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Overview

Steve helps clients structure complex financing and investment transactions and keep their deals moving.

Steve focuses his practice on structuring financing transactions, including projects qualifying for state and/or federal New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) and historic rehabilitation tax credits. He represents both investors and Community Development Entities (CDEs) and regularly leads tax credit financing transactions for one of the country’s largest investors. Steve has worked on hundreds of structured finance and investment transactions involving traditional real estate and construction, manufacturing, and development, as well as equipment acquisitions.

Tax credit transactions can be immensely complex with infinitely variable structures. Steve has extensive experience in the field and closes dozens of deals annually throughout the country, many of which are valued in the tens of millions. He is focused on finding ways to make these financing structures more efficient, and his experience, together with the breadth of the firm’s full Tax Credit team, means there is nearly always a professional on hand with experience in a similar transaction—and who knows how the transaction can be improved.

Steve is known for his ability to manage the entire transaction process: he aims to truly shepherd deals from term sheet through closing, and clients appreciate his skill in serving as a deal’s central hub. Clients also value Steve’s gift for taking complex structures and situations and making them readily understandable, so that they can fully weigh their options and make informed decisions.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Banking and Finance Law, 2024 and 2025
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Banking, Rising Star, 2008
  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly, Up and Coming Lawyer, 2008

Education

  • J.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
    • Washington University Law Quarterly, Associate Editor
  • B.A., Knox College
    • Political Science
  • B.A., Knox College
    • Anthropology & Sociology

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Bar Association
  • The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • The Missouri Bar
Experience
  • Represented Opportunity Fund in providing New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) financing to the Dream Center, a 400,000-square-foot facility that helps underserved population in Los Angeles.
  • Counseled Florida Community Loan Fund on providing NMTC financing to Camillus House, which provides humanitarian services to poor and homeless population in Miami and Dade County.
  • Represented NMTC investor and real estate lender in rehabilitation of historic St. Louis building into commercial and residential space, with more than $40 million in project costs.
  • Advised Community Development Entity on construction and development of Boys & Girls Clubs facility in San Francisco.
  • Represented first-time NMTC federal investor in the tax credit structuring and financing for a manufacturing plant expansion in Missouri.
  • Represented PACE capital provider in financing of PACE financed improvements in connection with the redevelopment of a hotel located in St. Louis, Missouri.
  • Represented tax credit investor in negotiating and structuring of capital stack involving federal tax credits and PACE financing in connection with the development of a grocery store in St. Louis, Missouri.
Outside the Office

Steve, a Cub Scout leader in suburban Clayton, Missouri, and his family enjoy the outdoors.

He, his wife and their three young children often pack into the family’s orange VW bus on weekends to go camping, explore music festivals, and visit other woodsy venues and state parks.