Boston, MA. With a surge in real estate transactions giving way to increased client needs, Nixon Peabody is expanding its national Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice with the addition of Karla Chaffee in Boston as counsel.
“Karla represents a range of real estate practice areas that are growing, not only from a national practice perspective, but also regionally,” said Denise Pursley, leader of Nixon Peabody’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. “She brings experience that will strengthen our practice in various ways, with the collective goal of helping our clients move their businesses forward and make an impact in their communities.”
Karla Chaffee
Karla provides guidance to clients seeking zoning approvals and other development entitlements. Her practice includes due diligence work for real estate transactions prior to acquisition and financing. Karla assesses the environmental risk of properties and determines what mitigation measures are needed to help clients avoid potential liability. She works with sellers, buyers, and lenders to ensure a successful transaction, providing guidance on local land use approvals, counseling on the impact of proposed or recently enacted land use legislation, and advising on land use trends across the country.
Karla’s land use litigation practice includes handling complex federal litigation involving the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), First Amendment, and Equal Protection Clause. She also handles environmental litigation, defending claims brought under state and federal law, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
Karla earned her JD, summa cum laude, from Vermont Law School and her BS, summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts.
