A&TT NEWSWe recently welcomed new attorneys Emma Clouse, Alison Giest, Erica Ruggieri, and Jonathan Snavely. Learn about our talented new professionals below:
With a background in environmental justice work, Emma is dedicated to empowering communities and using legal tools to assist sustainable development and affordable housing.
Prior to joining A&TT, Emma created and implemented a two-year Equal Justice Works fellowship with the Equitable Community Development and Housing team at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. Emma's project expanded the team’s advocacy and policy work around environmental justice issues in Chicago, such as urban agriculture, water equity, and renewable energy. Through this work, she gained a passion for assisting organizations and communities in navigating the complexities of development.
As a geography major in college, Alison studied how cities and communities shape our livelihoods and became interested in how to create greater access to housing and promote community development.
Alison's practice is focused on assisting clients seeking to finance and develop affordable housing and community development projects using tax credits and bonds. Prior to joining A&TT, Alison represented tax-exempt nonprofits on a wide array of legal issues. She also has experience in corporate tax, primarily in transactions with real estate investment trusts.
Erica's practice focuses on community development transactions, representing investors, community development entities, lenders, and developers in New Markets Tax Credit transactions.
Prior to joining A&TT, Erica represented financial institutions in connection with all aspects of single-lender and syndicated multi-lender commercial real estate financing transactions, including construction and permanent financing for mixed-use development projects, hotels, retail shopping centers, industrial and office parks, and revolving credit facilities. She also has experience representing developers, investors, and private businesses in the acquisition, disposition, and development of commercial real estate properties throughout the country.
Jonathan became an attorney to bridge the gap between people and organizations with “real-world” missions and the complex legal environments that affect them. Jonathan's practice is focused on assisting clients seeking to finance affordable housing and community development projects using tax credits and bonds.
Prior to joining A&TT, Jonathan represented clients in a variety of complex commercial transactions, including acquisition and working capital related financings. Before law school, he worked in state government with a focus on criminal justice and corrections reform issues and also spent several years working with small, community-engaged farms.
