Thomas J. Boyle concentrates his practice in the areas of property tax law and assessment challenges. Tom represents commercial, industrial and residential property owners on a local and national level in obtaining substantial tax savings with tax assessment appeals, exemptions, state and local incentives, local government tax finance and related litigation.
Clients turn to Tom for his track record in achieving substantial real estate tax savings for their properties. His skillset is highlighted in his experience of managing and arguing property tax appeals before local administrative agencies, the Circuit Court of Cook County, the State of Illinois Appellate Court and the State of Illinois Supreme Court.
Tom was Class Counsel in Khaldoun Fakhoury v. Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer and Ex Officio County Collector, the only successful real estate tax related class action in the State of Illinois in the last 50 years. The case was based upon the Treasurer’s improper application of the state statute relating to the refund of interest paid on property tax refunds. The judgment, on behalf of more than 23,000 Cook County taxpayers, was affirmed by the Appellate Court and Supreme Court of the State of Illinois and exceeded $14,000,000.
Tom began his career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Real Estate Tax Division of the Cook County State’s Attorney Office where he represented various Cook County offices, including the Cook County Assessor, the Cook County Board of Review and the Cook County Treasurer. Tom left the State’s Attorney’s Office in 1998 and began representing property owners to ensure that their real estate tax liabilities are as low as legally permissible.
Professional Leadership
- Illinois State Bar Association, Member
- Chicago Bar Association, Member
- Real Estate Investment Association, Member
Representative Matters
- Led the first successful real estate tax-related class action in Illinois as Class Counsel, where he secured a $14 million judgment on behalf of more than 23,000 taxpayers in a ruling that was affirmed by the Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court. The case was based on the Treasurer’s improper application of the statute relating to the refund of interest paid on property tax refunds.
- Represented Chicago real estate owners in a landmark case relating to the legality of certain city property tax levies. The court entered a tax refund judgment in favor of the city property owners of approximately $50 million. The judgment was sustained in substantial part on appeal.