Segal, Cohen & Landis

Segal, Cohen & Landis has been handling property tax appeals and assessment disputes in Los Angeles County for over three decades. The firm works with residential homeowners, commercial property owners, and real estate investors who believe their assessed values don't reflect what their property is actually worth. They've built a reputation for thorough documentation and a willingness to take cases to the Assessment Appeals Board when an informal resolution isn't enough. The team brings a mix of legal expertise and valuation knowledge to every case. Rather than taking a volume-based approach, they tend to work selectively, focusing on properties where there's a real argument to be made. Clients in Beverly Hills and the surrounding area often come to them after a failed informal appeal or when they're dealing with a reassessment triggered by a change in ownership or new construction.

The firm's core work is property tax appeals under California's Proposition 13 framework and its related rules. They handle both informal appeals filed directly with the Assessor's office and formal petitions to the Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board. Their work spans residential homes, commercial buildings, apartment complexes, and vacant land. Beyond straight appeals, they advise clients on supplemental assessments that follow a sale or major renovation, which can catch owners off guard. They also review base year value transfers under Propositions 58, 60, 61, and 19, helping qualifying homeowners carry their existing assessed value to a new property. Calamity reassessments, which allow for temporary reductions when a property is damaged by fire, flood, or other disaster, are another area they handle. For commercial clients, they often work alongside brokers and property managers to identify over-assessed properties in a portfolio and prioritize which ones are worth challenging. They can also advise on the property tax implications of a pending acquisition before a deal closes, which is something buyers often overlook until it's too late.

The process starts with a property review. The firm looks at the current assessed value, recent comparable sales, and any prior appeal history to determine whether there's a viable case. They're upfront about situations where an appeal isn't likely to produce meaningful savings. If it makes sense to move forward, they file the appeal petition before the applicable deadline, which in Los Angeles County is typically September 15 for the preceding tax year. They prepare a written brief, gather supporting evidence including comparable sales data and any independent appraisals, and represent the client at the hearing. Most cases settle before a formal hearing through negotiation with the Assessor's office. When they don't, the firm presents the case before a three-member appeals board panel. The whole process from filing to resolution usually takes 12 to 24 months in LA County due to the backlog of pending cases.

Segal, Cohen & Landis focuses its practice on Los Angeles County, with most clients located in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and the Hollywood Hills. They also handle cases in the San Fernando Valley and the South Bay. While their primary database and comparables knowledge is strongest in the west side of the county, they'll evaluate properties anywhere in LA County on a case-by-case basis.