Overview
Lynn Parins is a senior counsel and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, where he is a member of the firm’s Finance & Financial Institutions Practice and Energy Industry Team. His practice focuses on the intersection of finance, real estate and renewable energy development, as he assists sponsors, developers and investors to navigate the project financing of predominantly solar, wind and other sustainability improvements to real property. Mr. Parins has also worked extensively in both property assessed clean energy (“PACE”) program development in Wisconsin and PACE financing transactions throughout the country. In addition to project finance, Mr. Parins has experience in public finance transactions for renewables and PACE financing.
Prior to law school, Mr. Parins handled the expansion initiative of the international nonprofit AIESEC to the Sultanate of Oman, where he managed relationships with government and business leaders. Upon his return, he worked in trade association management in Madison, Wisconsin. His prior experience positions Mr. Parins to advise government, lending and building owner clients interested in renewable energy and energy efficiency finance.
Representative Experience
- Acted as bond counsel for a conduit bond issuer in a private placement of nearly $10 million in bonds secured by a PACE lien
- Acted as PACE program counsel for $8.75 million PACE financing for a hotel redevelopment in Wisconsin
- Worked as part of the team that design and implemented the PACE Wisconsin program for counties across Wisconsin
- Worked on PACE authorizing legislation, program and bond documentation, and general program for PACE programs in Illinois
- Acted as issuer's counsel for a conduit bond issuer for separate securitizations involving PACE loans made in Connecticut and Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds made in New York
- Assisted with the placement of close to $200 million in sponsor equity investments in over 150 MWs of utility-scale solar projects in California and North Carolina
- Acted as sponsor counsel for the acquisition and development of utility scale projects in Oregon and North Carolina, including term debt financing and tax equity financing
- Acted as sponsor counsel for the acquisition, debt and tax equity financing of a 200 MW solar project in Southern California with over $500 million in capital invested
- Assisted with private placement debt financings, including rated and non-rated, collectively over $100 million and secured by 200 MW of solar project assets in California and Nevada
Education
Mr. Parins earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2013), where he was named to the Order of the Coif. Mr. Parins acted as the student director for the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Clinic, where he oversaw the Clinic’s client relationship with the City of Minneapolis Sustainability Office. He was also a member of the Minnesota Journal of International Law. Mr. Parins received his undergraduate degree with a major in international economy and a minor in business from the University of Wisconsin—Madison (B.S., with distinction, 2007).
Admissions and Professional Memberships
Mr. Parins is admitted to practice in Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance, the Milwaukee Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin.