Mark O. Norell, a veteran tax-exempt bond lawyer, has been named a partner in Ballard Spahr’s public finance department in New York, Chair Mark Stewart announced Wednesday.
Norell is a well-known member of the tax-exempt bond financing bar with over 20 years of experience in handling transactions for government, nonprofit, and private-sector clients. Most recently, he was senior counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright in New York.
“Mark is a thoughtful, experienced tax lawyer who fits in well with our practice, and is at the forefront of cutting-edge issues in tax-exempt financing,” said Emilie Ninan, chair of the firm's public finance department. “He brings a wealth of experience and shares our commitment to client service and supporting our clients' strategic business objectives.”
Over his career, Norell has represented issuers, borrowers, nonprofits, and other clients. He has handled the tax aspects of financings for general-purpose governmental issuers, municipal utility systems, health care systems, educational institutions, transportation centers, manufacturing facilities, and other public infrastructure projects. He also has experience with quasi-governmental organizations governed by Section 115 of the Internal Revenue Code as well as various 501(c) and other nonprofit entities.
“Mark has a national reputation for skillful handling of exceptionally technical and complex tax matters,” Stewart said. "Our public finance department prides itself on offering a sophisticated level of service to our clients and Mark's background and depth of knowledge will be an immediate benefit.”
Norell joins a national public finance department that has participated in the issuance of over $1 trillion of tax-exempt obligations in the U.S.
“We have been waiting for the right opportunity to enhance our New York market presence with a public finance practice, and Mark's arrival comes at the perfect time,” said Denise Plunkett, co-managing partner of the firm’s New York office. “Mark has deep knowledge of the industry, and the relationships he has cultivated will present new opportunities for us and our clients.”
Norell serves as vice chair on the American Bar Association’s committee on tax-exempt financing and is a frequent lecturer on the taxation of municipal bonds. He has served as the lead draftsperson on National Association of Bond Lawyers and ABA Comment Letter projects and was editor-in-chief of NABL's Federal Taxation of Municipal Bonds.
“Ballard Spahr has one of the premiere public finance departments in the country and I am eager to continue building the practice in New York,” Norell said. “My philosophy always has been to balance aggressive analysis with a solid legal foundation in order to better advise clients, and I'm thrilled to join a firm with such a keen focus on client service and fostering a collaborative culture.”
Ballard Spahr has more than 650 lawyers in 15 offices across the United States and provides services in public finance, litigation, business and finance, real estate and intellectual property.
