Ron is a governmental finance lawyer, with a practice as bond counsel, lenders’ counsel and securities law disclosure counsel. Ron also represents governmental clients and private lenders in governmental contract procurements through alternate delivery methods and through public-private partnerships (P3). Ron works with clients to identify financing and contract issues, develops clear pathways towards resolving these issues, and leads clients through a process of identifying alternate solutions to barriers to achieving the client’s objectives.

Ron practices as a public finance attorney and in the related area of procurement and negotiation of infrastructure and service contracts through alternate delivery methods and public private partnerships. He has been practicing at Hawkins for over 35 years. 

Ron’s finance practice focuses primarily on governmental projects such as waste disposal, sewer and water facilities, transportation infrastructure and energy and cogeneration facilities.  A number of clients are governmental entities that provide conduit financing and other assistance for projects such as manufacturing facilities, health care facilities, colleges and assisted living facilities for not-for-profit organizations.

Ron has been bond counsel and underwriters’ counsel on waste-to-energy, landfill and recycling projects, energy cogeneration projects, district heating and cooling projects, drinking water projects and wastewater projects throughout the country. He has been bond counsel and underwriters’ counsel on over 15 waste-to-energy projects and additional energy generation, district heating and cooling, and transportation projects completed as public-private partnerships.  In 2016, Ron was lead underwriters’ and lenders’ counsel on the innovative LaGuardia Airport Terminal B Redevelopment Project, a multi-billion dollar P3 project funded with tax-exempt and taxable bonds, private equity and Port Authority funds.

Ron acts as P3 counsel to governmental entities for procurement of infrastructure and private services, most recently as lead outside counsel to the New York City Department of Sanitation for procurement and negotiation of six multi-billion dollar waste containerization, transport and disposal contracts and implementation of the City’s multi-year solid waste management plan.

In addition to acting as counsel to numerous county, city, and town clients as well as various state and local public authorities and instrumentalities, Ron has represented state clients, including California in connection with energy acquisitions during the State’s energy crisis, New York in connection with the development of the State’s clean water and drinking water revolving loan fund programs, and Nevada as the State’s disclosure counsel.

Professional Memberships

  • National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • New York State Bar Association