Introduction
My focus
I believe it is important to always have the right tools for a project. My toolbox includes federal tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, property assessed clean energy (PACE & C-PACE), state and local tax incentives and tax increment financing (TIF), public-private partnerships (P3), and government loan guarantees (BIA, HUD, USDA) that can be used to fund infrastructure, transportation, affordable housing, community services, health clinics and hospitals, schools, and libraries.
Community Development and Tribal Finance
I represent a wide variety of investors, lenders (including CDEs and Native CDFIs), and project sponsors to bring new capital into underserved communities. A highlight of my work is supporting lenders in projects that finance health clinics and job creation in tribal communities.
Public Finance
I serve as bond counsel, tax counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel, and borrower’s counsel in a wide variety of public finance transactions, including for states, cities, counties, metropolitan districts, business improvement districts, hospital districts, school districts, library districts, community development districts, and urban renewal authorities. These projects fund government facilities and public infrastructure for new developments.
State and Local Tax
I also have a robust state and local tax practice, regularly navigating the complex map of state and local taxes across the country. I help clients obtain state and local tax incentives that support job creation.
Representative experience
- Bond Counsel and Tax Counsel in connection with bond issuances by states, counties, and cities totaling over $3,216,000,000
- Bond Counsel and Tax Counsel in connection with bond issuances for development projects by conduit issuers, special districts, urban renewal authorities, and industrial development authorities totaling over $2,465,000,000
- Counsel in connection with New Markets Tax Credit, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, and Historic Tax Credit transactions totaling over $400,000,000
- Counsel to Native CDFI lenders in connection with BIA-guaranteed, USDA-guaranteed, and HUD-guaranteed tribal loans totaling over $145,000,000
* The representative work listed above reflects experience from prior firms.
Looking ahead
Many nonprofits, as well as local and tribal governments, recognize that their missions cannot be achieved in a vacuum. To meet their desired impact, they need to expand beyond their core missions or establish strategic partnerships to provide wraparound services, including community centers that feature affordable and workforce housing, healthcare and mental healthcare, and access to healthy foods.
/Insights
- Presenter, “Tax-Exempt Bonds for 501(c)(3) Attorneys,” American Bar Association Tax Section - 2025 Mid Year Tax Meeting, February 20, 2025
- Panelist, “Financing Your Dream Shelter, Housing and Community Facility,” National Women's Shelter Network 2025 Annual Conference, January 29, 2025
- Presenter, “Tax Credit Finance – What Every Bond Lawyer Needs to Know About NMTCs and More,” The Workshop 2024—National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL), September 18, 2024
- Presenter, “Finding the Money – Strategic Financing by Layering Public and Private Resources and Weaving in GGRF Resources,” National Tribal Housing Ecosystem, August 28, 2024
- Presenter, “Arbitrage & Rebate: Real World Examples,” National Association of Bond Lawyers, April 12, 2024
- Presenter, “Leases & Non-Traditional Financings,” National Association of Bond Lawyers, April 11, 2024
- Presenter, “Arbitrage & Rebate (Basics),” National Association of Bond Lawyers, April 11, 2024
- Presenter, “Hot to Form a Legal 501(c)(3),” Harvard Innovation Labs, March 26, 2024
- Presenter, “Unrelated Trade or Business Activities of 50(c)(3) Borrowers,” American Bar Association, January 19, 2024
- Presenter, “Financing Nonprofit Organizations,” Colorado Bar Association 32nd Annual Institute on Advising Nonprofit Organizations in Colorado, November 10, 2023
- Presenter, “Completing the Capital Stack in a Challenging Era Using Tax Credits,” Colorado Bar Association, February 8, 2023
- Presenter, “New Markets Tax Credit Workshop for Capital Projects in the Tampa Area,” April 13, 2022
- Presenter, “Rebuilding Community Through Tax Policy,” Tax Forward Conference, November 6, 2020
- Editor, “Fundamentals of Municipal Bond Law,” National Association of Bond Lawyers, 2020–2024
In the news
Nixon Peabody hires two partners in their Washingon, DC office
The following article features the NP arrivals of Washington, DC Community Development Finance partners Fred Miller and Andrew Rubin.May 7, 2024- Law360
Beltway moves
The following article features the NP arrivals of Washington, DC Community Development Finance partners Fred Miller and Andrew Rubin.May 3, 2024
Admitted to practice
Arizona
Colorado
District of Columbia
Montana
U.S. District Court, District of Montana
North Dakota
Utah
Wyoming
U.S. Tax Court
Education
University of Denver–Sturm College of Law, LL.M., Natural Resources Law
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, LL.M., Taxation
Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., Member, University Judicial Board and University Appeals Board
Arizona State University, B.A., Religious Studies
Arizona State University, B.S., Member, University Hearing Board, President, Alpha Epsilon Pi, President and Teaching Scholar, Hillel
Professional activities
- Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law—Exempt Organizations, Fundamentals of Taxation
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, Exempt Organizations and Tax-Exempt Finance Subcommittees
- Colorado Bar Association, Tax Section
- Tax Council Secretary 2023–2024
- Colorado Enterprise Fund, Board of Directors 2018–Present
- Vice Chair/Secretary, 2022–2024
- Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region, Board of Directors 2016–Present
- Summer Associate Research Program, Co-Chair 2017–2018, 2023–2024
Recognition
- Selected, through a peer-review survey, for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 in the field of Tax Law
- Best Lawyers, "Ones to Watch," 2021–2024
- Tax Law, 2021–2024
- Nonprofit/Charities Law, 2024
- Public Finance Law, 2024
- The Legal 500 United States, "Recommended Lawyer," 2022
- Native American Law
- Super Lawyers Magazine, Colorado Super Lawyers "Rising Stars," 2018–2019, 2021–2023
Insights And Happenings
View AllProfessionals in the Practice Area
View AllMatthew W. Mullen
Partner / Community Development Finance Practice Group Leader- Washington DC
- Office:+1 202.585.8128
- mmullen@nixonpeabody.com
-
Sonia A. Nayak
Partner / Office Managing Partner, Los Angeles- Los Angeles
- Office:+1 213.629.6072
- snayak@nixonpeabody.com
-
Michael J. Goldman
Partner / Chair, Project Finance, Infrastructure & Real Estate Department- Washington DC
- Office:+1 202.585.8289Mobile:+1 202.716.4798
- mjgoldman@nixonpeabody.com
-