O'Keefe Lyons & Hynes LLC

Brian P. Forde has more than 20 years of experience representing Illinois commercial, retail, and industrial property owners in real estate taxation appeals and litigation. He joined O’Keefe, Lyons & Hynes in 2000 and handles complex real estate taxation-related legal issues for commercial, industrial, manufacturing, multi-family, warehouse/flex properties, REITs, and virtually all types of real property.

Prior to joining the O’Keefe firm, Brian was an Assistant State's Attorney in the Cook County State's Attorney’s Office, where he represented the People of the State of Illinois and County elected officials, including the Assessor and Board of Review.

He has litigated a variety of cases to the trial level, including:

• Property tax appeal litigation -- focusing on matters including real estate taxation, federal bankruptcy matters, Cook County Board of Election cases and federal drug foreclosures.

Brian focuses his practice on all matters of property and tax related matters:

• Owners
• National and regional developers
• Institutional investors
• Corporate campuses
• Office and retail
• Multi-family
• State and local property tax administrative appeals
• Negotiating, obtaining and implementing tax abatements and incentives (including Cook County Class 6(b), Class L, and Class 8)
• Tax projecting
• Global real estate tax planning

“Our country was founded on the basic notion of fairness in taxation, but local property tax systems can be frustrating and confusing for taxpayers. Avoiding an unfair property tax burden is very possible but it requires the right combination and balance of knowledge, skill and experience to accurately forecast tax burdens, find potential abatements, properly evaluate problems, and if need be to navigate successfully through the appeal process. I am privileged to be able to help our clients achieve these goals.”