Veteran public finance attorney joins Akerman

Veteran public finance attorney Jonathan Ballan joined Akerman as chair of its New York Public Finance Practice, the firm announced Monday.

The addition is part of a push to expand Akerman's presence in the city, Ballan told The Bond Buyer. The firm's public finance profile is currently largest in Florida, but its leaders are "very ambitious to grow" in New York, he said.

At his previous firms, Ballan has worked on numerous high-profile projects in the city, including the refinancing of Yankee Stadium, a multi-billion-dollar overhaul of a LaGuardia airport terminal, the Goldman Sachs (GS) headquarters, MTA facilities, and the Brooklyn Nets' Barclays Center.

Ballan worked at McKenna, Long & Aldridge until its merger with Dentons in 2015. He then moved to Cozen O'Connor in 2018, before moving to Harris Beach PLLC in 2023, which merged with Murtha Cullina earlier this year.

"Nothing negative against my prior firm, I really have to stress that, because sometimes people are looking for tension and friction, and there is none," he said.

Ballan said he has known Akerman lawyers for a long time and respected the growth of their firm. His hiring is "a very exciting opportunity to ? after all these years of working ? hook up with old friends," said Ballan, who was on the board of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority until 2016.

Akerman's Corporate Practice Group Co-Chair Jonathan Awner said Ballan's "substantial experience in municipal and infrastructure finance deepens the bench of our already impressive New York office and growing presence in public finance."

"Jon's ability to navigate complex financial transactions will be invaluable to our clients as they pursue ambitious projects and growth opportunities," Awner said in a press release.