Thomas Jay Ellis

Special Counsel

  • Thomas Jay Ellis
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1265

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

Thomas Jay Ellis serves as Special Counsel to Duane Morris LLP in its Corporate Practice Group, concentrating in municipal finance. He also is Managing Director of Pennsylvania Government Affairs for DMGS in its Philadelphia office. Mr. Ellis is experienced in a wide variety of tax-exempt and taxable financings, primarily with Pennsylvania local government and authority issuers, as well as colleges and universities. He has participated in the drafting of legislation in Pennsylvania relating to municipal finance, including the law permitting municipalities to issue pension bond obligations to fund accrued unfunded liabilities.

Mr. Ellis has served as a Cheltenham Township Commissioner, Chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and Montgomery County Treasurer. He served on the board of Independence Blue Cross and was the Governor's representative to the SEPTA Board from 2010 until February 2015, having been Montgomery County's representative for ten years prior to that. Mr. Ellis was reappointed to the SEPTA Board in February 2021 as representative of the Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader. Mr. Ellis also served on Governor Corbett's transition teams for both transportation and state. He serves on Pennsylvania State Treasurer Garrity's transition team as well. Mr. Ellis also served on the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers ("PABL") and continues to be an active member of PABL. He served as Pennsylvania Counsel to the Delaware River Port Authority, and currently serves on the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission. 

Mr. Ellis is a 1985 cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, where he served as editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif, and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Areas of Practice

  • Public/Municipal Finance
  • Government Relations

Representative Matters

  • Counsel to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for their EB5 finance program.

  • Served as counsel to the concessionaire in the historic Pennsylvania Rapid Bridge Replacement Public-Private Partnership, which entails nearly $1 billion in financing, the rebuilding of almost 600 structurally deficient, non-tolled bridges throughout the Commonwealth, and the operation and maintenance of those bridges for 25 years over the course of repayment.

  • Appointed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be co-underwriters' counsel for $3 billion in Pennsylvania unemployment compensation bonds.

  • Launching a closed-ended U.S.-based fund for an emerging manager to acquire majority interests in companies across the globe that specialize in alternative energy, including wind and solar.

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania

Education

  • University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1985
    - Order of the Coif
    - Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
  • University of Pennsylvania, B.A., summa cum laude, 1982

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Special Counsel, 2009-present
  • Ballard Spahr LLP
    - Partner, 1994-2009
    - Associate, 1985-1993

Professional Activities

  • Legal and Regulatory Affairs Committee
    - "Transition Team" for PA State Treasurer Stacey Garrity
  • National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers
    - Board of Directors, 1990-1994

Board Memberships

  • Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), 2001-2015; 2021-
  • Independence Blue Cross, 2007-2011
  • Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, 2015-

Civic and Charitable Activities

  • Member of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett's Transition Team (Transportation, Department of State), 2010
  • Montgomery County Treasurer
    March 2010-January 2012 (Appointed to fill vacancy by Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell and unanimously confirmed by Pennsylvania Senate)
  • Candidate for Pennsylvania State Treasurer
    - Republican Candidate, 2008
  • Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
    - Chairman, 2006-2008
    - Vice Chairman, 2004-2005
  • Township of Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
    - Commissioner, 1990-2002
  • Elkins Park Free Library
    - Board of Directors, 1989-2001
  • Moss Rehabilitation Hospital
    - Board of Directors, 1988-1993
  • Elkins Park Fire Company
    - Board of Directors, 1992-2017
  • Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
    - Local Legislative Committee, 1988-1992
  • Cheltenham Township
    - Auxiliary Police, 1977-1984
  • Old York Road Little League/Cheltenham JayVees
    - Coach, 1996-2000