Manatt Continues to Expand Impact Investing and Community Development Offerings With D.C. Duo

Corenia Riley Burlingame and John Dalton bring extensive experience on highly complex tax incentive financing transactions that maximize the value of subsidies and tax benefits while protecting investments

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a multidisciplinary, integrated professional services firm, announced today that Partners Corenia Riley Burlingame and John Dalton have joined the Firm’s Impact Investing and Community Development practice in Washington, D.C. Closely following the arrival of Partner Sameer V. Patel in Chicago, the duo further strengthens Manatt’s already robust tax incentive financing capabilities, which include Opportunity Zone, low-income housing, historic, renewable energy and New Markets Tax Credits financings that are driving much of today’s social impact investment opportunities and economic development.

“Our fast-growing impact investing and community development team has worked in almost every corner of this space, representing key stakeholders leading the charge in reinvigorating communities across the country,” said Donna L. Wilson, Manatt’s CEO and Managing Partner. “Corenia’s and John’s comprehensive skillsets reinforce Neil Faden’s, Megan Christensen’s and Sameer’s own experience, in addition to that of our broader team, at the intersection of real estate, finance, tax, energy and social impact investment.”

“As developers, lenders and investors place greater emphasis on social impact investment opportunities, Corenia’s and John’s deep understanding of the nuances within each respective transaction, and their impressive backgrounds guiding clients through these sophisticated matters, further solidifies Manatt’s position as a leader in these types of tax credit deals,” said Faden, leader of Manatt’s Impact Investing and Community Development practice.

Burlingame represents major industry players in various financing structure matters, such as new construction and preservation deals financed through low-income housing tax credits. Her practice includes assisting clients with scattered-site portfolios of tax credit projects, workouts of tax credit deals, unwinds of historic tax credit financings and year 15 issues. Burlingame also has experience resyndicating existing tax credit projects and has worked on deals that pair low-income housing tax credits with other investment, state and new markets incentives.

Dalton represents developers, investors and intermediaries in a range of energy credit, New Markets Tax Credits and low-income housing tax credit transactions as well as Opportunity Zone investments, from planning and structuring phases through closing. He also has extensive experience handling post-closing asset management, compliance and restructuring matters.

“Corenia’s and John’s extensive track records navigating high-impact deals within the rapidly evolving regulatory and real estate environment will be invaluable for our clients driving the unprecedented disruption we’re seeing within the industry,” said Michael Polentz, leader of Manatt Real Estate. “Their arrival enhances not only the Firm’s impact investment and economic development capabilities but also our national cross-disciplinary Real Estate practice, which recently welcomed Hospitality and Leisure practice Leader Lynn Cadwalader in San Francisco and respected East Coast Real Estate Partner Ted Hunter.”

“We’re excited to be part of Manatt’s collaborative culture, where lawyers, business advisers and consultants work together to provide innovative solutions across the various industries in which our clients operate,” said Burlingame. Dalton added, “Manatt’s reputation working on financing deals—especially within the real estate, energy, tax and financial services industries—is widely respected, so we are thrilled to join as the Firm expands its footprint in this burgeoning space.”

Burlingame and Dalton are the latest arrivals in the Firm’s broader national growth strategy, as it deepens its capabilities in New Markets Tax Credits (Patel); real estate (Cadwalader); entertainment and media (Nathaniel L. Bach and Christopher Chatham); health care and life sciences (Zoe Barnard, Tara R. Straw, Rachel L. Sher, Dr. Christina Jenkins and Claudia Page); antitrust and competition (David Reichenberg); and tax, employee benefits and executive compensation (John J. Heber).

Burlingame received her J.D. and B.A. from the University of Virginia. Dalton received his J.D. from the Washington and Lee University School of Law and his B.A. from the College of William & Mary.

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is a leading professional services firm, providing integrated legal and consulting services to a global client base. With offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Silicon Valley, San Francisco and Sacramento), New York (New York City and Albany), Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Boston, the Firm represents sophisticated clients—including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies—across a range of industry sectors such as health care; financial services; entertainment; digital and technology; and energy, environmental and real estate. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.