Whitt Law has an experienced team of litigators that maintain a sophisticated and successful litigation and trial practice both in Illinois and elsewhere. Our litigators are routinely involved in high-stakes, precedent-setting litigation. Our practice includes representing clients in matters pending in Illinois state courts, including the Illinois Supreme Court, and federal courts, as well as representing clients in administrative proceedings, before arbitration tribunals and in other alternative dispute resolution forums.

Our litigators have successfully handled numerous types of civil disputes, including those involving high-dollar property tax disputes relating to multi-billion dollar special use properties (such as petroleum refineries and nuclear power stations).

Our litigators are dedicated to aggressive and efficient prosecution and defense of our clients’ disputes and employ a comprehensive yet cost-effective discovery and case preparation methodology focused on presenting a compelling and convincing story at trial. Our case preparation includes active client involvement at every stage. Whether in motion practice, in settlement negotiations or at trial, our attorneys are well known and well regarded for advancing our clients’ immediate and long-term objectives. We also have developed a nationwide network of consulting experts to draw upon as the need arises in any number of engineering, financial or scientific disciplines.

In addition, our litigators spend considerable time counseling clients regarding threatened and anticipated litigation in order to avoid or minimize the impact such litigation may have upon an organization. We care about our clients as people and the continued success of their organizations. We understand that public entity leaders need to exercise sound judgment when determining whether a legal action should be filed, how to avoid or defend against a legal action, and whether a legal action should be tried to verdict or directed toward pre-trial resolution. In addition to the cost of litigation and potential high-dollar exposure, public entity leaders must consider institutional reputation and integrity, as well as issues related to overall economic security. Our litigators are experienced in counseling clients through each of these important and difficult decisions.

Our litigators also have extensive experience handling litigation on behalf of school districts and as a result have developed a unique understanding of the issues and challenges associated therewith.

Representative cases:

• Successfully negotiated a five-year settlement agreement with Constellation Energy Generation, LLC regarding its LaSalle Nuclear Power Station in LaSalle County, Illinois, providing for $130 million in additional taxes for tax years 2022 through 2026.
• Successfully negotiated a six-year settlement agreement with Constellation Energy Generation, LLC regarding its Braidwood Nuclear Power Station in Will County, Illinois, providing for $177 million in additional taxes for years 2022 through 2027.
• Successfully negotiated a five-year settlement agreement with Constellation Energy Generation, LLC regarding its Dresden Nuclear Power Station in Grundy County, Illinois providing for $131.25 million in additional taxes for years 2022 through 2026.
• Successfully litigated and negotiated a five-year settlement with WRB Refining, LP regarding its Wood River Refinery in Madison County, Illinois, providing for $143.4 million in additional taxes for years 2023 through 2027.
• Successfully negotiated $79 million of property taxes paid by PDV Citgo at the Lemont Refinery in Will County, Illinois for tax years 2009 through 2013, resulting in a five-year settlement agreement providing for approximately $105 million in additional taxes for years 2014 through 2018.
• Successfully litigated and negotiated a six-year settlement agreement with Constellation Energy Generation, LLC regarding its Byron Nuclear Power Station in Ogle County, Illinois, resulting in a $202 million settlement agreement for tax years 2022 through 2027, as well as the dismissal of assessment appeals for tax years 2012 through 2019.
  
  

Whitt Law LLC not only possesses the knowledge and skill, but also the dedication and tenacity, to aggressively represent taxing bodies in matters before local boards of review, the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board and the courts both in Illinois and elsewhere. The outcome of a large property tax dispute can affect the financial future of a taxing body for years to come. When the stakes are high, Whitt Law is an experienced, persistent partner in pursuing a sound, common-sense solution to your complex property tax matters.