Legal counsel is vitally important to the Finance Authority mission. Both internal and external attorneys advise us on compliance, risk, contracts, and governance. External counsel provides deal structure expertise. Their knowledge and attention to detail help assure our organization is a responsible and accountable public finance agency and deals are solution-driven and air-tight— something we and our various partners greatly value.
So it’s a big deal when we make changes to our counsel operations. Here are two that truly matter.
Kaitlyn Geiger Role Expanded to General Counsel and Compliance
The Finance Authority has appointed Kaitlyn Geiger to the newly expanded role of General Counsel and Compliance, reflecting the organization’s continued emphasis on strong governance, risk management, and strategic legal oversight. Kaitlyn previously served as Director of Compliance and Legal Affairs, where she played a central role in ensuring regulatory compliance across the Authority’s programs and projects.
In her new position, Kaitlyn serves as a member of the senior management team, working alongside the Finance Authority’s President and Vice President to support organizational strategy and management objectives. She acts as in-house counsel, coordinating closely with outside legal counsel and providing legal guidance on a broad range of Port Authority matters. Her responsibilities include overseeing compliance operations, managing legal documents, engaging and supervising external counsel, and ensuring the organization, its clients, and its projects remain compliant with all applicable state and federal requirements.
Kaitlyn also leads organizational risk management efforts, supports Board operations and open meeting requirements, drafts resolutions, responds to public records requests, reviews vendor and project contracts, and provides compliance training to staff. She collaborates closely with senior leadership on policy development and strategic priorities, while managing multiple active projects.
Prior to joining the Finance Authority in 2024, Kaitlyn served with the City of Cincinnati Law Department, most recently as Supervising Attorney and previously as Senior Assistant City Solicitor for Economic Development. Her experience included serving as lead legal counsel for the $1.6 billion sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway, advising on complex public-private development transactions, tax increment financing, and economic development policy, and counseling public officials on legislative and redevelopment initiatives.
Kaitlyn’s appointment strengthens the Finance Authority’s legal and compliance infrastructure and underscores its commitment to transparency, accountability, and effective stewardship in support of economic development across the region.
Kutak Rock Named Finance Authority External Counsel
Long-time external counsel Greg Daniels and Tony Core recently announced their move to Kutak Rock law firm, where they are opening the firm’s Columbus office. Kutak Rock is nationally known for their public finance practice. The Finance Authority expects to benefit from the deep bench strength of the firm. In its latest rankings, Thomson Reuters® placed Kutak Rock among the top 10 law firms in the U.S. for bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and disclosure counsel.
The firm’s specific areas of expertise include:
- Single- and multifamily housing
- Health care facilities
- Traditional public projects
- Mass transit projects
- Public utilities
- Higher education facilities
- Special district and tax increment financing
The firm’s expansion into Columbus and Cleveland marks a significant step in Kutak Rock’s continued national growth and coincides with two major milestones: the firm’s 60th anniversary year and its expansion to 600 attorneys nationwide.