Frances Plunkett is an Associate in the Corporate Practice Group of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.
Ms. Plunkett has practiced in SGR’s Public Finance group since 2020. Her practice focuses on traditional government finance and economic development, including local government financial incentives and tax reduction bonds (bonds for title). Ms. Plunkett represents domestic and international clients, serving as bond counsel, lender’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, and corporate trustee’s counsel in public finance transactions.
In particular, Ms. Plunkett works with cities, counties, school districts and local authorities on transactions involving the issuance of general obligation bonds, contract revenue bonds, and sales tax-backed bonds. She regularly represents companies that are relocating or expanding to the Southeastern United States, with an emphasis on manufacturing and foreign direct investment in Georgia. Such work often includes helping companies successfully negotiate, receive and implement incentive packages with state and local governments through tax reduction bonds. Ms. Plunkett also regularly represents corporate trustees in initial bond issuances and post-issuance matters.
Ms. Plunkett is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the Local Government Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
A native of Augusta, Georgia, Ms. Plunkett attended the University of Georgia, where she received her A.B.J. in Public Relations from the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication, her B.A. in History from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and her J.D. from the School of Law.
While in law school, Ms. Plunkett competed on the moot court team, winning first place and earning the Best Brief Award at the 2019 Georgia Intrastate Moot Court Competition. She was published in the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law and served on the Journal’s Managing Board as a Notes Editor. Ms. Plunkett also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable J. Randall Hall, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. She spent time in The Hague, Netherlands, as a legal intern for a non-profit organization focused on international law.
National Association of Bond Lawyers