
Overview
WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, CRIS FOCUSES HER PRACTICE ON ASSISTING GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND CORPORATIONS NAVIGATE A WIDE VARIETY OF FINANCING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTERS.
Cris is a partner in Dorsey’s Public Finance Group, specializing in municipal law and finance for governmental entities and corporations. Cris routinely serves as bond counsel, issuer’s counsel, underwriter’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, and bank counsel on financing transactions, debt restructurings, and economic development matters, with a special focus on governmental financings, healthcare and senior care financings, USDA financings, senior and multi-family housing financings, and solid waste, and other exempt facilities financings.
Cris has guided clients through a wide range of private activity and governmental financing transactions, including issuances for private and governmental hospitals and other health care entities, 501(c)(3) entities, state-wide associations, intergovernmental entities, manufacturing facilities, public and private colleges, and multi-family residential rental facilities. Cris also maintains a general municipal finance practice, advising cities, counties, rural water districts, utilities, and school corporations. She also provides legal advice regarding federal tax and securities law, open meetings/public records laws, public bidding laws, economic development issues, contracting issues, and other legal matters.
Cris holds key leadership roles at Dorsey, currently as the office head of the Des Moines office, serving as a member of the Firm’s opinion committee. She previously served on the Firm’s Professional Practice Committee.
Education & Admissions
Drake University Law School (J.D., with honors, 1994), Order of the Coif
Drake Law Review Note Editor, 1993-94; Drake Law Review Junior Staff Member, 1992-93
ATLA Mock Trial Team, 1993-94
University of Iowa (Bachelor of Business Administration, 1991)
Admissions
- Iowa
- U.S. District Court for the District of Iowa
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
News & Resources
Articles
News & Press Mentions
Events & Speaking Engagements
Select Presentations
- Webinar: Annual Training, Municipal Securities Disclosure, Spring 2015
- “Post Issuance Compliance Procedures for Tax Exempt Obligations: Are You Ready for an IRS Audit?” LeadingAge Iowa Fall Conference, October 9, 2013
- “Legal Issues for Municipal Finance-the Basics and Beyond,” co-presenter, Iowa Municipal Professionals Academy, July 25, 2013
- “Project Finance 101,” co-presenter, Iowa Rural Water Association, 38th Annual Conference, February 19, 2013
- “Hospital Construction Projects: Digging Through the Regulatory and Financing Morass,” co-presenter, Iowa Hospital Association Annual Meeting, Iowa Hospital Association, Annual Meeting, October 9, 2012
Industries & Practices
Banking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceDevelopment & Infrastructure
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceEnergy & Natural Resources
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceHealthcare & Life Sciences
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceHigher Education & Academic Research Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceNonprofit & Tax Exempt Organizations
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceProject Development & Finance
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practicePublic-Private Partnerships
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Banking & Financial Institutions
- Development & Infrastructure
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Higher Education & Academic Research Institutions
- Lending Transactions
- Nonprofit & Tax Exempt Organizations
- Project Development & Finance
- Public Finance
- Public-Private Partnerships
Professional & Civic
Professional Achievements
- Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers
- Iowa Bar Association
- Member
- Chair, Governmental Practice Section Council (2007-2009)
- Polk County Bar Association
- Member
- Member, Public Relations Committee (2007-2008)
- Council of School Attorneys
- Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, Graduate, Class of 2012
- Broadlawns Medical Center Advocacy Circle Member
