Introduction
Herb Stevens is a retired community development attorney and one of the nation’s foremost authorities on financing community-based projects by leveraging public programs, including tax credits, with private capital development. His previous clients included large capital markets investors, local governments and for-profit and nonprofit developers of important projects.
In his previous role as Chief Innovation Officer, he helped attorneys at Nixon Peabody develop new, more responsive legal services.
My focus
Ground-breaking projects
I have created new financing platforms for ground-breaking projects throughout the country in the areas of community development, historic preservation, renewable energy, affordable housing and sustainability. For example, when two important federal subsidy programs, the low-income housing tax credit and the new markets tax credit, were in their “startup” phases, I helped businesses and attorneys create the financial structures financing channels to deliver the federal benefits to local communities.
New Markets
Some of my favorite projects have been working to bring new investment and new life into underserved communities. Larger projects can serve as an anchor to revitalize an entire neighborhood, such as turning a beautiful but long-vacant armory into a vibrant theater; restaurants and night life soon follow. Less glamorous but perhaps more important are projects that bring jobs, such as manufacturing, retail and charter schools.
Solar and Sustainable Energy
I’ve worked on a wide variety of renewable energy projects, from nationwide residential and commercial solar to the first state-sponsored fund that put solar on homes for low and moderate income families. Now that I have retired my legal practice, as cofounder and president of New Partners Solar, I focus my efforts on creating new opportunities for affordable housing residents to participate in the benefits of solar energy using community solar laws.
Looking ahead
How will companies and investors work with multiple government and nonprofit organizations to build new resources in local communities? The answers to that question will be the big success stories in the future for real estate development. All parties now know they need each other to accomplish this. We will keep finding unique ways for the government programs and the private sector to share in the mission to bring new energy to underserved areas.
In the news
- Washington Business Journal
There's a segment of the local tech industry ‘primed to grow rapidly.’ But we're leaving money on the table.
This article on clean technology in the Washington, DC region details New Partners Community Solar’s roots within our firm, as well as the organization’s mission, and quotes New Partners CEO Herb Stevens and President Jeff Lesk, both senior counsel with the Community Development Finance group in DC.April 15, 2021 - Washington Lawyer
Solar Power Access: A Matter of Justice
This in-depth profile of New Partners Community Solar features Nixon Peabody’s role in the project and quotes Washington, DC, Community Development Finance senior counsel Jeff Lesk and senior counsel Herb Stevens.March 1, 2020 - National Housing and Rehabilitation Association
Introducing the resiliency center
This story mentions New Partners Community Solar, the nonprofit founded in 2017 by senior counsel Herb Stevens and Community Development Finance partner Jeff Lesk, both of Washington, DC. New Partners played a crucial role in the development of the city’s first affordable housing resiliency center—a suite of rooms available to all residents that provides an emergency power supply for residents to use during disasters or outages.July 20, 2019 - Solar Power World
IREC announces 2018 3iAward recipients at Intersolar
Washington DC partner Jeff Lesk and senior counsel Herb Stevens, both of the Community Development Finance Group, are mentioned in this story after NPSolar was named Community/Shared Renewables Project of the Year by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.July 11, 2018 - Washington Post
How a DC law firm installed solar panels to help low-income people save on utilities
Nixon Peabody’s pro bono solar panel project is featured in this article. Washington DC tax credit finance and syndication partner Jeff Lesk and senior counsel Herb Stevens are quoted throughout this feature which highlights how this first-of-its-kind project benefits low-income residents in the DC community.May 11, 2018 - ABA Journal
Nixon Peabody seeks to benefit the poor with its solar panels
Washington DC partner Jeff Lesk and senior counsel Herb Stevens are mentioned in this article about the NP Solar program, which uses solar panels placed atop DC-area buildings to produce electricity and cost savings for low-income residents.May 11, 2018 - Energy & Environmental News
DC law firm uses its own panels to cut others' power bills
Nixon Peabody’s pro bono solar panel project is featured in this trade publication for energy and environment professionals. Washington, DC tax credit finance and syndication senior counsel Herb Stevens is quoted and partner Jeff Lesk is mentioned.May 11, 2018 - Sol Systems
Sol Systems monetizes SRECs for first Community solar project in DC
This article is about a partnership between Sol Systems and New Partners Community Solar Corp., a nonprofit founded by Washington DC tax credit finance and syndication partners Jeff Lesk and Herb Stevens, to monetize solar renewable energy credits from the community solar project in DC.Sep 22, 2017 - The National Law Journal
Nixon Peabody brings back the sun in DC
This article features the Washington, DC office’s solar program and mentions partners Jeff Lesk and Herb Stevens, who manage grants for the firm’s nonprofit New Partners Community Solar Corp.Aug 27, 2017 - Earthtalk
Washington DC clean energy plan leads the way
Chief Innovation Officer Herb Stevens is quoted in this story discussing how the firm helped implement the community solar project as part of the Clean Energy DC plan, which aims to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and energy use in half by 2032.March 20, 2017 - NBC4 Washington
DC mayor proposing green bank to fund clean energy projects
Washington DC office managing partner Jeff Lesk and chief innovation officer Herb Stevens were interviewed in this broadcast news segment about a green bank that could be created to help finance environmentally friendly projects similar to the solar panels installed on our DC office building.March 15, 2017 - Tax Credit Advisor
Up on Nixon Peabodys roof
Washington, DC office managing partner Jeff Lesk and chief innovation officer Herb Stevens are featured in this article about the Washington, DC office’s Community Solar project.March 1, 2017 - Law360
Mission Investing Invigorated
Partner and leader of the firm’s Nonprofit Organizations practice Mike Cooney and partner and Chief Innovation Officer Herb Stevens authored this piece discussing recent developments in the area known as “mission” or “impact investing”—terms used to describe the deployment of philanthropic investment capital to advance charitable ends.Oct 6, 2015 - Elevation DC
Experts discuss how green buildings are changing DC
This feature story discusses how Washington, DC, has become a leader in the green building movement. Washington, DC, office managing partner Jeff Lesk and partner and chief innovation officer Herb Stevens are quoted and pictured in the piece.July 7, 2015 - Wall Street Journal
For Summer Law Interns, the Livin' Is Easy
In this feature story on summer associate programs, Chief Innovation Officer Herb Stevens discusses how we differentiate our summer program from others through things such as Imagination Summer—which has our summer associates developing new business ideas and solutions for clients. A current summer associate is interviewed.July 6, 2015
Admitted to practice
District of Columbia
Education
Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D.
Georgetown University Law Center, M.L.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, B.S.
Recognition
- Selected, through a peer-review survey, for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 in the field of Real Estate Law; listed in Best Lawyers since 2018
- Recognized as one of the top tax lawyers in the Washington, DC, edition of Super Lawyers Magazine (2014–2016)
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
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Sonia A. Nayak
Partner / Office Managing Partner, Los Angeles- Los Angeles
- Office:+1 213.629.6072
- snayak@nixonpeabody.com
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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
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