Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland & Ellis leverages its national resources and sophisticated tax expertise to handle complex property tax matters for Austin's largest commercial property owners. Our tax attorneys combine deep technical knowledge with strategic litigation skills to challenge improper assessments. While we don't handle routine residential protests, we excel at high-stakes commercial appeals involving office towers, shopping centers, industrial complexes, and multi-property portfolios. Our clients include REITs, private equity funds, and major corporations requiring sophisticated valuation analysis and aggressive representation. We bring institutional-level resources to property tax disputes that warrant comprehensive legal strategy.

Our property tax practice focuses exclusively on large-scale commercial appeals and complex valuation disputes. We handle sophisticated income capitalization challenges, questioning appraisal district assumptions about rental rates, operating expenses, and capitalization rates. Our team includes economists and valuation experts who provide detailed analysis supporting our legal arguments. We represent clients in formal hearings, administrative appeals, and litigation through state and federal courts when constitutional issues arise. Our services include portfolio-wide assessment reviews, strategic planning for property acquisitions to minimize future tax exposure, and coordination with property managers to ensure optimal documentation. We also handle specialized situations like dark store theory cases, obsolescence disputes, and properties affected by environmental contamination or regulatory changes.

Our engagement begins with a comprehensive portfolio analysis to identify properties with the greatest appeal potential. We conduct detailed financial analysis of each property's income and expense data, comparing appraisal district assumptions to market reality. We then develop a multi-year strategic approach, coordinating appeals across different tax years and jurisdictions when beneficial. Our team prepares extensive evidence packages including third-party appraisals, market studies, and expert witness testimony. We handle all aspects of the formal hearing process and pursue additional remedies through administrative and judicial appeals when justified by potential savings.

We serve clients throughout Texas with particular focus on major metropolitan areas including Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Our Austin office handles Travis County matters while coordinating with our national network for multi-state property owners. Our geographic scope extends beyond Texas for clients with national portfolios requiring coordinated property tax strategies. We work closely with local counsel in other jurisdictions to ensure consistent approach and maximum efficiency.