George R. Sarkis

Mr. Sarkis focuses his practice on public finance, economic development incentive structuring and finance, and regional governmental cooperation. He represents clients on a wide spectrum of financing matters, including serving as bond counsel, underwriters counsel, issuers counsel, disclosure counsel, and bank counsel. He has acted as bond counsel to the State of Ohio, the Ohio Public Facilities Commission, the City of Akron, Summit County, the Development Finance Authority of Summit County, the Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority, the Portage County Port Authority, the Medina County Port Authority, the Akron-Canton Regional Airport Authority, the Dayton-Montgomery County Port Authority, a number of state colleges and universities in Ohio, and other public and private debt issuers, banks, and financial institutions.

Experience

• Represents municipalities, counties and port authorities throughout Ohio as bond counsel
• Has served as bond counsel to the State of Ohio and Ohio Public Facilities Commission
• Represents political subdivisions in structuring economic development financing incentives
• Has served as bond counsel for The University of Akron, Kent State University, The University of Toledo, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Cuyahoga Community College, Clark State Community College, and Shawnee State University
• Represents Northeast Ohio Trade & Economic Consortium (NEOTEC)
• Represents lending institutions in letter of credit documentation and direct-purchase of bonds
• Represents underwriters in public finance transactions

Services

• Banking & Financial Services
• Capital Markets
• Public Finance
• Public / Private Infrastructure
• Public Law

Industries

• Financial Services

1. Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D.
2. Brown University, A.B.
   • with honors

Bar Admissions

1. Ohio

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America^© for Public Finance Law (2013-2019)
• Distinguished Leadership Award, National Association for Community Leadership (2000)
• Distinguished Service Award (1990)
• Leadership Akron, Class of 1986
• AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

Professional Affiliations

• Akron Bar Association
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Ohio Financing Roundtable
• National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL)
• Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA)

Community Affiliations

• Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, Past Chairman
• Akron Children's Hospital Foundation, Past Trustee
• Archbishop Hoban High School, Past Trustee
• Akron Community Foundation, Past Chairman
• Northern Ohio Golf Charities & Foundation, Past Chairman
• Community Support Services, Past Chairman
• Bluecoats of Summit County, Past Trustee
• NEC World Series of Golf in Akron, Ohio, Tournament Chairman (1992)