William J. Gelm, shareholder, is chair of the Public Finance Industry and the Education Law, Charter & Private Schools Industry groups, formerly served on the firm’s board of directors, former chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion committee and a member of the real estate, bank and finance and the corporate practice groups.  In his practice, Will works almost exclusively with nonprofit organizations in connection with corporate structuring and governance, real estate and real estate finance, and other general business law matters with an emphasis on the acquisition, development and financing of qualified nonprofit facilities using tax-exempt bond structures. During his career, Mr. Gelm has served as borrower’s counsel in over 300 tax-exempt bond issuances in five different states, placing over $3,000,000,000 in tax-exempt and taxable bonds.

In addition, Will acts as general corporate counsel to a number of nonprofit corporations relating to corporate matters including corporate organization, board formation, composition and governance issues, conflicts of interest, tax-exempt qualification and compliance matters, and state and federal regulatory issues. He frequently conducts corporate and governing board training seminars for nonprofit clients regarding individual board member fiduciary responsibilities, board procedures and conflicts of interest taking into consideration limitations imposed upon nonprofit boards by corporate law, tax law and regulations.

Will also serves as lender’s counsel when making loans to nonprofit corporations, investment banking firms as special disclosure counsel in bond financing transactions and corporate trustees in  connection with bond financing transactions.

Will was recognized as a “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2021.

Mr. Gelm graduated from Case Western Reserve University with his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees and is admitted in Arizona.

Bar Admissions

• Arizona

Education

• Case Western Reserve University

• Buchalter COVID-19 Client Alert: Arizona Charter Schools Planned Re-Opening

  By William J. Gelm, Shaleen D. Brewer |July 2020

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