Washington, DC, senior counsel Jeff Lesk is as a nationally recognized finance attorney. He works with investors, lenders, sponsors, developers and other private and public industry stakeholders to finance high-impact, socially oriented community developments.
I’ve spent most of my career creating and implementing large-scale investment programs, primarily public-private partnerships. I advise financial institutions and other corporate investors in transactions that bring much-needed capital to privately developed affordable housing and other community developments—under the framework and support of publicly sponsored programs. I love the challenge of bridging seemingly impossible gaps between these worlds, working with and developing new financing tools and programs that meet the goals of sophisticated investors.
I’m proud to be a founder and leader of NP’s Legally Green® initiative. It’s been rewarding to integrate my long-standing personal pledge to the environment into my substantive legal practice. As a LEED AP, my participation on local and national advisory boards such as Conservation International, have helped further the firm’s commitment to sustainability. Through my role on the board of the firm’s conference company IPED, Inc., I also have served as a co-chair of the Affordable Housing Summit at USGBC’s Greenbuild®, the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.
I frequently lecture at local universities and law schools on community development and green building, and I’m on the national speaking circuit for trade association meetings, industry events and seminars. While sharing my technical knowledge, experience and perspective, I stay current and learn from others, especially students who ask tough questions and spark discussions well beyond the legal field.
The current political and economic environment is creating even bigger challenges for investors and developers of affordable housing and community development. I see big changes in the number and mechanisms for public financial support of community development. We have an opportunity to help shape the future by leveraging existing programs and financial resources to do more with less.
The Deal | July 15, 2021
In two separate articles, the publication highlighted the firm for advising American International Group, Inc. in the pending sale of a $5.1 billion affordable housing portfolio to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. Washington, DC Community Development Finance partner Liz Young is noted in one of the stories for leading the NP deal team.
In addition to Liz, the NP team includes Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Dara Histed, Project Finance & Public Finance partner Carla Young, Community Development Finance senior counsel Jeff Lesk, and Corporate partner John Partigan, all of Washington, DC; Global Finance partner Amanda Darwin, Affordable Housing & Real Estate associates Julie Stande and Ali Walendziak, and Community Development Finance associate Nury Aguasvivas, all of Boston; Affordable Housing & Real Estate associate Emily Schwebke and Project Finance & Public Finance resident attorney Jacalyn Smith, both of Chicago; Manchester Affordable Housing & Real Estate associate Talia Burghard; Long Island Affordable Housing & Real Estate paralegal Lori Esposito; and Los Angeles Corporate paralegal Mina Gonzaque-Taylor.
Washington Business Journal | April 15, 2021
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.
Washington Lawyer | March 01, 2020
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.
Washington City Paper | February 24, 2020
This article quotes Washington, DC, Community Development Finance partner Jeff Lesk discussing the social impact of NP Community Solar, which was the first project to join Washington’s community solar program and has expanded to several commercial rooftops throughout the district.
National Housing and Rehabilitation Association | July 20, 2019
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.
Bisnow | April 09, 2019
This article highlights Nixon Peabody’s nonprofit, New Partners Community Solar. The piece covers phase one of the program and its continued efforts to partner with Washington, DC, building owners to install solar panels on multiple new sites, which will produce renewable energy to benefit local low-income residents. The piece also notes that Washington, DC, Community Development Finance partner Jeff Lesk will discuss this clean energy initiative at Bisnow’s upcoming Greater DC Solar and Sustainability Summit.
Bisnow | September 30, 2018
Washington DC Office Managing Partner Colette Dafoe and Community Development Finance partner Jeff Lesk are mentioned in this story about the DCSolar project, which began on Nixon Peabody’s rooftop and has expanded throughout the District.
University of Arizona College of Law, J.D.
Stanford University, B.A.
District of Columbia
Jeff has received an AV Preeminent® Peer Review RatingTM from Martindale Hubbell®, the highest possible rating for ethics and legal ability.
