Nathan J Wautier

Nathan J. Wautier

Shareholder

Madison
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Nathan Wautier is a shareholder in Reinhart’s Real Estate, Corporate Law and Banking and Finance practices, where his experience and deep network of contacts help him deliver the best business and legal results for his clients. Primarily known as a “dirt lawyer” with a nationwide practice specializing in the purchase, sale, development, financing and anything else related to real estate, Nathan is also known as having significant experience with tax incremental financing and other public/private partnerships.

He is responsive, pragmatic and takes genuine ownership of his clients’ business needs in helping them assess risk and identify opportunities.

Nathan is is recognized nationally as a Fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, and a four-time recipient of Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” award for his adopted hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, in the categories of Land Use and Zoning and General Real Estate.

Nathan believes in community engagement, serving on the Executive Committee of and formerly co-chairing Downtown Madison, Inc., an organization focused on making downtown Madison a great place to work, live and play. Nathan also sits on the Board of Directors for HOAN, a diverse group of leaders from Madison and Milwaukee who work to build connections and strengthen both communities.

His childhood was spent on the family dairy farm in Door County, Wisconsin, which provided the practical experience he drew upon while working as a United States Peace Corps’ Volunteer for subsistence farmers in Guatemala. These experiences helped shaped his work ethic, honed his ingenuity and led him to value relationships built on mutual trust and commitment.

In his free time, Nathan enjoys traveling with his family, learning or doing something new.

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, University of Wisconsin Law School
  • A.B., general and departmental honors, University of Chicago (The History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science and Medicine)

Bar Admissions

Wisconsin | Ohio (inactive)

Practices
Services

Matters

Real Estate Practice:

  • Regularly advises developers on land-use matters, the land entitlement process and tax incremental financing
  • Represents lenders and borrowers to document real estate financing
  • Regularly provides local counsel review and opinions for multi-state transactions
  • Works with several national corporations on matters related to site purchase, development, entitlement, financing and leasing
Institutional Investor Practice:
  • Analyzes and negotiates the legal and economic terms of investments in private equity funds, hedge funds and alternative investment vehicles on behalf of domestic and foreign institutional investors. (The Reinhart team represents 30 percent of the 50 largest North American and European public pension plans in connection with alternative investments, corporate governance and securities litigation.)
  • Particular emphasis on hedge funds and private equity funds holding underlying real estate investments, including distressed properties

Honors & Affiliations

Honors

  • Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” (Land Use and Zoning Law, 2023, 2019, 2017, 2024; Real Estate Law, 2023, 2024)
  • Fellow, American College of Mortgage Attorneys
  • Best Lawyers (Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law)
  • Wisconsin Super Lawyers
  • InBusiness Magazine’s “40 Under 40,” 2013

Affiliations

  • Downtown Madison, Inc. (Executive Committee, Past Board Chair and Past Chair of Economic Development Committee)
  • HOAN (Board of Directors)
  • Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters (Past Member of Board of Directors)
  • Downtown Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin
  • The Friends of the Overture Center for the Arts, Inc. (Past-President and Board of Directors)
  • Smart Growth Madison

News & Insights

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Presentations

  • Panelist, "Panel Discussion: Challenges & Opportunities of Building in Madison," Real Estate & Construction Symposium, InBusiness Madison (September 2023)
  • Presenter, “The Nuts and Bolts of Tax Incremental Financing,” State Bar of Wisconsin’s 12th Annual Commercial Real Estate Update (November 2015)
  • Presenter, “Tax Increment Financing: Opportunities and Pitfalls in Accepting Local Tax Breaks,” Law Conference for International Conference of Shopping Centers, San Diego, CA (October 2013)
  • Panelist, TIF Discussion Panel, Institute of Management Accountants (Madison Chapter), Madison, WI (September 2013)
  • Presenter, TIF and Taxes: 2013 Tax Provisions as they Relate to Real Estate,” Reinhart Real Estate Breakfast Seminar (May 2013)
  • Presenter, “City of Madison TIF policy Rewrite Process,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (May 2013)
  • Presenter, “The Role of Neighborhood Associations in Land Use” Trends in Land Use and Zoning Seminar, Milwaukee, WI (December 2012)
  • Presenter, “Quirks of Wisconsin Real Estate Law–Malpractice Traps Await!” The 2012 Real Estate Institute, State Bar of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (November 2012)
  • Co-Presenter, “Big box ordinances, market studies and traffic studies: How municipal regulations impact the development and operation of shopping centers” Round Table Discussion, ICSC Law Conference, Orlando, FL (October 2012)
  • Presenter, “Broker Disclosures,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (May 2009)
  • Presenter, “Offers to Purchase”, Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (April 2010)
  • Presenter, “Buyer Agency Agreements,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (August 2010)
  • Presenter, “New Developments in Real Estate,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (October 2010)
  • Presenter, “Broker Disclosures,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (April 2011)
  • Presenter, “New Developments in Real Estate,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (October 2011)
  • Presenter, “Broker Ethics,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc. Continuing Education Seminar, Madison, WI (April 2012)
  • Presenter, “Madison’s Zoning Code,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc., Madison, WI (April 2012)
  • Presenter, “Madison’s Zoning Code,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc., Madison, WI (October 2011)
  • Presenter, “Construction Lien Seminar,” Door County Home Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI (January 2008)
  • Presenter, “Patriot Act Compliance in Real Estate Transactions,” Commercial Brokers Group, Inc., Madison, WI (April 2007)
  • Presenter, “Legal Aspects of Condominium and Homeowners’ Associations” Lorman Seminars, Madison & Milwaukee, WI (June 2007)
  • Presenter, “Purchase Agreements” Commercial Real Estate Institute, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (June 2008)

Publications