Partner

Chicago

 

Mary M. Donners has extensive experience in the area of real property taxation in Illinois, both as an attorney in private practice for 26 years and earlier serving on the legal and assessment review staffs of the Cook County Assessor’s Office.  Mary’s experience includes property tax assessment appeals, developmental incentives, property tax exemptions, open space assessments, and sales tax exemptions for not-for-profit clients.  She has represented a broad range of commercial, industrial, healthcare, and not-for profit clients.  She has particular expertise in handling complicated property tax exemption filings for clients including major healthcare systems, social service organizations, cultural institutions, and public agencies.

 

Mary M. Donners has represented clients in hearings before the Illinois Department of Revenue, Cook, Lake, McHenry, and DuPage County Boards of Review, and the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board.  She has successfully negotiated substantial settlements in a number of lawsuits filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, including one in excess of $1,000,000.  Mary has also appeared on behalf of clients before municipal boards and city councils in connection with property tax incentives.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Current

Ryan Law LLP, Chicago Office

 

 

PREVIOUS

K&L Gates (formerly Bell, Boyd & Lloyd), Chicago Office

Gardner, Carton & Douglas (now Drinker, Biddle & Reath), Chicago Office

Office of the Cook County Assessor

 

 

EDUCATION

 

JD, The John Marshall Law School

BA, Loyola University of Chicago

 

 

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

 

State of Illinois

 

 

Professional Organizations

Chicago Bar Association

International Association of Assessing Officers

 

 

Presentation

International Association of Assessing Officers, Legal Conference

 

 

Publication

Tax Incentives Available Under the Real Property Assessment Classification Ordinance of Cook County, Tax Trends (published and distributed by Illinois State Bar Association)