contractors (past board member) and
the Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa. She has spoken and taught widely presenting
continuing education seminars in all areas of real estate, real estate
development, construction law,
construction contracts, AIA contracts, public contracts, mechanic’s liens and
claims on public projects, insurance
coverage law for construction defects and
for attorneys an other interested professionals.
She has extensive experience in real estate financing. Commencing in 1990, she has represented companies and developers in many bond projects, both private
and municipal bond projects and with
private venture capital firms – always as the company or developer’s
attorney. She works closely with the
company or developer during all
transactions with the bond company, the venture capital firm and the
municipal (or other government entity)
and their respective counsel.
This may include securing, negotiating, implementing and marketing
municipal and private bond issues, private securities issues,
private venture capital firms and any related
transactions and business services. Likewise, she has extensive
experience in conventional bank financing for real estate transactions.
Ms. Barnhill has
extensive experience in all types of Federal hosing and real estate finance
such as HUD, FHA to name two commonly
recognized programs. She has extensive experience in tax credit financing for real estate development including both state tax credit programs and federal tax credit
programs. She also has experience in tax credit financing for commercial projects as well as syndication of the
resulting tax credits to purchasers.
Ms. Barnhill handles the negotiation,
drafting and review of all types of business contracts, including all aspects
of real estate transactions, joint ventures, business contracts and various
regulatory agreements and all types of real estate transactions, including
acquisitions and dispositions, leases, financing, foreclosures and title
matters. Clients include corporations, privately-held businesses and individuals
in Iowa and nationwide.
II. PUBLIC CONTRACTS
Iowa’s
competitive bidding laws are designed to ensure public funds are protected and
that projects are constructed at the lowest possible cost. Ms.
Barnhill assists clients throughout the
bidding and contract letting process and the actual implementation of the
public contract and project. Additionally, she assists in reviewing and
drafting the appropriate contracts with various contractors, suppliers, vendors
or professional service providers to help protect her client’s interests and
minimize potential risk
III. CORPORATE AND REAL ESTATE FINANCE
No matter how big or small the matter, Ms. Barnhill is ready to help clients complete the steps
necessary to finance their projects through various means including securing the issuance of general obligation bonds, revenue
bonds, tax or grant anticipation bonds, industrial revenue bonds, tax increment
bonds, special assessment bonds, lease-purchase, State Revolving Fund loans,
and other obligations, conventional bank financing, tax credit financing, and
private exempt securities offerings. She has the experience and expertise to
assist with the sophisticated financing of private securities placements, bank financing
and private loan transactions.
Ms. Barnhill is knowledgeable and experienced in all types of governmental
and private activity bond financing, serving as
company or developer’s
counsel working with bond
counsel, issuer’s counsel, disclosure
counsel and underwriter’s counsel.
No matter the size of project, she can respond quickly, thoroughly and
successfully to these changing dynamics. She know the industries in which her clients operate and seek
financing and understands the
process. She is committed to providing the highest level of client
service and helping clients find the best solutions for their financing needs –
solutions that will stand the test of time.
Representative financing projects include commercial projects,
multifamily projects, alternative energy projects (Wind, Bio Fuels) and USDA –
Rural Development Projects .
IV. CORPORATE, BUSINESS AND TAX
Ms. Barnhill provides a full-service
business law practice and provide comprehensive services for a wide range of
business enterprises, including privately held business, partnerships, individual proprietors
and associations. She brings value
to her clients regardless of how sophisticated or how small the transaction.
Ms Barnhill brings a depth of experience in assisting clients in the
formation of all types of business entities and selection of the proper
structure to accomplish the objectives of the client, including corporations,
partnerships, limited liability companies, proprietorships and multi-layered structures to maximize tax law
and corporate law benefits. A team
approach that includes the business’ accountant, bankers and other interested
parties is her preferred method of
problem solving.
Ms.
Barnhill handles the negotiation, drafting and review of all types of business
contracts, including all aspects of real estate transactions, joint ventures,
business contracts and various regulatory agreements and provides general
corporate representation which requires ongoing consultation on business and
financial matters, preparation of legal documents and advice to officers and
boards of directors. She regularly advises clients on corporate board and securities law
compliance issues, including SEC reporting and disclosure issues, corporate
governance matters and private placements of debt securities.
Ms. Barnhill’s practice includes experience in business
acquisitions and dispositions for closely-held businesses; representative transactions have ranged from millions
of dollars to smaller transactions for smaller closely-held businesses.
Ms. Barnhill’s tax practice includes
representation of fiduciaries and taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service
and the Iowa Department of Revenue and in federal tax courts concerning income tax, estate and inheritance
tax, property tax and sales tax issues.
V. LITIGATION Ms.
Barnhill has over 20 years of litigation experience and she has relevant
expertise in the type of litigation involved with all the practice areas
discussed above. This includes municipal litigation, including special assessment,
eminent domain and construction disputes, insurance coverage litigation ,
construction defect litigation and general business litigation.
Her practice includes jury and bench trials,
arbitrations, mediations and administrative proceedings. Her experience ensures that her clients have a committed advocate with the level of skill and confidence needed to
achieve winning results at acceptable costs. Ms. Barnhill has and does represent
national and international clients, as well as Iowa
clients. She focuses on helping clients identify and meet their
objectives through all phases of resolution including managing and limiting
discovery. Her extensive trial experience coupled with her specific business practice areas enables her to bring focused, specific knowledge and expertise to
the matter at hand including. She does
not represent clients in matters and areas
outside of her specific practice areas which means she bring clients
a cost-effective,
results-oriented, client-focused, responsive, reasonably staffed, smart,
communicative, honest, credible and experienced
attorney.
Ms. Barnhill has the proven ability to
handle and manage large complex cases through trial and appeal in all forums: Eighth
Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Court and the Iowa Supreme
Court, the Iowa Court of Appeals, US Tax Court and all Iowa
district courts. Ms. Barnhill also has extensive proven experience in
successful alternative dispute resolution outside of the courtroom specifically
through the use of mediation and arbitration.
