Foley & Lardner LLP: Laura L. Bilas

For municipalities, healthcare institutions, housing authorities, and various other entities across Illinois, navigating the intricate world of public finance and structured lending requires legal expertise that is both profound and precisely tailored. The ability to secure funding for essential projects, manage complex financial transactions, and ensure compliance with ever-evolving regulations is paramount. In this highly specialized and critical legal domain, Laura L. Bilas, a distinguished partner at Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago, stands out as a leading authority, providing unparalleled counsel to clients throughout the state and nationwide.

Laura L. Bilas’s practice is centered on the sophisticated intersection of finance, public policy, and regulatory compliance. She understands that every public finance transaction, from infrastructure development to healthcare facility expansions and affordable housing initiatives, is vital to the well-being and growth of communities across Illinois. Her approach is not merely about legal technicalities; it's about facilitating projects that drive progress and deliver tangible benefits to the residents of our state.

Foley & Lardner LLP, a nationally recognized law firm, provides the robust institutional support and comprehensive resources that complement Laura L. Bilas's individual expertise. Together, they offer a formidable legal force for any entity in Illinois seeking strategic guidance on complex financial undertakings. If you're involved in public finance, healthcare finance, or structured lending, understanding the depth of experience and dedication that Laura L. Bilas brings to the table is crucial for your success.

Laura L. Bilas practices from Foley & Lardner LLP’s prominent office in Chicago, a hub that ensures excellent accessibility for clients throughout Illinois. The office is conveniently located at:

321 N Clark St Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60654, USA

This address is strategically positioned in Chicago's vibrant River North neighborhood, offering ease of access via multiple public transportation options, including various CTA train and bus lines. For those traveling by car from different parts of Illinois, the location is well-connected to major expressways, with numerous parking garages in the vicinity. While a significant portion of her work involves large-scale transactions that often span beyond direct client visits, her presence in Chicago provides a central point of contact for entities within the state, reinforcing Foley & Lardner LLP's commitment to serving the Illinois community with high-level financial legal expertise.

Laura L. Bilas, as Chair of Foley & Lardner LLP's Finance and Public Finance Practices, focuses her extensive expertise on a wide array of sophisticated financial legal services. Her key areas of practice include:

• Public Finance: Serving as bond counsel, borrower's counsel, underwriter's counsel, disclosure counsel, and credit enhancement provider's counsel for a diverse range of public finance transactions. This includes general obligation bonds, special service area bonds, special assessment bonds, tax increment financing (TIF), and multi-family housing bonds. Her work supports critical public infrastructure and community development projects across Illinois and the nation.

• Healthcare Finance: Specializing in 501(c)(3) financings for healthcare, cultural, educational, and assisted living institutions. She guides these essential organizations through complex bond issuances and other financial structures to secure necessary funding for their operations and expansions.

• Structured Lending Matters: Representing various market participants in structured lending transactions. This includes working with developers, lenders, and other entities on Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financings, which support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

• Municipal Debt Securitization: Representing lenders and investment banking firms in connection with securitizations of municipal debt and the private placement of senior and subordinate debt instruments. This involves creating complex financial products that allow for efficient capital markets transactions.

• Housing Financings: Serving as counsel to the Illinois Housing Development Authority and other state and local housing authorities, as well as lending institutions, on housing financings aggregating in excess of $1 billion. This expertise directly contributes to expanding affordable housing opportunities in Illinois.

• General Corporate and Finance Counseling: Providing comprehensive transactional and counseling services to a wide range of clients in the financial services industry, including banks, lenders, investors, and borrowers.

Laura L. Bilas's standing as a premier legal professional in Illinois and beyond is underscored by several notable features and accolades:

• Highly Acclaimed Expertise: Laura L. Bilas is consistently recognized by prestigious legal publications. She has been selected by her peers for inclusion in

  The Best Lawyers in America®

  in the fields of Patent Law and Trademark Law, and recognized in

  Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business – Public Finance

  (2023 – 2025), where she is noted as a "well-respected practitioner in the Illinois public finance space." She was also named the Best Lawyers® Public Finance Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Chicago (2021).

• "Super Lawyers" Recognition: Laura L. Bilas has been consistently selected to Super Lawyers for multiple years (2012 - 2025), a prestigious peer designation awarded to a select number of accomplished attorneys who demonstrate excellence in practice.

• Leadership Roles: As the Chair of Foley & Lardner LLP's Finance and Public Finance Practices, she plays a pivotal role in guiding the firm’s strategy and expertise in these critical areas, demonstrating her leadership within a nationally recognized law firm.

• Extensive Transactional Experience: Her experience includes serving as counsel for hundreds of significant public finance and structured transactions, including those exceeding $1 billion, showcasing her capacity to handle high-stakes and complex financial dealings.

• In-Depth Industry Knowledge: Laura is a member of Foley & Lardner LLP's Finance & Financial Institutions; Healthcare Finance and Public Finance Practices; The Healthcare and Energy & Infrastructure Industry Teams; and the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Team. This broad involvement signifies her comprehensive understanding of the sectors she serves.

• Strong Client Relationships: Clients and peers consistently praise her as a "phenomenal lawyer in Chicago," highlighting her effectiveness and highly regarded professional conduct.

Given the nature of her practice, which primarily involves large-scale public and corporate financial transactions, specific "promotions" in the traditional consumer sense are typically not offered. However, as part of a prominent firm like Foley & Lardner LLP, clients can expect a high level of professional engagement and thorough initial consultations to discuss complex financial projects. Entities in Illinois considering major public finance, healthcare finance, or structured lending initiatives are encouraged to contact Laura L. Bilas directly to discuss their specific needs and explore how her expertise can contribute to their project's success. Her commitment to providing "sound and actionable solutions" suggests a client-focused approach from the initial inquiry.

For entities in Illinois seeking sophisticated legal counsel in public finance, healthcare finance, or structured lending, you can contact Laura L. Bilas at Foley & Lardner LLP using the following details:

Address: 321 N Clark St Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60654, USA

Phone: (312) 832-4533

Mobile Phone: +1 312-832-4533

For local governmental bodies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and developers across Illinois, Laura L. Bilas of Foley & Lardner LLP is an exceptionally suitable and invaluable legal partner. Her deep specialization in public finance, healthcare finance, and structured lending directly addresses the unique and significant financial needs of the state's public and non-profit sectors. Her extensive experience, including her role as bond counsel for Illinois Housing Development Authority financings exceeding $1 billion and her work on various municipal bonds, directly translates into a profound understanding of Illinois-specific financial regulations and opportunities.

Being consistently recognized in prestigious legal rankings such as

The Best Lawyers in America®

and

Chambers USA

, and lauded as a "phenomenal lawyer," further cements her reputation as a top-tier attorney in the field. For Illinois entities embarking on complex financial transactions, Laura L. Bilas offers not just legal representation, but a strategic alliance with a seasoned expert who can navigate the most intricate financial landscapes, ensuring compliance, optimizing structures, and ultimately contributing to the successful development and sustainability of vital community projects right here in Illinois.