Overview
Tom has practiced Property Tax and Real Estate Law since 1978 and has been an MSBA Board Certified Specialist in Real Property Law since the inception of that designation.
Tom is highly acclaimed for his expertise in real property valuation and property tax appeals, including retail, hotel, office, industrial, apartment and redevelopment properties. He is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, and is a MSBA certified specialist in real property law who practices property tax law. Named to The Best Lawyers in America© 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and again in 2021. Tom has received numerous honors, awards and accolades: America’s Most Honored Professional by American Registry; “Minnesota Top Rated Lawyer” by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell; “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Super Lawyers Magazine; Best Lawyers in Minnesota; Best Lawyers in Minnesota – Minnesota Monthly Magazine 2021 and 2022; “Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year” for the USA by Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards; Intercontinental Finance & Law – 2018 and 2020 Top 50 Global Expert Status; Finance Monthly – 2019, 2020 and 2021 Taxation - Lawyer of the Year; “M&A Today Global - Best Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year” for the USA 2019 and 2020; Legal Award for “Excellence in Tax Litigation – Minnesota” from the International Association of Lawyers and Swissport; “Leading Lawyer Global 250” by Lawyer Monthly; Global 100 - Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year for 2020 and 2021; Lawyer International – Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year for 2021; Corporate America Today - Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year for 2021; Acquisition International Magazine Global Excellence Awards - Most Influential Property Tax Law Specialist for 2020; (with Fredrikson & Byron) “Best Corporate Tax Law Firm” for the USA for 2016, 2020 and 2021 by Lawyer’s World; (with Fredrikson & Byron) The Lawyers Worldwide Awards Innovative Lawyers - Property Tax Law Firm of the Year – USA for 2021; (with Fredrikson & Byron) Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards Magazine Continent Awards - Corporate Tax Law Firm of the Year – USA for 2021; and (with Fredrikson & Byron) Dealmakers Best Corporate Law Firm – USA; (with Fredrikson & Byron) named “Tax Law Firm of the Year” for the USA by Finance Monthly; (with Fredrikson & Byron) Legal Comprehensive Golden Globe Award - Tax Law Firm of the Year – U.S.A.; (with Fredrikson & Byron) Intercontinental Finance & Law Top 100 Leading Firm 2020; (with Fredrikson & Byron) Corporate USA Today – Best Corporate Tax Law Firm – USA; (with Fredrikson & Byron) Lawyer International – Legal 100 Award Corporate Tax Law Firm of the Year for the USA for 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Services
Experience
Department Stores, Shopping Centers and Big Box Retail
- Our representation of many big box retailers, national retailers and major shopping center developers and managers has led to reductions in value of many millions of dollars each year for major retail facilities.
Office Buildings
- We have generated real estate tax savings as high as seven figure amounts for our clients, reducing the taxable value by as much as 70% for properties in both the Minneapolis and St. Paul central business districts and throughout the greater metro area.
Environmentally Contaminated Properties
- We are nationally recognized for our cutting-edge work in cases where the market value of the subject property is adversely affected by petroleum derivatives, asbestos, PCBs, landfills, and other contaminants.
Medical Office Buildings
- We have developed considerable expertise in the valuation of medical office buildings resulting in substantial reductions for our clients.
Industrial, Manufacturing, Office Warehouse and Office Showroom Facilities
- We have regular experience with large and not-so-large industrial properties, and have achieved tax reductions for our clients reducing the estimated market value by millions of dollars, including newer facilities.
Development Sites
- We have achieved tax reductions of more than 50% on unimproved parcels.
Apartment Buildings
- Even in a rising market we achieved annual reductions in market value of several millions of dollars on apartment complexes, in some instances reducing taxes by more than 50%.
Grain Elevators
- We have achieved reductions in appeals of grain elevators exceeding 30%.
Bank Properties
- We have successfully represented several major banks in trial and in negotiations.
