Nathan Canova
PEOPLE

Nathan Canova

Partner
canova.nathan@dorsey.com

Overview

NATE GUIDES HIS CLIENTS THROUGH COMPLEX FINANCINGS AND HELPS THEM FIND PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS TO LEGAL PROBLEMS.

Nate represents clients across the country in a wide variety of public finance transactions, acting primarily as underwriter's counsel, bond counsel, disclosure counsel, borrower's counsel, lender’s counsel, special tax counsel and issuer's counsel.  He has broad experience in conduit revenue bond financings for the benefit of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, including transactions for healthcare, senior living, higher education, charter school projects, and other authorized purposes (e.g., manufacturing and housing).  He regularly advises his clients on matters of state law, federal securities and tax laws, real estate law and more in connection with public offerings, private placements and direct loan transactions.  He is nationally recognized for his experience in tax-exempt installment purchase, lease-purchase and other municipal lease financings for the acquisition, construction, equipping, and installation of a broad range of essential government buildings, facilities, equipment and other real and personal property.

In addition to conduit and lease financings, Nate represents state and local government units and other eligible tax-exempt issuers in traditional revenue and general obligation bond financings.  Nate also regularly advises clients in connection with financings for Indian tribes and qualified volunteer fire departments, New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financings, and real estate development projects that leverage public funding, such as professional sports stadiums and hotels and convention centers.  He also counsels nonprofit organizations in corporate law, board governance and transactional matters.

Nate Canova

Education & Admissions

Drake University Law School (J.D., 2013), High Honors; Drake Law Review; Business Law Certificate; CALI Awards – Securities Regulation and Nonprofit Entities

Drake University (M.B.A., 2013)

Weber State University (B.A., 2009), Dean’s List

Admissions

  • Minnesota
  • Iowa
  • Utah

Languages

  • Spanish

Experience

Representative Transactions

  • Bond Counsel – $50,024,000 Grand County, Utah Hospital Revenue and Refunding Bonds (Moab Regional Hospital Project), Series 2021
  • Borrower’s Counsel – $10,000,000 Gunnison, Utah Industrial Development Revenue Bonds (Future Comp. Project) Series 2021 
  • Borrower’s Counsel – $26,304,110 Charter School Revenue Refunding Bonds (Providence Hall Project) Series 2021A and 2021B
  • Borrower’s Counsel – $10,000,000 Richfield, Utah Industrial Development Revenue Bonds (CSS Composites Project) Series 2021 
  • Bond and Disclosure Counsel – $12,685,000 Charter School Revenue and Refunding Bonds (Renaissance Academy Project) Series 2020
  • Special Tax Counsel – State of California Department of General Services 2017-Present (GS $Mart Tax-Exempt Installment Purchase Program)
  • Bond Counsel – $111,855,000 Special School District No. 1 (Minneapolis), Minnesota, General Obligation School Building Bonds, Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Bonds, Certificates of Participation, Series 2020ABC
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $87,230,000 Wyoming Community Development Authority Housing Revenue Bonds, 2021 Series 1 and 2021 Series 2
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $498,225,000 Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Health Care Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds (HealthPartners Obligated Group), Series 2015AB
  • Bond Counsel – $407,205,000 Ward County, North Dakota Hospital Facility Revenue [Refunding] Bonds (Trinity Obligated Group), Series 2017ABC
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $212,180,000 South Dakota Health and Educational Facilities Authority Revenue Bonds, Series 2017 (Regional Health)
  • Issuer’s Counsel –  $150,000,000 Allina Health Taxable Bonds Series 2017
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $16,200,000 Utah Charter School Finance Authority Charter School Revenue Refunding Bonds (Early Light Academy Project) Series 2017
  • Bond and Borrower’s Counsel – $78,515,000 City of Minneapolis and The Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota Health Care System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2017A (Allina Health)
  • Special Tax Counsel – $2,883,500 Kansas Development Finance Authority Revenue Bonds, Series 2017B (Kansas State University Energy Conservation Projects – Salina Campus)
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $42,245,000 Colorado Health Facilities Authority Hospital Revenue Refunding Bonds (Valley View Hospital Association Project) Series 2017A
  • Issuer’s Counsel – $23,810,000 Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency Power Supply System Revenue Bonds, Series 2017 A
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $176,315,000 South Dakota Health and Educational Facilities Authority, Revenue Bonds, Series 2015 (Sanford)
  • Special Tax Counsel – State of California Department of General Services
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $6,340,000 Law Enforcement District of the Parish of Tensas, State of Louisiana, Detention Center Revenue Bonds, Series 2017ABCD
  • Underwriter’s Counsel – $6,670,000 Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development Charter School Revenue Bonds (Harambee Institute of Science and Technology Charter School Project), Series 2017AB
  • Bond Counsel – $119,025,000 Special School District No. 1 (Minneapolis), Minnesota, General Obligation [School Building Bonds] [Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Bonds] [Full Term Certificates of Participation], Series 2017ABC
  • Underwriter’s counsel – $264,380,000 Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission, Subordinate Airport Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2014A and Series 2014B 
  • Counsel to financial and legal intermediary in Salt Lake County, Utah, Pay-for-Success initiatives

News & Resources

Events & Speaking Engagements

Seminar Playback: Hot Topics in Indian Law

Legal Writings

  • Greening the Traditional Commercial Lease: Building a Case for Sustainable Commercial Real Estate through Economically Profitable Green Leases, 61 Drake L. Rev. 883 (Spring 2013)

Industries & Practices

  • Banking & Financial Institutions
  • Energy & Natural Resources
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Indian & Alaska Native
  • Nonprofit & Tax Exempt Organizations
  • Project Development & Finance
  • Public Finance
  • Public-Private Partnerships

Professional & Civic

Professional Achievements

  • Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers’ Member Services Committee and The Workshop Steering Committee
  • General Counsel, Association for Governmental Leasing & Finance

Community Involvement

 

Accolades

  • Named "Salt Lake City Ones to Watch" in Public Finance Law by Best Lawyers®, 2025

Contributed 100+ Pro Bono Hours in 2020

  • Contributed more than 50 Challenge pro bono hours, 2022
  • Contributed more than 100 Challenge pro bono hours, 2020

North Star Lawyer logo

  • MSBA North Star Lawyer, 2015-2016
Nathan Canova