Law Clerk to The Hon. Craig S. Atkins, U. S. Tax Court, 1969-72.

Staff Assistant, The Hon. Garner E. Shriver, U.S. House of Representatives, 1965-68.

Mr. Barrier’s practice is focused on Federal and State financial institution transactions and regulatory matters and on corporate transactions and financings involving governmental approvals, tax or other regulatory complexities. He has been responsible for planning, negotiating and managing several of the largest transactions handled by the Firm, including the formation, merger, demutualization and sale of insurance companies, banks and bank holding companies, the original financing for and ultimate sale of Kansas City’s cable television system, and the acquisition and sale of major independent television broadcasting systems.

Mr. Barrier's extensive administrative law and regulatory litigation background add to his expertise in addressing current financial institution governance and regulatory concerns, and he regularly represents clients before state banking and insurance departments, the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency, the FDIC and the Office of Thrift Supervision on transactional approvals and compliance issues.

Mr. Barrier has also led the Firm’s public finance engagements since the mid-80’s.  As nationally recognized bond counsel, he has served as issuer’s, borrower’s, underwriter’s, credit enhancers’ and independent bond counsel in financings ranging in complexity from straight municipal/school district issues to credit enhanced low-floaters.  Throughout the early 90’s, he served as counsel to the RTC in its efforts to resolve hundreds of millions of dollars worth of credit enhanced tax exempt bonds issued in 11 Midwestern states.  During 1993-1995, he served as bond counsel to the City of Kansas City, Missouri.  Thereafter, he served as financial counsel to the Kansas - Missouri Bi-State Commission in connection with the public financing aspects of the renovation of Kansas City’s historic Union Station.