Bryant Miller Olive

Kareem J. Spratling

Attorney

Office phone: 813-273-6677

kspratling@bmolaw.com

Office Location: Tampa

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PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Kareem J. Spratling focuses his legal practice primarily in the area of public finance. Mr. Spratling's public finance experience includes nationwide representation of clients in all roles. Mr. Spratling is particularly skilled in the role of Bond Counsel on conduit bond transactions. Mr. Spratling has provided counsel on transactions with a combined principal amount in excess of $17 billion. He has represented governmental and quasi-governmental entities at all levels, including: the United States of America, the State of Florida, and multiple Florida counties, cities, ports, housing/housing finance authorities, conduit issuers and charter schools. He has also served as counsel and drafted financing documents creating new financing programs for private entities, expressway authorities, counties and conduit borrowers.

Mr. Spratling's litigation experience includes validating in excess of $5 billion in bonds for various public entities. His general governmental experience includes drafting special legislation and documentation for state grants, and reviewing various governmental financing programs, including the legal audit of a $200 million complex financing program. Mr. Spratling also serves as general counsel to several entities.

Mr. Spratling is committed to sharing his public finance knowledge. He is the Past Chair of the National Association of Bond Lawyers’ (NABL) General Law and Practice Committee, and he regularly lectures at NABL’s professional educational seminars. For several years, Mr. Spratling has prepared the materials for and taught the “Public Finance” portion of the Florida Bar’s “City, County and Local Government Law Certification Course.”

In addition, Mr. Spratling is a member of the Leadership Alliance Advisory Board (LAAB) and prepared its corporate documents and incorporating the LAAB on a pro bono basis.

Mr. Spratling received a Juris Doctor degree from The Florida State University College of Law in May 2006 and two Bachelor of Science degrees from The Florida State University in August 2002. While in law school, he was a member of both the Mock Trial and Jessup Moot Court teams, the first student member of the College of Law Board of Directors, and President of both the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and the Student Bar Association (SBA). In 2017, Mr. Spratling was named to the Tampa Business Journals "Up and Comers" list. In 2016, Mr. Spratling was named one of 24 inaugural "Rising Stars" by The Bond Buyer magazine, one of two honorees in Florida and the only Florida lawyer. In 2010, Mr. Spratling received a "Rising Star" Super Lawyers rating, as published in Super Lawyers Magazine , an honor earned by less than 2.5% of attorneys in Florida and only 2 public finance attorneys. Mr. Spratling is also a recipient of the Tampa Seminole Club's "Torch Award" and has been named "Alumni of the Month."

 

EDUCATION

College: The Florida State University – B.S., Criminology & B.S., History, 2002

Law School: The Florida State University College of Law- J.D., 2006

BAR ADMISSIONS

The Florida Bar, 2006

COURT ADMISSIONS

All Florida Courts

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

The Florida Bar

George Edgecomb Bar Association

National Association of Bond Lawyers, Chair, General Law Committee  
 

CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Feeding Tampa Bay Board of Directors, Board Chair

FSU College of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, President-Elect

The Orenda Foundation, Board Member

Florida Police Chiefs Association Subcommittee on Accountability and Societal Change

Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Former Board Member, Legal Counsel and Executive Committee Member

Leadership Tampa Class of 2012, Graduate

Tampa Police Department Citizens Police Academy Class of 2012, Graduate

Leadership Florida/Connect Florida

Leadership Alliance Advisory Board (LAAB)
 

HONORS & AWARDS

"Rising Star," The Bond Buyer, 2018

"Up and Comer," Tampa Business Journal, 2018

"Alumni of the Month" Tampa Bay Seminole Club, 2015

"Emerging Leader Award," Emerge Tampa Bay, 2013 

"Torch Award," Tampa Bay Seminole Club, 2011 (finalist)

"Rising Star," Super Lawyers Magazine, 2010
 

PUBLICATIONS

2020 NABL - Publication: Charter School Bond Financing

PRESENTATIONS

2023 Florida Bar “City, County and Local Government Law Certification Course” – Presentation Title: Public Finance

2023 NABL “The Essentials” – Presentation Titles: “State Law Issues” & “Structuring & Financial Aspects of a Municipal Bond Transaction”

2022 Florida Bar “City, County and Local Government Law Certification Course” – Presentation Title: Public Finance

2022 NABL “The Essentials” – Presentation Titles “Ethics” & “Structuring & Financial Aspects of a Municipal Bond Transaction

2021 Stetson University College of Law Campus to Career Event - Presentation Title: A Former Partner's Perspective

2021 City, County and Local Government Certification Review Course 2021 - Presentation Title: Public Finance

2021 NABL U Presents the Essentials: Virtual 2021 - Presentation Title: Ethics for Bond Attorneys 101

2021 NABL U Presents the Essentials: Virtual 2021 - Presentation Title: Bank Direct Purchases

2020 City, County and Local Government Certification Review Course 2020 - Presentation Title: Public Finance

2020 Florida Police Chief's Association Subcommittee - Presentation Title: Florida Police Chief's Association Subcommittee on Accountability and Societal Change

2019 NABL "The Workshop" - Presentation Title: Diversity & Implicit Bias (101): An Introduction to Implicit Bias, Its Effects on the Practice of Law, Including Costs and Practical Solutions for Taking Control

2019 NABL Essentials - Presentation Title: Qualified Small Issue and Exempt Facility Bonds

2019 NABL Essentials - Presentation Title: Basic Structuring and Financial Aspects of a Municipal Bond Transaction

2019 Implicit Bias (202): Advanced Concepts of Diversity & Implicit Bias

2018 NABL Bond Attorney Workshop - Presentation Title: Diversity & Implicit Bias (101): An Introduction to Implicit Bias, Its Effects on the Practice of Law and Solutions for Taking Control

2017 NABL Bond Attorney Workshop - Presentation Title: Unintentional Discrimination & Implicit Bias: To Know It Is to Abate It

2015 Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce," Chair, Leadership Tampa Government and Infrastructure Day
 

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