Our Team
Co-Managing Partner
Leonard F. Amari, the firm founder, is a Juris Doctor (1968) recipient from The John Marshall Law School, with honors, where he served as the president of its Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2017. A practicing attorney for fifty years, he is past president of the 37,000 member Illinois State Bar Association (1989-90). He served as general Counsel for the Office of the Cook County Assessor, Thomas C. Hynes, from 1983 to 1987, when the firm was founded.
Joseph F. Locallo, Jr., a managing partner, received his JD (1976) and Masters of Laws, (in Taxation), from The John Marshall Law School (1987). He served as Chief of Revenue Litigation, Northern Division, Office of the Illinois Attorney General (1987-1989), representing, among others, the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Partners
John G. Locallo, a partner, is both a Certified Public Accountant and a lawyer and received his JD (1986) and Master of Laws (in Taxation) from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, having served as president of its Alumni Association Board. He, like Leonard and Joe, served as president of the Justinian Society of Lawyers and served as President of the Illinois State Bar Association, 2010-2011.
Anthony M. Farace, a partner, is responsible for the overall administration of the firm’s real estate tax appeal practice. Anthony has worked at Amari & Locallo his entire professional career, beginning as a law clerk with the firm while attending The John Marshall Law School and from where he received his JD (1993). In addition to bringing a wealth of information technology to his firm management responsibilities, he has successfully represented clients in securing significant tax savings through the Cook County Industrial Class 6b Incentive Program.
Franco A. Coladipietro, a partner, attended The John Marshall Law School, from which he received his JD (1993) and served as an Editor on the Law Review. Franco supervises the firm’s collar county practice and is based out of the Bloomingdale office. Franco served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2007-2013 and is currently the Village President in Bloomingdale, Illinois.
Katherine Amari O’Dell, a partner, handles matters which include filing real estate tax protests at the local Assessor’s Offices and Boards of Review. Katherine also handles various related real estate tax matters including back tax and tax sale issues, incentives, State of Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board cases and all litigation aspects of the practice.
Joseph F. Locallo, III, a partner, received his JD (2009) from The John Marshall Law School and serves the firm in handling real estate tax assessment appeals. Joe is also responsible for the administration and maintenance of matters dealing with real estate tax incentives for the firm’s clients. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association State and Local Tax Committee.
Associate Attorney
Daniel R. Lynch, an associate, is a JD (2006) recipient from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, and serves the firm in the handling of real estate tax assessment matters. Dan is a member of the American Bar Association, ISBA and Chicago Bar Association.
Vesna Marusic, an associate, is a member of the firm’s litigation department. Vesna has successfully litigated thousands of real estate tax objection cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Additionally, Vesna represents municipal, educational, charitable and religious entities before local Boards of Review and the Illinois Department of Revenue in real estate tax exemption matters.
Vincent A. Oppedisano, an associate, is a JD recipient from JMLS, cum laude (2013) and serves the firm’s real estate tax assessment matters. He was named a “Rising Star” by Illinois Super Lawyers for the years 2017-2020.
Real Estate Tax Analyst
Kevin Madsen joined the law firm of Amari & Locallo in 2003 and currently serves as a real estate tax analyst. Kevin is responsible for real estate tax assessment matters for properties located in Cook County. Based out of the firm’s Bloomingdale (DuPage County) office, Kevin also specializes in monitoring, researching, and preparing appeals for properties located in the Collar Counties and throughout the State of Illinois.
Louis Dattomo joined the law firm of Amari & Locallo in 2003 and currently serves as a real estate tax analyst. Louis is responsible for real estate tax assessment matters for properties located in Cook County. Based out of the firm’s Bloomingdale (DuPage County) office, Louis specializes in monitoring, researching, analyzing and preparing appeals. Louis previously served as Senior Assistant to the Illinois Attorney General from 1995 to 2003.
Marcin Rozkuszka is a real estate tax analyst at Amari & Locallo, where he processes real estate tax appeals from start to finish, including property analysis and educating clients about their appeal options. Marcin specializes in all types of properties including single family homes, commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings. Marcin joined Amari & Locallo in 2016, he has previously worked as a paralegal with various real estate tax law offices.