Attorney
Aubrey's Bio
Aubrey Searcy is an attorney licensed to practice in Ohio and focuses his practice on representing nonprofit organizations as outside general counsel. He advises tax‑exempt entities on a wide range of general corporate matters, governance issues, and regulatory compliance. Aubrey also counsels clients on federal tax matters essential to maintaining tax‑exempt status, including navigating federal and state reporting requirements and operational rules applicable to 501(c)(3) and other exempt organizations.
Before joining Tovella Dowling, Aubrey practiced at a large national law firm in its nationally recognized, “Red Book” listed public finance practice group. In that role, he served as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, and borrower’s counsel in a broad array of tax‑exempt financings for state and local governmental entities as well as nonprofit organizations, such as nonprofit colleges and universities, large nonprofit health systems, and nonprofit senior living providers. Aubrey has worked on transactions ranging from simple, low principal amount equipment financings to complex multi-state health system financings exceeding $1 billion in principal amount.
Aubrey earned dual degrees in Economics and French from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He went on to attend Capital University Law School also in Columbus, where he graduated summa cum laude with his Juris Doctor.
Deeply committed to advancing diversity within the legal profession, Aubrey serves on the board of the John Mercer Langston Bar Association, the local African‑American bar association in central Ohio. He regularly mentors and supports diverse law students throughout Columbus, providing guidance on academic success, on‑campus interviewing, and securing summer and post‑graduate employment.
Outside of the office, Aubrey enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and staying active. He is an avid runner and an aspiring triathlete and always has several of races on his calendar.
Ohio
My greatest purpose in wanting to become an attorney, and now in being an attorney, is to help people. More specifically, my drive has always been to take the daunting complexities of the law and reduce them to an understandable and accessible format. As the son of a small business owner, I saw first-hand the challenges that people face in running a business when they have limited resources and access to legal counsel.
In college, I witnessed further the very real implications that the law has on individuals’ everyday lives while working as a constituent aide in the Ohio House of Representatives. Hearing stories from constituents how certain legislation would make it impossible for them to run their business or negatively affect their quality of life and then observing the legislation being discussed and drafted in real time and how confusing it was to me at the time as a non-attorney, I realized that I wanted to be both an advocate and an educator who could help democratize the law for people.
Now as a practicing attorney, having worked previously as a public finance attorney helping state and local government clients and nonprofit clients access the tax-exempt bond market and now working more specifically with tax exempt nonprofit organizations, my purpose remains the same: to be a zealous advocate and produce excellent work, while making the law understandable and navigable for my clients.
Working for Tovella Dowling, I am excited to bring that same commitment to the clients we serve. Our firm’s mission aligns deeply with my own: empowering nonprofit organizations and mission driven entities by helping them navigate complex legal and regulatory landscapes with confidence. I am motivated each day by the opportunity to translate intricate rules into practical guidance, allowing clients to focus on what matters most - advancing their mission and serving their communities.