Jana Cohen Barbe

Partner

Jana Cohen Barbe has been recognized as one of the most influential women in real estate. She is considered to be among the nation's foremost authorities in the field of US tax credits, including low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits and renewable energy credits. For more than twenty years, Jana has advised clients such as JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, U.S. Bank and the Prudential Insurance Company of America (among others) in connection with affordable housing and community development investments. She is known, in particular, for her understanding of the low-income housing tax credit market, and she regularly assists clients in implementing strategies to address market fluidity.

In addition, Jana has represented many of the country’s largest financial institutions in connection with tax-credit related loans, syndications, credit enhancements, financial guaranties, derivative swaps, insurance contracts, reinsurance, secondary market portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, commercial and mixed-use condominium conversions and work-outs. She is particularly well known for her expertise in tax credit project restructurings, bankruptcies and general partner removals. Jana also has counseled numerous developers, investors and lenders in connection with highly complex affordable housing developments with multi-tiered debt and equity structures, including HOPE VI, mixed-finance, HOME, CDBG, Section 8, and tax-exempt and taxable bond financings.

Jana’s commitment to affordable housing and community development began in 1990, when Jana joined The Thresholds, the nation’s largest psycho-social service agency, as its first general counsel. Jana continues to serve Thresholds as a member of its Board of Directors. Jana also serves on the Board of Advisors to the Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy. She is a frequent author and speaker on the subjects of low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, renewable energy tax credits as well as fair housing and "NIMBY" issues.

Jana leads SNR Denton's Financial Institutions and Funds sector and chairs the US Real Estate practice. She serves on the SNR Denton Group Board of Directors and the Firm's US Policy & Planning (Management) Committee.

Awards

• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Real Estate.
• Named by Lawdragon magazine in as one of the "Top 500 Dealmakers in America."
• Ranked by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2011
• Recognized as one of Real Estate Forum's "Women of Influence" in Commercial Real Estate.
• Named by Midwest Real Estate News as one of "40 over 40" outstanding real estate professionals.

Organizations

• American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
• American Bar Association - Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development.
• The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition.
• On the editorial boards of:
  The Journal of Tax Credits
  Heartland Real Estate.
• Jana is also an avid equestrian and a member of the U.S. Equestrian Federation and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.

Publications

• Jana has been interviewed by Chicago Lawyer Magazine.
• Author of "Commentary: A Lawyer’s Reflections" published in The Journal of Tax Credit Investing.
• Jana was profiled by Lawdragon.
• Published the chapter "An Intellectually Gratifying and Highly Tangible Business" in Winning Legal Strategies for Real Estate, published by Aspatore Books, as part of its "Inside the Mind" series.
• Author of "Low Income Housing Tax Credits: The Public-Private Partnership That Works," published in Heartland Real Estate.
• Author of "Strategies to Address Neighborhood Opposition to Development (or What to Do When Grandmothers Lie Down in Front of Tow Trucks)," published by the American Bar Association.
• Author of "Duties and Liabilities of Officers and Directors," Chapter 2, of the Nonprofit Corporation Handbook, published by the Nonprofit Financial Center.
• Jana’s partnership with KeyBank in connection with its New Market Tax Credit program was highlighted as a "Best Practice" Counsel to Counsel magazine.
• Frequently quoted in such publications as Affordable Housing Finance, the Journal of Tax Credit Investing and Apartment Finance Today.

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