Property Tax Disputes

New York Tax Dispute Lawyers Challenge Commercial Property Assessment

The Albany New York-based law firm of Hacker Murphy is recognized statewide as a leader in the area of real estate valuation, tax assessment litigation (certiorari), and eminent domain or condemnation. We help businesses reduce their real estate taxes. We also counsel and defend a select number of municipalities in valuations and assessments.

Our Albany property tax dispute lawyers are knowledgeable in all aspects of real estate tax claims, namely challenging tax assessments on commercial properties. The firm has extensive experience in dealing with Boards of Assessment Review, the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services (ORPTS), and the New York courts.

See examples of our notable case results in tax litigation.

New York Tax Appeal Lawyers with Statewide Knowledge and Results

The Hacker Murphy firm serves clients throughout the Greater Capital District and handles tax certiorari throughout Central and Upstate New York, from Westchester County to Plattsburgh and west to Buffalo and the southern tier counties.

We represent commercial, industrial and utility owners and municipalities in tax assessment review proceedings. Our clients have included counties, cities, towns, and school districts, and major regional businesses such as manufacturing plants, shopping malls, utilities, office parks, industrial parks, golf courses, condominiums, cooperatives, and retailers. We also represent these parties in eminent domain disputes over the condemnation itself and the fair market value compensation to displaced owners.

NY Tax Dispute Attorneys with Experience

Attorney and Partner, David R. Murphy, heads our commercial real estate litigation and property tax law division. He has also written and taught extensively in the area of real estate tax certiorari, valuation, and tax abatement. He is a contributor to the authoritative treatise entitled, “Review and Reduction of Real Property Assessment in New York” (New York State Bar Association, 1988) and brings more than 35 years of real estate tax law experience to your litigation matter. Mr. Murphy has served as lead counsel in nationally significant cases involving commercial real property.

Partner Patrick Seely has served as trial counsel in valuation proceedings involving commercial and industrial properties diversified among heavy manufacturing plants, power generation plants and utility distribution systems, condominiums and cooperatives, and commercial and office buildings. He also authored the chapter “Defending A Certiorari Proceeding” in the 2000 supplement to “Review and Reduction of Real Property Assessments in New York” published by the New York State Bar Association. Mr. Seely has lectured frequently to industry trade groups and assessors on property tax proceedings and eminent domain. He handles eminent domain and condemnation proceedings for landowners and condemning authorities alike.

Cathy L. Drobny practices primarily in property tax litigation and real estate. She also has lectured on real property tax issues for the NYS Assessors Association.

Hacker Murphy has represented a diverse group of clients in tax assessment and condemnation matters, including, General Electric Company, Allied Signal Inc., QuadGraphics Inc., United Group of Companies, and Albany County Airport Authority. In addition, many New York municipalities, including the Towns of Newburgh, North Elba, Halfmoon, Johnstown, Bethlehem, Ossining and Scarsdale, and the Cities of Watervliet and Gloversville have been successful with our experienced legal teams.

When It Comes to Real Estate Law, Case Results Matter

New York Property Tax Dispute Attorneys You can Trust

Officially cited cases involving property tax law, tax abatement, and condemnation include:

• Lehigh Portland Cement Co. v. Assessor (Town of Catskill) -Successful defense of multi-million dollar assessment for a regional cement manufacturing plant.
• General Electric Co. v. Macejka – 1.8 million sq. ft. industrial manufacturing complex; prevented municipality from obtaining income and expense statements from manufacturing operations.
• Blue Circle Inc. v. Schermerhorn – Successful defense of $65 million assessment of cement manufacturing plant.
• City of Troy v. Kusala – Successful defense of assessment to a municipal dam and reservoir.
• Welch Foods Inc. v. Town of Westfield – Defense of assessment on national market, grape processing complex with appeals court upholding the majority of trial court determination.
• Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. v. Cutler – Successful challenge for the petitioner to the Town’s attempt to assess the value of the “head” generated by a hydroelectric plant.
• Norton Company v. Watervliet – Successful defense to property tax abatement on manufacturing, warehousing, and office building complex.
• North Pole Resorts, Inc. v. Board of Assessors – Successful defense to the tax certiorari challenge for a regional amusement park.
• Eastern Housing Associates v. City Assessor – Obtained reversal of trial court to obtain reductions in assessments of the large apartment complex.
• Loughran v. Cruickshank – Partition action for a 1,300-acre tract of Catskill timberland.
• Erie Blvd. Hydropower, LP v. Town of Ephratah – Successful defense to assessment challenge of hydroelectric power project stretching over two Towns and consisting of three separate dams and reservoirs along with a powerhouse, penstock, and associated electric facilities.
• Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. v. Town of Bethlehem – Successful defense to utility challenge of special district taxation by town special district.

The attorneys of Hacker Murphy are experienced Real Estate and Property Tax counselors.

Contact a New York Property Tax Appeal Attorney Today

Contact us to schedule a consultation and discuss our fee arrangements for property tax abatement cases, or schedule if you would like a consultation in any of our other practice areas.

Hacker Murphy also helps clients with the following property tax dispute cases:

• Property Tax Appeal for Business Owners
• Property tax Assessment Appeal
• Challenging Tax Evaluation
• Hotel Resort Property Tax Assessment Disputes
• Golf Course Property Tax Assessment Appeals
• Municipality Tax Litigation

We offer convenient meeting times at any of our four regional offices:

• Albany Law Office
• Schenectady Law Office
• Troy Law Office
• Saratoga Springs Law Office