Benjamin J. Brooks

Ben Brooks has practiced in Smith Gambrell Russell’s Public Finance group since 1998. He specializes in traditional government finance, representing Georgia cities, counties, and school districts in issuing general obligation bonds, contract revenue bonds, sales tax-backed bonds, tax anticipation notes, and annual appropriation obligations. In addition, Ben has particular experience in local government financial incentives and tax reduction bonds (bonds for title), and 501(c)(3) bonds..

He regularly serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, lender’s counsel, and borrower’s counsel in public finance transactions. Ben also represents corporate trustees in initial bond issuance as well as post-default matters.

Ben represents local Georgia communities, as well as technology, manufacturing and other companies, in economic development projects across the state. Ben negotiates incentive packages and helps local governments and companies  successfully implement  incentives.

Ben is a graduate of the Regional Leadership Institute for the Metro Atlanta region. While attending law school, he served as an Articles Editor of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation.

Ben's Practice

Representative Matters

• Representation of a Georgia county as bond counsel for the development of a multipurpose arena project with multiple series of bonds totaling more than $114 million.
• Representation of global automotive manufacturer as bond and company counsel on six separate tax incentive bond issues for the company’s Georgia facilities totaling more than $2 billion.
• Representation of a joint development authority as bond counsel in the negotiation and implementation of an incentive package including a bond for title transaction in the amount of $15 Billion for electric vehicle manufacturer.
• Representation of Georgia development authority as bond counsel in a bond for title transaction in the amount of $18 Billion for a data center project.
• Representation of developer of data centers in a series of bond for title transactions for Georgia projects totaling more than $16 Billion.
• Served as bond counsel and disclosure counsel to a Georgia county in the issuance of $12 million general obligations sales tax bonds.
• Representation of Atlanta-based nonprofit school as bond counsel for an issue of 501(c)(3) bonds in excess of $7 million.
• Representation of regional bank in a $150 million line of credit transaction with the City of Atlanta for improvements to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.