Biography

John Stalfort is the firm’s D.C. Market & Client Development Principal.

He serves as counsel to commercial and investment banks, political subdivisions, economic development agencies, for-profit and not-for-profit entities (including health care institutions, secondary schools and other 501(c)(3) organizations), corporate trustees and bond purchasers in all types of tax-exempt and taxable bond transactions. He has served as bond counsel in connection with many of the most significant economic development projects in the State of Maryland and the Greater Washington region for more than 45 years. Included in these projects are the public-private-partnership (P3) financing of the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore’s harbor, the Chesapeake Hyatt Resort development (a 400-room hotel, golf course, spa and resort in Cambridge, Maryland), the National Harbor project (a 7,000,000-square-foot, mixed-used community along the Potomac River), the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Purple Line light rail project in Montgomery County and Prince George's County, Maryland and the redevelopment of Washington's Union Station.

A particular focus of his practice are land-based infrastructure transactions, including special taxing districts, tax increment financing districts (TIF) and community development authorities in the Mid-Atlantic Region as bond counsel, developer’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel. These transactions have included the first two special taxing district financings in the State of Delaware and the redevelopment of downtown Columbia, Maryland. Several of these transactions have involved transit-oriented development projects (TOD’s).

John's practice also involves equipment leasing and finance transactions in which he represents operating lessors, corporate and municipal clients as lessees and financial institutions acting as a lender, lessor, buyer, seller or trustee. These transactions have included single-investor structures, leveraged lease structures and synthetic lease structures.

He also serves as counsel to financial institutions in connection with asset-based lending and commercial finance transactions and secured real estate loans.

John is a former member of the Firm's Board of Directors and former Chair of the Firm's Business Department.

John lives in Washington, D.C. and Maryland with his wife, Anne, and has two children, Elizabeth and Doug.

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Education

  • University of Virginia School of Law (J.D., 1977)
  • Darden School (M.B.A., 1977)
  • University of Virginia (B.A., 1973)
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia, 2012
  • Maryland, 1977
  • Virginia, 2021

Professional Affiliations

  • Maryland Economic Development Association: Board of Directors (2021-present); Co-Chair, Business Development Committee (2021-present)
  • American College of Bond Counsel: Fellow (2020-present)
  • Federal City Council: Trustee (2017-present)
  • Greater Washington Board of Trade: Board of Directors (2012-present); Executive Committee Member (2017-present); General Counsel (2018-present)
  • Junior Achievement of Greater Washington: Board Chair (2016); Board Chair Elect (2015); Executive Committee Member (2014-2021); Board of Directors (2013-2021); Vision Council (2022-present)
  • Maryland State Bar Association: Section Council, Section of Business Law Chairman (1995-1996)
  • National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • Tax Increment Finance Coalition of the Council of Development Finance Agencies: Committee Member (2005-present)
  • The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. (2012-present)
  • Urban Land Institute - TOD Product Council (2014-present)

Special Honors

  • Best Lawyers in America®: Named “Lawyer of the Year,” Public Finance Law, Washington DC (2013, 2017); Banking and Finance Law, Washington DC (2019)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Selected for inclusion in the areas of Public Finance Law (2008-2026) and Banking and Finance Law, Washington DC (2013-2026)
  • Capital (D.C.) Pro Bono Honor Roll: For work conducted in 2019
  • Chambers USA - America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Listed in the area of Real Estate-District of Columbia (2018-2023), Public Finance-District of Columbia (2024-2026), and Public Finance-Maryland (2026) (achieving the highest “first band” ranking for the District of Columbia)
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent® Rated
  • Maryland Super Lawyers®: Selected for inclusion in the area of Bonds/Government Finance (2012)
  • Washington Business Journal Legal Champion (2014)
  • Washington D.C. Super Lawyers®: Selected for inclusion in the area of Government Finance, Real Estate, Banking (2012-2020, 2023-2026)

Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of Maryland
  • United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • United States District Court for the District of Maryland

Recent Matters

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Supported Union Station Redevelopment Effort

Provided real estate, finance and bond counsel legal services for the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC). The vision for the next century of Union Station is to restore and modernize the...