Three Distinguished Lawyers Join Holland & Knight's Syndication Practice
October 5, 2006
Anthony S. "Tony" Freedman- Washington
Florence Wood- Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Holland & Knight LLP adds depth and experience to
its syndication and bond practice groups with the arrival of a prominent group
of lawyers to its Washington, D.C., office. Anthony "Tony" Freedman, partner,
Florence Wood, partner, and Jill Chessen Cork, senior counsel, all formerly of Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP, strengthen and diversify
the firm's capabilities in this growing practice area.
"We are pleased to welcome these talented lawyers to our team," said Jim
McDermott, practice group leader. "They are highly respected for their wealth of
knowledge and experience spanning all areas of government-related housing
matters. The group's ability to navigate complex transactions involving multiple
sources of financing and government assistance will enable our clients to
achieve their affordable housing, community development and investment goals."
This expansion enhances the Syndication Group's presence in the mid-Atlantic
region. The group currently includes more than 45 attorneys in 10 separate
offices. "Their arrival will increase our reach into the D.C. market and
complement our nationally regarded real estate, affordable housing and military
housing practices," said La Fonte Nesbitt, executive partner of the firm's
mid-Atlantic offices and a member of the affordable housing practice group.
Holland & Knight's real estate practice, the largest in the country, is ranked
no. 1 in Washington, D.C., by Chambers USA.
Speaking for the new group, Freedman said, "Holland & Knight's national scope
and deep resources will substantially expand our reach and enhance our ability
to serve our clients. We see it as strength building upon strength."
Anthony "Tony" S. Freedman (Partner)
Freedman, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Policy and Budget at
HUD (1978-1981), has extensive experience in federal, state, and local housing
assistance programs, low-income housing tax credits, public housing
privatization, tax-exempt finance, mortgage finance, military housing and
limited partnership law.
Freedman's practice consists of transactional, financial, policy and
regulatory matters involving housing. He represents a wide range of clients,
including developers, lenders, state and local housing agencies, investment
bankers and credit enhancers. His portfolio of representative transactions
includes more than hundreds of low-income housing and new markets tax credit
matters, 25 HOPE VI financings, numerous Public Housing Capital Fund financings,
and deals worth in excess of $3 billion on behalf of participants in U.S. Army,
Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps military housing privatization transactions.
He and Nesbitt were two of the first attorneys to work with the U.S. Department
of Defense in establishing and providing documents for the military housing
privatization program.
Freedman has rendered leading opinions on diverse tax credit matters and HUD
issues, and has testified frequently before Congressional committees. He serves
on the Advisory Council of the National Housing Law Project, on the Standard &
Poor's Advisory Board for Public Housing, and on the Board of Directors of the
National Housing Conference. Freedman received his bachelor's degree from the
City College of New York in 1965, and his LL.B. from Stanford Law School in
1968. He is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.
Florence A. Wood (Partner)
Wood's practice focuses on tax-exempt housing bonds, multi-family housing
finance, HUD programs, military housing, Fannie Mae credit enhancement programs
and low-income housing tax credits. She brings significant experience with
secondary mortgage markets, mortgage-backed securities and debt financing.
Prior to entering private practice, Wood worked in the office of the general
counsel of Fannie Mae for 10 years. Prior to Fannie Mae, Wood served as an
attorney advisor at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She
received her undergraduate degree from Boston University in 1969 and her law
degree from Boston College Law School in 1972. She is admitted to practice in
Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.
Jill Chessen Cork (Senior Counsel)
Cork brings significant experience in all aspects of low-income housing tax
credits, military housing privatization, tax-exempt finance, mortgage finance
and limited partnership law. She represents developers, syndicators, lenders,
state housing financing agencies and investors in affordable housing tax
credits, Section 236 decoupling and military privatization transactions. Cork
received her bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in 1989 and her J.D.
from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992. She is admitted to practice in
California, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.
Contact: Christina Calhoun, (813) 769-4355