Winne Banta Basralian & Kahn, P.C. is pleased to announce that Frank E. Scangarella has joined the firm as Of Counsel, and will be a member of the Public Finance practice lead by Jason P. Capizzi, Principal of the firm.
Scangarella comes to Winne Banta with over 25 years of experience with complex financing mechanisms for real estate transactions and large infrastructure projects, and environmental law. Regarded as a leading expert in infrastructure finance in New Jersey, Scangarella has structured financing programs for the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (New Jersey’s SRF, formerly known as the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust) as its Assistant Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for the past 13 years – such financing programs include the New Jersey Water Bank Construction Loan Program, the Statewide Assistance Loan Program (Superstorm Sandy Infrastructure Loans), and the New Jersey Transportation Bank. Since its inception in 1986, the I-Bank has issued more than $7B in loans funding approximately 1,400 projects benefiting more than 70% of counties, municipalities, utility and sewerage authorities throughout New Jersey. Scangarella’s prior public sector experience also includes service as Assistant Counsel to Governor Christine Todd Whitman; Director of Legal Affairs at the New Jersey Water Supply Authority; and Deputy Attorney General in the Division of Law providing legal counsel and representation to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
“Frank has attained a level of distinction and expertise in his profession that we not only value, but expect from our counselors at Winne Banta”, said Joseph L. Basralian, President of the firm.
Scangarella will be working with Jason P. Capizzi, well-recognized government and public finance attorney, who joined Winne Banta in 2018 as the firm began its initial public finance expansion. Capizzi began his legal career as Assistant Counsel to New Jersey Governors James E. McGreevey and Richard J. Codey; and also served as Deputy Attorney General to the regulator of municipal finance in New Jersey, the Local Finance Board and the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs. Capizzi succeeded to the law practice of John L. Kraft, New Jersey’s first Bond Counsel, with the formation of Kraft & Capizzi, LLC in 2014. Capizzi is further distinguished by having been one of 5 attorneys nationwide, and the only public finance professional from New Jersey, selected by The Bond Buyer in 2016 to receive its inaugural Rising Stars in the Municipal Finance Industry Award, and by having been installed as a member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation in 2017.
Capizzi counts the Township of Weehawken, the Borough of Tenafly, the North Hudson Sewerage Authority and the Long Branch Sewerage Authority among his longstanding clients, and having served as Defeasance Counsel for the Borough of East Rutherford with respect to the $2B American Dream project financing in 2017 among his notable transactions.
“As an architect of the I-Bank’s financing programs, Frank’s understanding of the complex legal and technical engineering requirements of each, coupled with his experience working with decision makers at all levels of government, is invaluable as it enables Winne Banta to offer a unique strategy when addressing the public finance needs of New Jersey’s local governmental units”, said Capizzi. “I have worked with Frank for many years during his tenure at the I-Bank, and am excited that we will now be colleagues on the same team.”
Winne Banta is one of the oldest and most respected full-service law firms in New Jersey. Formed on Valentine’s Day in 1922, for nearly a century Winne Banta has been recognized as a leader in its 5 core practice areas: Real Estate, Land Use Planning, Zoning and Environmental Law; Tax, Trusts, Estates and Succession Planning; Commercial Litigation; Finance and Corporate Services; and Government Services (including Public Finance, unicipal and Education Law). Winne Banta maintains its principal office in Hackensack, New Jersey, and satellite offices in Hoboken, New Jersey; New York, New York; and Boca Raton, Florida.
