Jana Barbe

Hers is a ground-breaking career filled with “firsts” and “onlys”. Jana Barbe was the first woman appointed to the Dentons’ Global Board, and for five years, she was the only woman to serve on the Firm’s Global Board, as it led Dentons’ growth and evolution into the largest law firm in the world.

Jana was also the Firm’s first Global Vice Chair appointed from the United States region, a position she helped define while deftly navigating boardroom and cross-cultural dynamics.

Widely recognized for her sanguine and skillful handling of complex risk and management challenges, Jana also was the first and only woman to chair the Firm’s preeminent Real Estate Practice and the Firm’s Financial Institutions Sector, successfully leading and managing both through boom-times and recessions.

At the same time Jana served the Firm in these many leadership roles, she also founded and cultivated one of the largest practices in the Firm – the Tax Oriented Investments practice which Jana continues to grow and manage.

Jana advises many of the nation’s leading financial institutions and insurance companies in connection with affordable housing and community development investments, as she has for more than 25 years. A foremost authority on low income housing tax credits, Jana’s depth and breadth of expertise in this unique and highly specialized field is unmatched.

She has personally closed in excess of US$7 billion in low income housing tax credit investments on behalf of Dentons clients, and leads an equally talented team of highly substantive and practical tax credit professionals.

Education:

• University of Chicago Law School, 1987, JD
• Northwestern University, 1984, BA, with honors

Admissions and qualifications : Illinois

Memberships:

• Board of advisors, Catalyst, Inc.
• Member, The Chicago Network
• President of the board of directors, The Thresholds (2013–2015)
• DirectWomen Board Institute
• American Bar Association – Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development
• The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition