Biography
John Stump concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal bonds, project finance, economic development, and utility regulation. Mr. Stump’s experience includes significant involvement in tax-exempt and taxable bond issues of all types, a variety of economic development projects, and providing legal representation to utilities, financial institutions, and municipal and other public bodies.
Mr. Stump has extensive experience as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, and issuer’s counsel for tax-exempt and taxable bond issues for public works of state agencies, counties, municipalities, and public service districts, as well as conduit financings for 501(c)(3) corporations, private educational institutions, and industrial development projects.
Mr. Stump has represented a number of companies, ranging from Fortune 500 international conglomerates to privately held start-ups, in the negotiation and identification of state economic development incentive packages. He has negotiated, and implemented, all types of development incentives, including Tax Increment Financing, Economic Opportunity Districts, and Tourism Development Credits.
Mr. Stump regularly represents utilities before regulatory agencies. His experience includes testifying as an expert witness before regulatory agencies on project financing issues.
Representative Experience
- Served as bond counsel for a tax increment financing private placement bond issue to finance public infrastructure costs associated with an 800 unit high-end residential and commercial community
- Represented a start-up public utility in the acquisition of a 2,000 customer private utility serving a resort community
- Represented a fiber optic cable not-for-profit utility to provide ultra-high speed broadband access to over 50,000 customers
- Represented a national developer in the creation of the first stand-alone community enhancement district (assessment district) in West Virginia for a 1,200 unit high-end, second home development. Work included financial structuring, legislative modifications and local government representation. The entire investment was in excess of $1.0 billion.
- Represented an international manufacturing conglomerate in the location of a more than $175 million manufacturing facility, including negotiation, structuring and closing of financial incentives, and structuring and documenting PILOT transaction
- Served as bond counsel for the issuance of the first water revenue bonds secured solely by capacity improvement fees in the State of West Virginia
- Represented a market leading international investment bank in the refinancing of over $200 million dollars of pollution control and solid waste disposal bonds
- Served as bond counsel for a national youth development organization in financing a portion of the capital costs associated with the acquisition and construction of a 12,000-acre, year-round leadership facility, with an estimated total investment of $500 million
- Represented a national youth development organization in the negotiation and implementation of a state incentive package, that included site preparation work, access roads, and state tax considerations
- Represented investment bankers in the purchase of bonds secured by sales tax revenues
- Represented a municipal utility in the sale of a combined public waterworks and sewage system to a private utility; work included sale term negotiation, documentation, public hearings, election process, and closing
- Served as bond counsel and issuers counsel for a $5 billion incentive package for an international manufacturing company
Licensed In
- Kentucky
- Ohio
- West Virginia
Education
- J.D. Washington and Lee University School of Law
- B.A. West Virginia University
Memberships
- Vice President, Huntington Area Development Council
- Board of Directors, Advantage Valley, Inc.
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
Achievements
- Peer Review Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Banking & Finance (2005 – Present), Public Finance (2024)
- Best Lawyers® 2025 Charleston, WV Project Finance Law, Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2021 Charleston, WV Government Relations Practice, Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2019 Charleston, WV Project Finance Law, Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2015 Charleston, WV Government Relations Practice, Lawyer of the Year
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Governance Law (2024-Present), Economic Development Law (2020-Present), Government Relations Practice (2013-Present), Municipal Law (2010-Present), Project Finance Law (2008-Present), Public Finance Law (2007-Present), Securitization and Structured Finance Law (2010-Present)
Speaking Engagements
- Mr. Stump presents at conferences on topics such as public finance, economic development, and legislative issues to audiences, including utility trade associations, municipal leagues, economic development organizations, and utility groups.
Press Release
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