In July, Taft Chicago partner Kostas Poulakidas received the Opportunity Zone Influencer Award during the Opportunity Zone Expo in Denver. Presented by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the award recognizes an individual who works to advance Opportunity Zones and economic development on a national level. Poulakidas has also been named a verified Opportunity Zone lawyer by Opportunity Zone Magazine and recognized as one of the Top 25 Opportunity Zone attorneys in the United States.

Poulakidas is co-chair of Taft’s Public Finance and Economic Development practice. He focuses on public/municipal finance, economic development incentives and strategies, tax increment financing (TIF), venture capital, EB5 financing, tax benefits related to Qualified Opportunity Zones, forming Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds for private equity investment, private-public partnerships (P3s), and project finance.