John W. Foster , Partner

Mr. Foster, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, is a 1970 graduate of Davidson College, earning his MA degree from Oxford University (St. Peter's College). He received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1976. Following his law school graduation, he was an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York until 1979, practicing corporate law. Upon returning to Columbia, Mr. Foster was a partner with the McNair Law Firm, as well as a founding principal of Foster, Saad &Company, Ltd.

John Foster spent his career both as a financing lawyer and as a developer designing innovative financing techniques. He was the underwriter's counsel for the first tax increment bond transaction in the state, as well as the primary taxpayer (through the State Museum Building) to support the bonds. When the College of Charleston needed to finance a dormitory, but was hamstrung by its existing bond commitments, John Foster devised a plan for the College to set-up a not-for-profit corporation to issue the bonds, build the dormitory and rent it to the College. When Clemson University decided to build a conference center, John pioneered the use of lease-purchase financing in the State by arranging for the sale of certificates of participation in the lease to the capital markets. When physicians and hospitals in the early 1980's found them selves unable to finance needed medical offices because of high interest rates, John designed a financing plan to issue industrial revenue bonds to finance the facilities and to have the physicians own the buildings in accordance with their proportion of rented space. This successful plan led to the construction of twelve medical office buildings around the state.

1201 Hampton Street
P.O. Box 5764
Columbia, SC 29250

Fax 803-748-7335