Religious, Educational & Nonprofit Organizations

PHILADELPHIA — With decades of experience structuring tax-exempt financings, George Magnatta joins Stradley Ronon as a partner in the Philadelphia office. Prior to joining, he most recently served as chair of Saul Ewing’s public finance practice and before that as assistant branch chief in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Legislation and Regulations Division in Washington, D.C. He will continue to serve as trusted bond, underwriter's, borrower's and tax counsel for states, municipalities, housing authorities, economic development authorities and nonprofit entities in the implementation and financing of major capital projects that benefit public, private and nonprofit entities.

“George brings a rare combination of tax and public finance regulatory insights, shaped by his prior leadership at the IRS, that few can claim,” said Caroline Gorman, partner and chair of the firm’s corporate practice. “His arrival introduces a new dimension to our tax capabilities in public finance, bringing a deep knowledge of the complex Internal Revenue Code requirements, enhancing how we serve clients and opening new avenues for our clients’ growth.”

George is well-versed in structuring tax-exempt financings for states, cities, colleges and universities, real estate developers, housing authorities and industrial development authorities. Throughout his career, George has advised on and facilitated high-profile multimillion-dollar transactions for major capital projects throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including sports stadiums and arenas, airport terminals, hospitals, universities, continuing care facilities, including nursing homes, residential rental projects and gas and electrical utility projects. His comprehensive know-how extends to single-family and multi-family housing transactions, bond pools and interest rate swaps.

“George’s arrival meaningfully deepens our public finance platform. His experience inside the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, combined with decades of municipal bond practice, strengthens our bench precisely where the market is demanding greater sophistication — federal tax structuring, post-issuance compliance and disclosure risk management,” said Michael Roynan, partner and chair of the firm’s public finance practice. “Additionally, George’s work in housing bonds, low-income housing tax credits and complex public-private financing structures complements our existing strengths and allows Stradley Ronon to deliver more comprehensive solutions in one of the most critical sectors of the municipal market.”

A former assistant branch chief in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel's Legislation and Regulations Division, George has a thorough understanding of the tax aspects of public finance. He also served on the IRS’s Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (ACT), where he provided reports on revisions to voluntary closing agreement procedures (VCAP), the role of the issuer in conduit financings and information reporting relating to tax-exempt bonds. George is a co-author of the book “ABCs of Industrial Development Bonds,” which covers complex issues of public finance law. Ranked by Chambers USA, he is also a fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel.

“I was drawn to Stradley Ronon’s reputation, collaborative culture and distinguished public finance practice. It’s an environment where I can tackle complex financings, leverage the team’s experience and contribute to its continued success,” George said.

About Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
Counseling clients since 1926, Stradley Ronon has helped private and public companies — from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations — achieve their goals by providing pragmatic, value-driven legal counsel. With offices coast to coast, our lawyers seamlessly address the full spectrum of our clients’ needs, ranging from sophisticated corporate transactions to complex commercial litigation.