Credentials
Education
- University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1978
- Hinton Moot Court Finalist, 1977
- University of Notre Dame, B.B.A., 1975, summa cum laude
- St. Thomas Academy, 1971, summa cum laude
Admissions
- Wisconsin, 2018
- Minnesota, 1978
- U.S. District Court, 1988
Recognition
- Best Lawyers’ Litigation and Controversy – Tax “Lawyer of the Year,” in Minneapolis, 2023
- Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year – USA, Global Venture Annual Awards, 2019
- Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year – USA, Corporate America Today, 2019 and 2021
- Most Influential Property Tax Lawyer of the Year – Minnesota, AI Global Media Corporate Excellence Awards, 2019
- M&A Today Global Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year – USA, 2016, 2019
- The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, 2015-present
- Super Lawyer, Minnesota Super Lawyers, 2008, 2010-2017
- Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year - USA, Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards, 2013-present
- America’s Most Honored Professional by American Registry, 2016
- Legal 100 Award Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year – USA, Lawyer International, 2016, 2019
- Best Corporate Tax Law Firm – USA (with Fredrikson & Byron), Lawyer’s World, 2016, 2019
- Tax Law Firm of the Year, Finance Monthly, 2014-present
- 2015 Legal Award, Excellence in Tax Litigation - Minnesota, International Association of Lawyers and Swissport
- Golden Globe 100 Award - Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year - USA, KMH Media Group
- Best Corporate Tax Law Firm - USA, by LegalComprehensive.com
- Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year, Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards, 2013-present
- ICFM 500 Leading Lawyer, Inter Continental Finance & Law, 2016-present
- Top Rated Lawyer in Taxation Law, American Lawyer Media and Martindale Hubbell
- Best Corporate Tax Law Firm - USA, Lawyers World Law Awards, 2016-present
- Leading Lawyer Global 250 for 2014, Lawyer Monthly
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
- MSBA Board Certified Specialist in Real Property Law, certified by the Real Property Section of the Minnesota Bar Association
Civic & Professional
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association, Real Property, Urban, State and Local Law and Tax Sections, State and Local Taxation Committee
- National Association of Property Tax Attorneys, Vice President-Programming and Board of Directors Member
- ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, Committee Chair, 2022-present
- ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, Committee Vice Chair, 2010-2021
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Real Property and Tax Sections
- Minnesota Corporate Counsel Association
- Institute for Professionals in Taxation
- Institute for Professionals in Taxation, Retail Committee
- Minneapolis and St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association
- National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
- Minnesota Shopping Center Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
News & Insights
Legal Updates
Publications & Presentations
Moderator/Speaker, “Current Evidentiary and Strategic Issues,” 2022 ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, March 2022
Moderator/Speaker, “The Assessors’ Dark Store Conspiracy Theory Revisited ... Again,” 2021 ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, March 2021
Moderator, “The Dark Store Saga Continues: What to Expect Next, and What to Do About It,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 14, 2019
Moderator, “The Next Chapter Of The Dark Store Saga: Does The IAAO Commercial Big Box Retail White Paper Simply Attempt to Change The Rules?,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 22, 2018
Moderator, “The Dark Store Theory: Controversy in the Property Tax World,” NAPTA Annual Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, October 6, 2017
Moderator, “The Dark Store Theory: Controversy in the Property Tax World,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 23, 2017
Panelist, “Ask the Experts,” Council on State Taxation (COST) Property Tax Workshop, Minneapolis, MN, September 19-20, 2016
Speaker, “Mock Trial and Legislative Advocacy Skit,” COST Property Tax Workshop, Minneapolis, MN, September 19-20, 2016
Moderator, “Valuation Issues Involving the Dark Store Theory: Build-to-Suit, Sale-Leaseback and Vacant Properties,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 3, 2016
Moderator, “The Dark Store Theory and Related Hot Topics in the Valuation of Big Box Retail Properties,” NAPTA Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts October 2, 2015
Panelist, “Reducing Your Corporate Real & Personal Property Taxes,” Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) Professional Forum, Cleveland, Ohio, September 26, 2015
Moderator, “Valuation Issues for Senior Housing,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 19, 2015
Speaker, “Roundtable: Perspectives on Valuation Issues,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 19, 2015
Speaker, “Meet with the Experts,” IAAO Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, September 15, 2015
Moderator, The Times, They Are A Changing: Understanding and Valuing Property During Transition, Repositioning and Redevelopment, NAPTA Annual Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 28, 2014
Moderator, Valuation Issues for Big Box Stores and Malls, ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 3, 2014
Speaker, “Multi-State Property Tax Update and Roundtable Discussion,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 3, 2014
Moderator, Overview of the Cost Approach, Focusing on Physical Depreciation, ABA/IPT 2013 Property Tax Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 21, 2013
Speaker, “Minnesota Update,” Multi-State Property Tax Update and Roundtable Discussion, ABA/IPT 2013 Property Tax Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 21, 2013
Moderator, Functional Obsolescence, ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 22, 2012
Moderator, The Use of Review Appraisals in Property Valuation Cases, ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 22, 2012
Moderator, Economic Obsolescence, ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 24, 2011
Speaker, “Practical Property Tax Litigation Issues, Pointers and Tips,” ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 24, 2011
Valuation Issues in a Declining Market, ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 25, 2010
“Real Property Case Update”, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter, January 24, 2006
“Environmental Effects on Property Tax”, Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT) 2003 Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, June 23, 2003
“Trends in Property Tax Cases - Observations from the Front Line”, 5th Annual Real Estate Trends 2003 Seminar, Metro/Minnesota Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, St. Paul, Minnesota, April 10, 2003
Chairperson, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (MILE) Program Asset Valuation, Bloomington, Minnesota, April 3, 2003
“The Impact of a Sale of the Subject Property on the Determination of Taxable Market Value”, Asset Valuation Seminar presented by Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (MILE), Bloomington, Minnesota, April 3, 2003