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Former Utah Transit Authority General Counsel Kathryn H. S. Pett Joins Ballard Spahr's Salt Lake City Office

Posted on: Monday, 24 September 2007, 12:00 CDT

Arthur Makadon, Chairman of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, announced today that noted Salt Lake City transportation lawyer Kathryn H. S. Pett has joined the Salt Lake City office as a partner. Pett is the former secretary and general counsel of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). Her experience includes leading negotiations with Union Pacific Railroad Company and other freight railroad carriers and representing passenger rail systems before federal administrations, agencies and boards. Pett earned her J.D. cum laude from University of New Mexico School of Law.

"Kathryn is a great addition and brings to us a new, cutting-edge practice," said Makadon. "Kathryn's extensive experience as secretary and general counsel of the Utah Transit Authority makes her one of the leading lawyers in the country in the area of infrastructure transit projects. With Kathryn's impressive array of transportation clients, the practice area will take off, especially given the other resources that we will make available to her."

Pett will head a new practice group, the Passenger Rail Infrastructure Group, devoted to helping clients with issues related to the development of infrastructure for intercity rail, regional commuter rail and light rail transit operations.

"It is exciting to join such a well-known national law firm," said Pett. "Ballard Spahr has grown significantly in the Salt Lake community, and this is a great opportunity to expand my practice using Ballard resources. With firm resources already in place in the West, Ballard Spahr will continue to see impressive growth in the Western United States."

Also joining Ballard is Bart Simmons, who will be of counsel in the Public Finance Department. Simmons is the former senior corporate counsel at the Utah Transit Authority. He served as counsel for several major light rail development projects and one major commuter rail development project. Since leaving UTA, he also has represented public and private clients on issues involving federal and state government contracting requirements.

"Kathryn Pett has an outstanding background and is well known nationally in the transportation industry. She brings a unique blend of expertise and tenacity to accomplish great things for her clients," said Blaine L. Carlton, managing partner of Ballard's Salt Lake City office and partner in the firm's Public Finance Department. "Bart has a very solid and impressive background in transportation issues, and together Kathryn and Bart will make a significant contribution to the Salt Lake office and to the firm as a whole. We are happy to have them join us."

Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP is an Am Law 100 firm with more than 500 lawyers in eleven offices in the Mid-Atlantic corridor and the Western United States. The firm's Public Finance Department is nationally recognized and serves as bond, underwriter, trustee and borrower's counsel for state and local governments and authorities throughout the United States. The firm also has significant experience in other areas of law, including municipal, tax, securities, real estate, housing, environmental, public utilities, energy, health care, education, banking, administrative and corporate law. Ballard Spahr clients include Fortune 500 corporations, hospitals, universities, financial institutions, managed care organizations, defense contractors, utilities and many other businesses. The firm also represents corporate directors, officers and managers as well as other professionals, including doctors, lawyers, public officials and accountants. Ballard Spahr combines a broad scope of practice with strong local market knowledge to represent companies, individuals, and other entities. For more information on the firm, please visit www.ballardspahr.com.

Source: Business Wire

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