Emilie R. Ninan

Emilie R. Ninan is Chair of the firm's Public Finance Department and is a member of Ballard Spahr's Expanded Board. She oversees national strategy and administration for the firm’s Public Finance Department across the country.

Emilie assists clients with obtaining lower-cost capital financing through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds. Emilie serves as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, borrower's counsel, issuer's counsel, or trustee's counsel on a variety of municipal bond financings, including general obligation, revenue, conduit, utility system, health care, affordable housing, manufacturing, and educational facility bond transactions. In such capacity, Emilie has advised nearly every major bond issuer (including all three counties), municipality, hospital, and higher educational facility in the State of Delaware.

In addition to her public finance practice, Emilie represents corporate, banking, government and nonprofit clients in commercial real estate lending matters, contract negotiation, and other finance transactions. She also advises on Uniform Commercial Code matters and delivers formal legal opinions in connection with various business transactions.

Representative Transactions

• Served as bond counsel on P3 Student Housing and Dining Facility Revenue Bonds (CHF-Dover, L.L.C. - Delaware State University Project) Series 2018
• Served as underwriter's counsel in connection with $200,000,000 University of Delaware, Taxable Bonds Series of 2018
• Served as bond counsel in connection with Kent County, Del. revenue bond financing for Kent County Regional Sports Complex
• Served as bond counsel with respect to the issuance of The Delaware Economic Development Authority Revenue Bonds (Odyssey Charter School Project)
• Served as bond counsel with respect to the issuance of Delaware Health Facilities Authority Revenue Bonds, for the benefit of Beebe Healthcare
• Served as bond counsel, borrower, or bank counsel on direct purchase bonds for the benefit of manufacturers, educational institutions, and other nonprofit organizations
• Served as counsel to the issuer on various State Revolving Fund and USDA RUS loans for water/sewer and drinking water projects
• Negotiated global service contracts for a Fortune 500 company

Recognition & Accomplishments

Member of trade mission delegation to India led by former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell

Recipient, SABA Philadelphia Legal Excellence Award for Professional Achievement (2018)

Recipient, Pennsylvania Diversity Council's Leadership Excellence in Law Award, recognizing attorneys in the Greater Philadelphia Area for their leadership, resolve, and outstanding achievements (2014)

Recipient, Hinton J. Lucas, Jr., Torchbearer Award from DuPont, for outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing diversity in the legal profession (2013)

Recipient, NASABA Cornerstone Award (2008) 

Recipient, DSBA Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section Leadership Award (2004)

Profiled by Law360 in "Female Powerbrokers Q&A: Ballard Spahr's Emilie Ninan"

Recognized as an Influential Woman in Business, Delaware Today

Board Memberships

Delaware Board of Bar Examiners

Delaware Leadership Foundation

CCDC Justice Committee

Delaware Commission on Indian Heritage and Culture

Publications

"Federal Tax Reform: Senate Proposal Repeals Advance Refundings but Keeps Private Activity Bonds," Ballard Spahr alert, November 13, 2017

"Federal Tax Reform: House Tax Bill Rewrites Municipal Bond Rules," Ballard Spahr Alert, November 3, 2017

Spectrum, Ballard Spahr's Diversity Newsletter, Summer 2017

Speaking Engagements

Emilie is a frequent speaker and presenter on panels focused on the municipal bond market, professional development, and diversity and inclusion issues in the legal field. Her speaking engagements include:

Moderator, Delaware Leadership Prayer Breakfast, Wilmington, DE, October 18, 2018 

Panelist, "Women Changemakers" and Moderator, "Founders Circle Thoughts on the Future Direction of Indiaspora," Indiaspora Leadership Forum, San Jose, CA, September 7, 2018

Panelist, "Fostering Greater Inclusion in the #MeToo Era," South Asian Bar Association of North America, 15th Annual National Conference, New York, June 29, 2018

Moderator, DRJC Delaware Attorney General Candidates Forum, Wilmington, DE, June 13, 2018

Investiture of the Honorable Sheldon K. Rennie, Wilmington, DE, April 27, 2018

SABA Philadelphia First Annual Gala, Philadelphia, April 13, 2018

Conference Co-Chair and Panel Facilitator, "View from Washington: Tax Reform," The Bond Buyer's Mid-Atlantic Municipal Market Conference, Philadelphia, October 24, 2017

"Managing Partners Discussion: Succeeding in a Law Firm," South Asian Bar Association National Convention, Washington, D.C., July 2017

"Ethics: Bond Counsel Customs and Traditions, How do they Fare in the Changing World of Public Finance," National Association of Bond Lawyers: 40th Bond Attorneys' Workshop, Chicago, September 11, 2015

"Using Tax-Exempt Bond Financing To Fund Capital Projects," The Delaware Economic Development Authority, Access to Capital Symposium, New Castle, DE, April 21, 2015 

Delaware Leaders Program Legal Panel, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Wilmington, DE, March 9, 2015

Keynote Speaker, "Practicing Neology for Personal Success," Delaware Minority Job Fair Networking Breakfast, Wilmington, DE, August 9, 2014

Moderator, "General Counsel Session," DuPont Minority Counsel Conference, Atlanta, June 27, 2014

"Effectively Leveraging Affinity Groups," E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, 13th Annual Conference on Women and the Practice of Law for DuPont, Wilmington, DE, April 10, 2014

"Navigating the Path to Partnership," live interview, BlogTalkRadio, Esquire Coaching, October 23, 2013

Chancellor's Leadership Institute, Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia, April 10, 2013

Keynote speaker, "Owning Your Own Career: Lessons in Navigation," Penn State Brandywine President's Commission on Women, Media, PA, March 21, 2013

SABA-DE 5th Anniversary Event featuring U.S. Attorney for S.D.N.Y. Preet Bharara, Wilmington, DE, October 24, 2012

Professional Activities

National Association of Bond Lawyers

American Bar Association (ABA): Section of Business Law; Former ABA Section of Business Law Ambassador and ABA Law Practice Division Fellow

Delaware State Bar Association (DSBA): Executive Committee (2012-2013); Chair, Commercial Law Section (2008-2010), UCC Subcommittee and Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section

South Asian Bar Association of North America, National President (2012-2013); Chair, National Advisory Committee (2015-2017)

South Asian Bar Association of Delaware, Founding President (2007-2010)

Leadership Delaware

Georgetown University Law Center (J.D. 1995); Member, Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics

Georgetown University School of Business (M.B.A. 1995)

Temple University (B.B.A. 1991, summa cum laude)

Delaware

U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware