Sandra D. Dawson

Sandra D. Dawson is recognized as one of the leading bond attorneys in Connecticut, with a legal practice focused on public finance law, municipal bonds, and federal tax law, specifically Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code. Known by her clients for her experience and results-driven approach, Sandra has served as bond counsel, tax counsel, disclosure counsel, issuer’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel on a wide array of tax-exempt and taxable bond financings. She also practices in the area of corporate trust, representing trustees and collateral, escrow and custody agents. In public finance, Sandra represents municipalities, state agencies, special taxing and special service districts, underwriters, banks, trustees, and credit enhancement providers. Her work spans complex transactions involving general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, infrastructure financing, tax credit bonds, lease-purchase agreements, commercial paper, multi-family housing, student loan and tax-increment financings. She is particularly valued for integrating bond law, tax law, and securities compliance to ensure successful, timely closings.

Sandra serves as bond, tax and disclosure counsel to the State of Connecticut with respect to its transportation infrastructure financing initiatives. She also represents the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA)  in the issuance of tax-exempt and taxable bonds to finance its student loan program. Sandra represents Connecticut municipalities and districts of all sizes with respect to the issuance of general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and tax credit bonds. She also is experienced in tax-exempt capital lease purchase financings, tax increment financings, pension bond financings, working capital financings, conduit financings under various programs and financings under the Connecticut City and Town Development Act. 

Sandra is a Fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel, a distinction earned by a select group of attorneys with exceptional expertise in public finance law. She holds an AV Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys.  She serves as chair of Pullman & Comley’s Practice Management Committee.

Before entering law, Sandra enjoyed an accomplished 18-year career in the forest products industry, culminating in executive leadership roles in operations and strategic consulting for manufacturing efficiency.  Her experience included developing and implementing highly successful productivity improvement and cost-reduction programs at Georgia-Pacific Corporation’s pulp and paper manufacturing operations throughout the southeastern United States, experience that continues to inform her pragmatic and solution-driven legal practice.

Office

Professional Affiliations

American College of Bond Counsel, Fellow

National Association of Bond Lawyers

Government Finance Officers Association

Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys

Community Involvement

IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, volunteer

Connecticut Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - 2012 Woman of the Year

New England Women in Public Finance, mentor

Honors & Recognitions

American College of Bond Counsel, elected a Fellow in 2018

Received the highest peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell (AV)

Some of Sandra’s notable matters include:

• Drafting new indentures and amended and restated indentures for bond counsel clients
• Serving as tax and bond counsel regarding the issuance of convertible option bonds
• Providing tax counsel for several multi-family housing bond transactions
• Serving as bond counsel for forward-delivery and crossover refundings of Build America Bonds
• Creating innovative tax-exempt commercial paper programs for municipalities
• Advising national banks on direct purchase and private placement transactions of municipal bonds
• Acting as bond counsel to tribal governments and out-of-state issuers for educational and infrastructure projects

Publications