Ujaala Rashid-Ferraro is a member of Winstead’s Public Finance practice group, where she has experience working with bond issuers, including special districts, counties, municipalities, and higher education systems. She has also worked as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, trustee’s counsel, and developer’s counsel and has experience at all stages of a wide range of transactions.
Prior to joining Winstead, Ujaala served as an Assistant County Attorney at the Travis County Attorney’s Office, handling various transactional matters, including land use and economic development issues, public improvement districts, and bond issuance and election issues. Before her time at the Travis County Attorney’s Office, Ujaala worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Finance Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office, handling the review of bond transactions for state law compliance.
With a substantial background in public service, Ujaala understands the needs of a variety of debt issuers and the legal requirements necessary for a successful debt issuance.
Representative Experience
- Legal review and assistance in drafting of local public improvement district policies
- Negotiation and drafting of financing agreements and other underlying agreements relevant to public improvement districts
- Drafting of economic development agreements and advising on underlying matters
- Legal review of transcripts for a variety of debt obligations, identification of legal deficiencies in such transcripts, and review and issuance of opinions regarding the legal sufficiency of such debt obligations
- Tracking and monitoring of changes in legislation affecting public finance-related statutes during several legislative sessions
- Review of bond-validation petitions submitted under Chapter 1205 of the Texas Government Code and providing related research and legal advice