Bill Manning was born and raised in Wilmington and has been practicing law here since graduating cum laude and J.D., University of Louisville, Brandeis School of Law in 1976.
He is the Co-Managing Partner of the Wilmington office of Saul Ewing LLP, and is Co-Chair of Saul Ewing's Higher Education Practice Group. Bill's practice is primarily divided between two specialties: 1) corporate and commercial litigation, particularly before the Court of Chancery; and 2) service as lead outside counsel for the University of Delaware. In that role, he has represented the University in several significant matters, including leading the acquisition of the former Chrysler assembly plant, now the University's Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus.

On the personal side, Bill and Martha Manning have been married for 46 years. They have four children and 7 grandchildren. His children each attended public school for some or all of their education. Because our schools need to be better, Bill has been involved in education reform for nearly 30 years. During that time, he has championed school choice and served on two charter school boards as well as the Delaware Charter School Network Board of Directors. He currently serves on the board of the Community Education Building, a foundation which has transformed a downtown office building into a site for urban charter schools. Bill collaborated with the Carper Administration on the 1995 charter school enabling legislation. From 1979 to 1983, Bill served Gov. Pete du Pont, first as legal counsel, then as Chief of Staff. During those years, personal income taxes were reduced dramatically, national banks were attracted to Delaware, constitutional spending and taxing restrictions were enacted and the State budget was brought under control.