With a surge in real estate transactions giving way to increased client needs, Nixon Peabody is expanding its national Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice with the additions of Karla Chaffee in Boston, Daniel Perlin in Chicago, and Chaundi Randolph in Washington, DC. All three attorneys join the firm as counsel.
“Chaundi, Dan, and Karla represent a range of real estate practice areas that are growing, not only from a national practice perspective, but also regionally,” said Denise Pursley, leader of Nixon Peabody’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. “These three attorneys bring experience that will strengthen our practice in various ways, with the collective goal of helping our clients move their businesses forward and make an impact in their communities.”
Karla Chaffee
Karla provides guidance to clients seeking zoning approvals and other development entitlements. Her practice includes due diligence work for real estate transactions prior to acquisition and financing. Karla assesses the environmental risk of properties and determines what mitigation measures are needed to help clients avoid potential liability. She works with sellers, buyers, and lenders to ensure a successful transaction, providing guidance on local land use approvals, counseling on the impact of proposed or recently enacted land use legislation, and advising on land use trends across the country.
Karla’s land use litigation practice includes handling complex federal litigation involving the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), First Amendment, and Equal Protection Clause. She also handles environmental litigation, defending claims brought under state and federal law, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
Karla earned her JD, summa cum laude, from Vermont Law School and her BS, summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts.
Daniel Perlin
Dan focuses his practice on complex commercial real estate transactions and assisting in negotiating every step of the process. He represents both landlords and tenants on leasing, development, and acquisition/disposition matters, and guides clients on land use, construction, municipal, environmental, M&A, and sale-leaseback/restructuring matters throughout the US.
Dan has extensive experience in sectors such as retail, entertainment/restaurant, commercial/industrial, warehouse, medical, cannabis, and office clients. He has prior experience working in-house with a national retail pharmacy and national cannabis company, as well as with a real estate investor, developer, and operator.
Dan received his JD from DePaul University College of Law and his BA from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Chaundi Randolph
Chaundi focuses his practice on affordable housing and real estate, finance and investments, and environmental and natural resources. He comes to Nixon Peabody following 12 years at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Chaundi was the lead attorney for HUD’s Public Housing Mixed Finance, Multifamily Section 202 elderly, and Section 811 disabled housing programs. Additionally, he provided counsel in various other areas including Choice Neighborhoods, Public Housing Finance (Capital Fund and Operating Fund), and Energy Performance Contracting.
Chaundi negotiated and closed nearly 300 public housing and other various affordable housing transactions, advised agency principals on complex asset repositioning issues involving Section 8 administration and tax credit financing, advised on demonstration and program development (RAD, RAD for PRAC, MF Pay for Success, among others), and assisted in drafting applicable statutes, regulations, handbooks, agency notices, notices of funding availability, and legal opinions.
Chaundi earned his Master of Laws in Real Property Development from the University of Miami School of Law, his JD from Florida A&M University College of Law, and his BS from Florida A&M University.
