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Meet Our Professionals

Ray E. Jones

Partner
Columbia Office Development Partner
Columbia | 803.253.8917
Fax | 803.255.8017

Ray Jones provides advice and counsel to a broad spectrum of clients in matters relating to public finance, local taxation, financing of affordable housing, and economic development. His clients include hospitals, cities, counties, school districts, investment banks, financial institutions, public housing authorities, and large to midsize corporations. Ray is also a leader within Parker Poe, serving as the firm’s Columbia Office Development Partner.

Across the board, clients rely on Ray to close complex deals. He has worked on billions of dollars’ worth of bond transactions and economic development transactions across the Southeast. He brings an analytical, collaborative approach to each one, helping clients understand the steps and working together with them and other counsel to get the deal across the finish line.

Representative Experience

  • Assisted local governments and hospitals in the financing of capital improvements and structuring bond transactions.
  • Represented investment banks and other financial institutions in conjunction with the underwriting of publicly sold tax-exempt securities, including the securities law aspects of those transactions.
  • Counseled banks in connection with the purchase of tax-exempt, bank-qualified securities from local governmental issuers.
  • Advised governments on how to structure incentive packages to lure new business and industry to their communities, and counseled corporations with respect to these matters.

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Honors & Awards

  • Columbia Business Monthly’s 50 Most Influential People, 2022, 2023; "Legal Elite" in Banking & Finance Law, 2018-2020, Government Finance, 2020-2023; Top Attorney in Banking & Finance Law, 2017
  • The Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" in Columbia for Economic Development Law, 2022, 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America in Public Finance Law, 2010-2025; Economic Development Law, 2011-2025
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ in Public Finance; Economic Development; Government; Business Law; Hotel and Resort Development

Memberships

  • First Community Bank of South Carolina, Board of Directors, 2020-present
  • South Carolina Baptist Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2020-present; Chair, 2023-2024; Vice Chair, 2022-2023
  • Saluda Shoals Foundation, Board of Directors, 2013-2020, Chair, 2017
  • March of Dimes, Board of Directors, South Carolina Chapter, 2005-2010; Chair, 2007-2008
  • South Carolina Economic Developers' Association, Board of Directors, 2011-2013