Lark Mallory

Since 1998, Ms. Mallory has practiced law in the areas of taxation, corporate transactions and real estate transactions. 

Currently, Ms. Mallory serves as General Counsel and Director of CDFI Investments for The Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County, an organization that provides low interest rate loans to developers of affordable housing.  At the Affordable Housing Trust, Ms. Mallory’s key responsibilities include negotiating and drafting all legal agreements for the organization, coordinating transactions with outside partners, addressing all legal needs for the organization, and providing legal support to the organization’s Board of Directors. She is responsible for the legal structuring of all finance transactions related to the real estate loan portfolio. The loan portfolio includes construction loans, traditional single property loans and structured financing related to both 4% and 9% tax credits and bond transactions. In conjunction with the organization’s president, she is responsible for development of all real estate transactions and runs the organization’s loan fund, including investor relationships. 

Prior to joining The Affordable Housing Trust, she was a partner with a 500 lawyer law firm with an eight state footprint.  While at the firm, Ms. Mallory focused her practice on advising tax exempt organizations, businesses, as well as individuals and business owners, in the core areas of corporate and business law, financing, commercial real estate, and tax planning.  She also counseled clients regarding entity selection, formation and governance; capitalization and financing, including loan documentation and private equity; and compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.  While a partner at the firm, Ms. Mallory served as the outside general counsel to a family real estate development company with more than 5 million square feet under management plus more than 3 million square feet operated.  On the company’s behalf, she negotiated and structured acquisition and disposition agreements, finance agreements, and lease agreements. The finance structures often included various sources, including private activity bonds and new market tax credits.  Ms. Mallory also led the company through a complicated multistate 1031 exchange that involved 3 finance companies, taxing jurisdictions from 2 states and the Internal Revenue Service.

In addition counseling boards of directors on legal issues, including governance issues, executive compensation and fiduciary obligations, Ms. Mallory has direct board experience.  Currently, Ms. Mallory serves on the boards of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and River South, the organization that issues bonds to supports the development efforts in the River South area of downtown Columbus, Ohio.  Prior to accepting her current position with the Affordable Housing Trust, Ms. Mallory served on its board of directors where she chaired the governance committee and was a member of the finance committee.

Ms. Mallory is a CPA (inactive) and has a B.S.B.A. in accounting and law degree from The Ohio State University and an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida College of Law.  She resides in Central Ohio with her daughter Tasia, son Micah and their two dogs.