Jill K. Sweeney

Jill Sweeney is a partner in the Public Finance Group and serves as the New Mexico office lead. She focuses her practice on governmental legal issues, particularly in government finance law, securities law, economic development, state tax incentive law, and government relations. Jill regularly represents issuers and underwriters in connection with the issuance of government securities.

Before entering private practice, Jill served as a legislative analyst for the Legislative Finance Committee, where she worked with various state agencies. She also served as general counsel to the Department of Finance and Administration, advising on personnel, procurement, contract, and state constitutional law. In this role, she addressed a broad range of government issues, including matters related to the Procurement Code, the Joint Powers Act, the Open Meetings Act, the Public Records Act, government charter matters, election issues, the anti-donation clause of the New Mexico state constitution, and other state constitutional concerns.

Jill has been recognized as the Lawyer of the Year in Public Finance Law – Albuquerque by Best Lawyers in America in 2015, 2019, and 2020. She is also ranked Band 1 in Chambers USA. Jill earned her Bachelor of Business Administration, cum laude, from the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico in 1986 and her Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University in 1992, where she served as the executive editor of the Wake Forest Law Review.

She is a member of the State Bar of New Mexico, the American Bar Association, and the National Association of Bond Lawyers. She is also actively involved in the Enchantment Land Certified Development Corporation, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Women in Public Finance, and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts. Jill frequently presents to business groups and the state bar on topics including economic development, bond issues, disclosure and tax matters, procurement and lease purchase issues, public improvement districts, tax increment districts, and legal finance issues related to land use planning. She also regularly assists with legislative drafting and the creation of legislative solutions to public finance policy issues.

• Served as bond counsel in multiple bond issuances, including the issuance of general obligation bonds, severance tax bonds, supplemental severance tax bonds and severance tax notes representing more than $1.3 billion.
• Served as disclosure counsel in multiple bond issuances, including the issuance of general obligation bonds, severance tax bonds and supplemental severance tax bonds representing more than $1.4 billion.
• Served as bond counsel in multiple bond issues, including the issuance of senior and subordinate lien public project revolving fund revenue bonds representing more than $1.0 billion.
• Served as disclosure counsel in multiple bond issuances, including the issuance of senior and subordinate lien public project revolving fund revenue bonds representing more than $2.0 billion and $1.5 billion in transportation bonds.
• Participated in the issuance of approximately $550 million in state transportation revenue and refunding revenue bonds, and associated letters of credit.