Introduction
Chris Reitzel is a partner in Nixon Peabody’s Project Finance and Public Finance group. He works with issuers, underwriters and financial advisors on public and project finance projects across a broad range of sectors. He serves as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, and underwriters’ counsel on public offerings and private placements. His diverse transactional background includes taxable and tax-exempt debt, complex variable rate products including subordinated and senior commercial paper, and direct and standby credit and liquidity facilities.
My focus
I focus my practice on public and project finance matters, with extensive experience representing issuers and underwriters in the areas of transportation and infrastructure, public power, environmental, higher education, health care and housing matters, including work on financings for the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), Empire State Development (ESD), Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and the City of New York (NYC).
Complex Project Experience
I have been fortunate to be involved in some uniquely complex, multi-disciplinary transactions. For example, I served as bond counsel to ESD (through the New York Transportation Development Corporation (an ESD-related entity)) in the approximately $2.4 billion P3 bond financing for the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport in New York City, which was awarded The Bond Buyer’s Regional Deal of the Year award in 2016. I also served as disclosure counsel for LIPA’s first-of-its-kind $2 billion municipal utility debt restructuring, which involved preparing a new disclosure document for a stand-alone securitization authority (Utility Debt Securitization Authority or UDSA), as well as a tender offer disclosure document for LIPA.
Recently, I have been involved in a number of important transactions for the State of New York (as bond counsel for financings done through DASNY and as bond and underwriters’ counsel for financings done through ESD) and MTA, as the State and region do their best to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disclosure
I have served as disclosure counsel many times, including regularly for two very active issuers with multifaceted operations and diverse financing programs. Since 2000, I have been EFC’s disclosure counsel for its State Revolving Fund programs. Since 2008, I have been disclosure counsel to LIPA (and UDSA). In both cases, I get to work with incredibly talented and dedicated in-house people on cutting-edge financings.
Looking ahead
Creative financing solutions. The recent financing environment exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing our industry to develop new ways to finance growing infrastructure needs. To meet the needs of our clients—issuers, investment banks, credit providers, consultants, and developers—we will need to be as thoughtful as ever.
Representative experience
- Serves as bond counsel to DASNY since 1998 for billions of dollars of private client financings
- Served as bond counsel to ESD private financings such as the New York Transportation Development Corporation (an ESD-related entity) for its $2.4 billion P3 bond financing and Delta Terminal financing for the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport in New York City
- Serves as bond counsel to ESD and DASNY for Personal Income Tax and Sales Tax Revenue Bond Programs
- Serves as disclosure counsel to EFC (since 2000) for its State Revolving Fund programs and LIPA (since 2008) for its financings and its bankruptcy-remote special purpose securitization entity UDSA
- Serves as bond counsel to MTA for its multi-credit financing programs
- Serves as underwriters’ counsel for numerous NYC general obligation financings
Admitted to practice
New York
Education
Harvard University, B.A.
New York University School of Law, J.D.
Recognition
- Selected, through a peer-review survey, for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2023 in the field of Municipal Law and Public Finance Law; listed since 2021
News Mentions
- Project Finance International
Nixon Peabody hires two from Squire
The additions of New York City partner Christopher Reitzel and Albany counsel Jeffrey Pohl to Nixon Peabody’s growing Project Finance and Public Finance practice group are highlighted in thisApril 4, 2019 - The Deal
Movers & Shakers
The additions of New York City partner Chris Reitzel and Albany counsel Jeff Pohl to Nixon Peabody’s growing Project Finance and Public Finance practice group are highlighted in this article.April 8, 2019 - Reuters Legal
Career Tracker Lawyers on the Move
The recent additions of New York partner Chris Reitzel and Albany counsel Jeff Pohl to Nixon Peabody’s Project Finance & Public Finance team are highlighted in Reuters Legal’s Career Tracker column.April 15, 2019 - The Bond Buyer
Nixon Peabody boosts infrastructure reach through Squire Patton Boggs hires
This feature highlights the arrivals of New York City partner Chris Reitzel and Albany counsel Jeff Pohl to Nixon Peabody’s growing Project Finance and Public Finance practice group.June 11, 2019 - The Bond Buyer
DASNY sells over $2.5B of PIT bonds; munis unchanged in face of large supply
This article on the state of the municipal bond market covers the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York’s sale of almost $2.5 billion of personal income tax receipt bonds. The firm is mentioned as bond counsel for the work by New York partners Chris Reitzel and Virginia Wong, and associates Adam Gordon and Kate Stack; Albany counsel Jeff Pohl; and Washington, D.C. partner Bruce Serchuk and associate Joel Swearingen, all of the Project Finance & Public Finance group.Oct 8, 2020 - The Bond Buyer
New York State's over $2.1 PIT bond sale should see demand, analysts say
This article mentions the firm as co-bond counsel to Empire State Development Corporation’s scheduled issuance of PIT bonds on behalf of New York State in a competitive deal to fund capital projects, for the work by New York City partner Chris Reitzel, counsel Abbie Olsen and associates Adam Gordon and Kate Stack, and Washington, D.C. partner Bruce Serchuk and associate Joel Swearingen, all in the Project Finance & Public Finance group.Dec 14, 2020 - The Bond Buyer
Market sectors and segments pointed volume down in the Northeast
The article on the state of the municipal bond markets mentions NP for serving as bond counsel on the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s $1.24 billion payroll mobility tax senior lean deal for MTA Bridges and Tunnels. The NP team included New York partners Liz Columbo, Ken Lind, Adam Gordon, Chris Reitzel, and counsel Abigail Olsen, and Washington DC partner Carla Young, all of the Project Finance and Public Finance group.Feb 25, 2022 - Bond Buyer
JFK's new Terminal One will look to bond marketing for long-term financing
This article covering financing for John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new Terminal One, including plans to tap the municipal bond market for future phases of the project, mentions NP for serving as underwriter counsel representing Citi. The NP team involved in the project includes New York City partners Chris Reitzel, Virginia Wong, Ken Lind, and Roddy Devlin, and associates Kate Stack of New York and Dia Walrath of San Francisco, all of the Project Finance & Public Finance groupJune 17, 2022 - Bond Buyer
New York State Thruway Authority sets $2.2 billion sale of PIT bonds
This article on the New York State Thruway Authority’s planned sale of $2.2 billion of personal income tax bonds mentions NP as co-bond counsel. The NP team advising on the bond sale includes New York City partners Chris Reitzel and Adam Gordon, counsel Abbie Olsen, and associates Georgia Sackey and Kate Stack; Rochester partner Barry Carrigan; Washington, DC partners Bruce Serchuk and Joel Swearingen; and Albany counsel Jeff Pohl, all of the Project Finance & Public Finance practice.July 11, 2022
Professionals in the Practice Area
View AllVirginia Wong
Partner
Practice Group Leader, Project Finance and Public Finance- New York City
- Office:212.940.3028
- vwong@nixonpeabody.com
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Mitchell Rapaport
Partner- washington-dc
- Office:202.585.8305Mobile:202.288.4005
- mrapaport@nixonpeabody.com
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