Paul S. Balik

Since 2017, Paul has engaged in all aspects of low-income housing transactions, generally representing developers in the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, or refinance of projects involving federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, HUD-insured loans, or other sources of public subsidy. More recently, Paul’s work in this field has dovetailed into litigation and dispute resolution in and around low-income housing. Examples of this work include:

• Successfully suing the City of Chicago under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act for documents related to how the City awarded a large redevelopment project as part of its Invest South/West initiative, and then suing the City (less successfully) to challenge its award of that project;
• Counseling a large low-income housing developer in settlement of substantial tort claims; and
• Ongoing counseling of a low-income housing developer in understanding its interests in a project and in acquiring interests of a troubled partner developer.

Paul also regularly represents not-for-profit entities in real estate matters and issues involving corporate governance.

Paul’s litigation work is broad and includes contract claims, violations of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, and MBG’s broader civil rights, consumer protection, and class action work.

Paul joined MBG in 2020 after spending two years facilitating all aspects of low-income housing transactions at Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, P.C. Before that, Paul was a clerk for Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. with the United States district court in South Bend, Indiana. Through his clerkship, Paul developed experience in multi-district litigation. He also developed litigation experience through pro bono work in criminal defense and civil rights while an associate at Mayer Brown LLP and as a PILI Fellow with the Lawndale Christian Legal Center. Paul studied both law and urban planning at NYU, where he focused on affordable housing and economic development policy. While in school, Paul worked in these fields through internships at BPI and the City of Chicago.

Whether it is in court or through deals, for Paul, being a lawyer is about advocating for clients and causes that improve our communities and help individuals realize their potential.