Bryant Miller Olive P.A. (BMO) announced that Kareem J. Spratling has been elected as the firm’s Tampa office managing shareholder, and Rhonda D. Bond-Collins as the firm’s Orlando office managing shareholder.
Spratling, who started with BMO in 2005 as a law clerk, focuses his legal practice primarily in the area of public finance, particularly on the role of bond counsel on conduit bond transactions. He has represented governmental and quasi-governmental entities at all levels on more than $15 billion in bonds. In addition, Mr. Spratling serves as general counsel for several entities and he has served as counsel and drafted financing documents creating new financing programs for private entities, expressway authorities, counties and conduit borrowers.
He is the chairman of the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL) General Law and Practice Committee and regularly lectures at NABL’s educational seminars. He is a member of the Florida State University College of Law Alumni Association Board. In addition, he is the vice-chairman of the Feeding Tampa Bay Board and a member of the Florida Police Chief’s Association Societal Change Subcommittee.
Spratling received his J.D. from Florida State University College of Law in Tallahassee and two Bachelor of Science degrees from Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Bond-Collins is in her 25th year of practicing law, focusing on all aspects of tax-exempt and taxable financings. Her experience in the public finance arena includes regularly serving as bond counsel and bank counsel on governmental finance transactions, including serving as lead bond counsel on general obligation, affordable housing, electric, storm water and wastewater transactions.
She has also represented borrowers in conduit financings, and regularly serves as bond counsel to several universities and colleges, and as lead bond counsel on affordable housing transactions, including conduit financings. Her experience in affordable housing finance transactions also includes previously serving as counsel to one of the largest credit enhancement providers in the country.
During the course of her career, Bond-Collins has served as underwriter’s counsel, trustee’s counsel, disclosure counsel, and purchaser’s counsel on various tax-exempt and taxable transactions. She also has experience in commercial real estate transactions representing both purchasers and sellers.
Bond-Collins received her J.D. from the American University, Washington College of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, University College.
“Both Kareem and Rhonda bring excellent leadership skills and expertise in their dedicated practice areas to their office managing shareholder positions,” said JoLinda Herring, Esq., BMO’s CEO and Managing Shareholder. “We are pleased to welcome them to these prestigious elected positions.”
