Roger Davis

Roger is particularly known and sought out for his ability to apply that unusually extensive and diverse experience in figuring out how to finance projects or programs when it is not clear whether or how that can be done, how to solve problems as they arise and how to make new programs work. Roger is dedicated to helping bring about projects and programs (whether sponsored by public entities, nonprofit corporations or for-profit enterprises) that provide a public benefit and make people’s lives better.

Roger's recent focus has been on general governmental transactions, including pension obligation bonds, all manner of nonprofit corporations, public private partnerships (P3s), securitizations, energy and water efficiency programs, pool programs, and development of new products or programs. His practice is national with concentrations in California, Hawaii and several Pacific Islands. He was instrumental in the creation of the Public Finance Authority in Wisconsin, which is designed to finance projects anywhere in the United States.

Roger also advises on securities laws and disclosure and drafts legislation (exacted in several states) to facilitate borrowing by public entities for a wide variety of projects and programs.

In addition, Roger has held a number of management positions at Orrick. He was chair of Orrick’s public finance department for decades, during which he presided over the growth of the department from one office in California to 10 offices around the country, which for the last two decades has ranked as number one bond counsel and disclosure counsel, and within the top five underwriters counsel, for bonds issued by state and local governments throughout the United States. 

A dozen or so of Roger’s transactions have been selected as deals of the year by various publications. He himself has been recognized by The American Lawyer as Dealmaker of the Year (twice), as “best”, “super”  or "lawyer of the year" by several other publications, ranked by Acritas as an Acritas Star Lawyer, and was declared the “The Bond King” in a cover article by California Lawyer.