Jonathan A. Ballan focuses his practice on municipal and infrastructure finance, public authority finance, stadium finance, economic development, housing finance, project finance, government relations, and privatization and securitization of public assets. Jon has broad experience developing innovative legal structures for numerous state and local bond issuers and investment bankers.
He has served as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, developer’s counsel, and trustee counsel for tax-exempt and taxable transactions in various areas, including economic development, housing, transportation, education, sports facilities, nonprofit, pilot bond, loan securitization, solid waste, water, and wastewater.
Jon was named a Law360 MVP of the Year for Project Finance in 2016. He has also been named one of New York’s leading lawyers in Bonds/Government Finance by New York Super Lawyers for each of the past seven years.
Since the early 1990s, Jon has served in numerous high-level governmental capacities in New York state and New York City, including as chairman of two state entities and over five years as a board member for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This experience provides Jon with a unique perspective on financing governmental projects.
Most recently, Jon was the head of the New York public finance group of an international firm. From 2001 to 2013, Jon led and developed the New York municipal bond practice at another well-known firm. He also has worked as an investment banker in the public finance department of a major investment bank.
Jon earned his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Williams College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa. Jon earned his law degree from George Washington University.
Experience :
- Served as special counsel to the Empire State Development Corporation. Led the legal team that created the New York Liberty Development Corporation (NYLDC) for the primary purpose of issuing New York Liberty Bonds for commercial projects to assist New York City following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
- Led the bond counsel team on New York Liberty Development Corporation’s issuance of $1.9 billion of revenue bonds to finance the construction of the new world headquarters of Goldman Sachs near Ground Zero.
- Served as bond counsel or underwriter’s counsel for state fiscal oversight boards in the City of Buffalo and Nassau County, New York.
- Served as underwriter’s counsel on nearly $1 billion of financings and refinancings of DASNY debt on behalf of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System.
- Served as Special Counsel for the National Development Council, a nationally renowned not-for-profit corporation, in connection with innovative P3 transactions for parking, water, wastewater, and other governmental functions.
- Served as bond counsel, borrower’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel on innovative governmental infrastructure finance transactions for urban redevelopments, libraries, water systems, solid waste facilities, and cultural centers for various cities and counties.
EDUCATION :
- The George Washington University Law School, J.D.
- Williams College, B.A.
BAR ADMISSIONS : New York; New Jersey
AFFILIATIONS :
- National Association of Bond Lawyers, Member
- New York Municipal Forum, Chairman of Audit Committee
Cost
Rate : $$$