Recent Developments in PA Tax Exception Appeals

Tom is the founding member of Stevens & Lee’s State and Local Tax Group. He concentrates his practice in state and local taxes and unclaimed property. His focus is on tax planning and due diligence, tax abatements and credits, and tax appeals and litigation. In the planning and due diligence area, he has extensive experience with state and local tax opinions, tax-efficient entity and transaction structures, merger and acquisition pre-closing due diligence and planning and post-closing implementation, multistate income and receipts apportionment, realty transfer tax, unemployment compensation tax and captive transportation companies. He has represented property taxpayers in assessment appeals and nonprofit organizations in tax exemption appeals in over half of Pennsylvania’s 67 Counties. For unclaimed property, Tom assists holders with risk management, controversies and planning. For tax abatements and credits, he identifies, negotiates and implements tax reductions and related economic development incentives.

A Certified Public Accountant and a lawyer, Tom spent seven years with Ernst & Young, LLP, including as the Mid-Atlantic Area Director of state and local income and franchise taxes. For over 15 years, he served as tax counsel to TE Connectivity when it was known as AMP Incorporated, a Fortune 300 company.

Don concentrates his practice on complex commercial, civil rights, municipal and charitable tax exemption litigation. He has tried more than 60 jury trials and 40 non-jury trials to verdict in Pennsylvania courts and in United States District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania. He has represented hospitals, health care systems, and other non-profit entities in charitable tax exemption and business privilege tax cases. He has also represented numerous counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, police departments, police officers and public officials in Section 1983 litigation, as well as in challenges to tapping fees, zoning enforcement, condemnation, property damage, personal injury and other claims.

Don served as a law clerk to the Honorable David E. Mellenberg of the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County.