Katherine McKinney focuses her practice in public finance and concentrates on representing issuers and underwriters in revenue bond issues, general obligation bond issues, and special assessment district bonds. In her municipal finance practice, she drafts all requisite bond documentation for issuers including municipalities, counties, universities, and school districts throughout the debt issuance process and advises clients regarding federal tax and securities law issues and state law requirements. She regularly works with branch community college districts, special districts, and school districts regarding election issues. Katherine began her career at Modrall Sperling in 1995. Five years later, she took an extended sabbatical to raise her family and returned to the firm in 2011. She served as Of Counsel for Modrall Sperling for several years prior to becoming a shareholder.
Katherine has been recognized by Chambers USA as a leading individual in New Mexico in the Corporate/Commercial practice area, and by Best Lawyers in America® in Public Finance Law.
Katherine received her undergraduate degree in finance summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She received her law degree cum laude from Arizona State University in 1995. During law school, she served as a Casenote and Comment Editor for the Arizona State University Law Journal.
Katherine serves on the Advisory Board for the Mountain Region Chapter of Women in Public Finance. She is also a member of National Association of Bond Lawyers and the State Bar of New Mexico. Katherine currently serves as Chair of Modrall Sperling’s Public Finance Group.
Education
Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Conner College of Law, J.D., 1995, cum laude, Casenote and Comment Editor, Arizona State Law Journal
University of New Mexico, B.B.A. in Finance, 1992, summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
New Mexico
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- State Bar of New Mexico
- Mountain Region Chapter Women in Public Finance, Advisory Board
- Chambers USA Directories of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in Corporate/Commercial, 2019-present
- Best Lawyers in America® in Public Finance Law, 2025