Murphy enjoys the challenges of public finance work

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Jennifer Pflug Murphy does not play chess. She doesn’t have to — she’s a public-finance lawyer.

Murphy thrives on the long-term strategies, the give-and-take and the complicated, ever-changing laws that are a part of every deal in which she participates.

In her field especially, she said, law is “a practice” — a fascinating learning experience that advances the client’s interests, while preparing her for the next high-stakes, complex deal that will come along.

In sum, her work is more challenging than chess — but unlike chess, everyone wins when the deal closes.

Murphy, of Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP in Milwaukee, started her transactional practice in the mid-‘90s, when the Midwest Express Center, known now as the Frontier Airlines Center in downtown Milwaukee, was under construction.

As the firm and her experience level have grown, Murphy has refined her practice almost exclusively to finance. She also has expanded the geography of her practice, having now done deals in Illinois, New York, Tennessee, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Murphy has developed, and values deeply, she said, the long-term relationships with clients such as the State of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

During the past two years, she has played central roles in more than $3.6 billion of bond deals. Among them, Murphy served as lead underwriter’s counsel on a $1.52 billion general fund annual appropriation bond transaction with the State of Wisconsin. It’s believed to be the largest transaction ever completed with a minority-owned law firm serving as sole underwriter — and Murphy and others on the team completed it in just three months’ time.

A former colleague, DeVona Wright Cottrell, said Murphy mentored her during Cottrell’s time at Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan.

“Jennifer brings the combination of passion for her practice area and compassion for her clients,” Cottrell said. “She mentored me not only in the transactional practice, but also on how to balance work and family.”

Murphy is married to attorney Mark Murphy, a general practitioner in Wauwatosa. They have three sons, ages 11, 8 and 5.

Working with other women over the years has been a pleasure, Murphy said.

“Finance is a heavily male area. From the beginning, I’ve been at plenty of closings where I’m the only female,” she said.

“So it’s been great to see more and more women get involved in the finance field over the years.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-fD9k1yIBE