Barnes & Thornburg LLP has significantly expanded its public finance and infrastructure capabilities by integrating 35 attorneys from Ballard Spahr LLP into its Government Services and Finance Department. This strategic move not only enhances the firm’s expertise but also establishes new offices in Baltimore, Denver, and Phoenix, broadening its national footprint.
The incoming group comprises 25 partners and 10 associates, effectively more than doubling Barnes & Thornburg’s existing public finance team from 21 to 56 lawyers. This expansion positions the firm among the top 10 public finance practices nationwide, enabling it to offer comprehensive services to both private and public sector clients on complex financing and infrastructure projects. The new team members are distributed across 10 offices, including the newly established locations, as well as existing offices in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Morristown, N.J., New York, Los Angeles, and Wilmington, Del.
Richard J. Hall, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Government Services and Finance Department, emphasized the transformative nature of this addition, stating, “Our newly expanded bench positions Barnes & Thornburg in the nation’s top 10 practices for public finance and deepens the services and value we can provide to clients across the finance and regulatory landscape.” ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bt-adds-national-top-tier-35-lawyer-public-finance-and-infrastructure-teams-opens-three-new-offices-302692234.html?utm_source=openai))
The group brings a wealth of experience, having been regularly ranked by The Bond Buyer in the top 10 nationally by dollar volume of bond issuances as bond and underwriter counsel. Their expertise spans various sectors, including state and local government, underwriting and banking, healthcare, education, renewable energy, housing, and infrastructure. Notably, they have been recognized for their work on large and complex alternative project delivery, including public-private partnership (P3) infrastructure projects. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bt-adds-national-top-tier-35-lawyer-public-finance-and-infrastructure-teams-opens-three-new-offices-302692234.html?utm_source=openai))
Among the notable partners joining Barnes & Thornburg are Valarie Allen in Philadelphia, Jeffrey Ballard in Washington, D.C., Michele Bax in Phoenix, David Fernandez in New York, Garland Gantt in Washington, D.C., Teri Guarnaccia in Baltimore, Charles Henck in Washington, D.C., Holly Horsley in Philadelphia, Benjamin Johnson in Minneapolis, Anastasia Khokhryakova in Denver, Stephanie Kim in Washington, D.C., Peter Lam in New York, Kimberly Magrini in Philadelphia, Skye Nickalls in Philadelphia, Emilie Ninan in Wilmington, Del., Daniel Nunez in Washington, D.C., Steve Park in Philadelphia, William Rhodes in Philadelphia, Silvia Shin in Wilmington, Del., John Smolen in Baltimore, Andy Spicknall in Washington, D.C., Jere Thompson in Philadelphia, Randall Towers in Philadelphia, Charles Treece in Washington, D.C., and John Wheatley in Washington, D.C. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bt-adds-national-top-tier-35-lawyer-public-finance-and-infrastructure-teams-opens-three-new-offices-302692234.html?utm_source=openai))
Valarie Allen expressed enthusiasm about the move, stating, “We are excited to launch Barnes & Thornburg offices in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix, and to join this growing and dynamic firm of collaborators. Barnes & Thornburg shares the same commitment to excellence and client service that we developed at Ballard Spahr, and we look forward to working with our new colleagues.” ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bt-adds-national-top-tier-35-lawyer-public-finance-and-infrastructure-teams-opens-three-new-offices-302692234.html?utm_source=openai))
This expansion is part of Barnes & Thornburg’s broader growth strategy. Since 2020, the firm has added over 200 lawyers and established a presence in Boston, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, and Morristown, N.J. With approximately 850 lawyers across 26 U.S. offices, the firm continues to enhance its capabilities to serve clients nationwide. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bt-adds-national-top-tier-35-lawyer-public-finance-and-infrastructure-teams-opens-three-new-offices-302692234.html?utm_source=openai))
Ballard Spahr, founded in 1885 and headquartered in Philadelphia, is a national law firm with more than 700 attorneys across 18 offices. The firm focuses on litigation, securities and regulatory enforcement, business and finance, intellectual property, public finance, and real estate matters. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_Spahr?utm_source=openai))
The departure of this substantial group from Ballard Spahr marks one of the largest lateral moves in recent history, reflecting the dynamic nature of the legal industry and the strategic realignments firms are undertaking to bolster their market positions. ([news.bloomberglaw.com](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/barnes-thornburg-scoops-35-lawyer-ballard-public-finance-group?utm_source=openai))