direct phone: (615) 866-3220 direct fax: (615) 866-3221 email: hcassidy@renocavanaugh.com	Education: Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D.   Harvard University, B.A.     Bar Admissions: Tennessee bar Hometown: University Park, IL
Hannah Cassidy is the Managing Member of Reno & Cavanaugh.  Hannah’s practice focuses on real estate development, with particular emphasis on projects combining private financing with various state and federal funding sources, such as tax credits, bonds, tax increment financing, AHP loans, federally insured loans, and grants. She counsels owners, lenders, and investors through all phases of real estate development, including land acquisition, financing, construction, leasing, and disposition.  Hannah has structured developments to incorporate shared equity principles that foster long-term affordability and preservation of the public investment in affordable housing developments.  Her experience spans the full range of commercial, residential and mixed use projects with retail, office, market rate housing, and affordable housing components.    Hannah currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Nashville Exchange Club and is Past President of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary Villa, a nonprofit, three-star child care center with sliding scale fees to ensure affordability for a diverse community of families.  She served as Vice-President of Programs for Commercial Real Estate Women from 2003 to 2005 and is a former Personnel Chair of the Woodbine Community Organization, a nonprofit, community-based development organization.     Selected Recent Transactions   Has closed over 100 real estate development transactions combining private financing with various state and federal funding sources Serves as lead real estate counsel to a publicly traded company in its nationwide acquisition and development of real property Served as lead counsel in the structuring of a Tennessee pilot program and preparation of form documents to enable nonprofit organizations to use the federal Section 8 to Homeownership program     Speaking Engagements   Successful Strategies for Winning NSP Round-II Funding, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, May 2009 Securing Affordable Home Ownership after the Foreclosure Debacle: How and Why the Shared Equity, Urban Affairs Association, March 2009 Shared Equity, Governor’s Housing Summit, December 2008 Prior Work Experience   Before becoming a lawyer, Hannah worked for Howell Associates, a real estate consulting firm in Washington, D.C.  There she performed market and financial feasibility studies for market rate and affordable housing developments and assisted developers with applications to provide affordable housing to the elderly through HUD's Section 202 program.   Awards, Community Activities and Professional Activities Member, American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and Nashville Bar Association Member, American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard University John W. Wade Scholar, Vanderbilt of Law University School Bennett Douglas Bell Memorial Prize, Vanderbilt of Law University School Order of the Coif, Vanderbilt of Law University School Vanderbilt Law Review, Senior Notes Editor St. Mary Villa, Past President of the Board of Trustees and current Board Member Exchange Club of Nashville, Board Member Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Past Board Member Woodbine Community Organization, Past Board Member