Amari & Locallo Welcomes Mr. Thomas M. Battista as Of Counsel
Thomas M. Battista recently joined Amari and Locallo as “Of Counsel” to the firm. For 10 years Thomas managed his own firm known as Battista Law Offices, concentrating in property tax reduction. From 2002 to 2011 he practiced with the firm of Rock Fusco & Associates in Chicago as Senior Counsel-Property Taxation Matters, before forming his own firm in 2011. He previously served under two Illinois Governors as a senior executive in the position of Deputy Director of the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, managing a tax appeals caseload of over 16,000 cases annually and a staff of 25 Hearing Officers. The Property Tax Appeal Board has jurisdiction over all Illinois’ 102 counties and oversees tax appeals adjudication throughout the state. The agency reviews decisions from county assessors and county boards of review, and issues decisions that reverse, affirm, or modify local assessment decisions.
He has experience in real property assessment and taxation state-wide, covering retail, manufacturing, commercial, office, condominium and multi-family properties, special use, and exempt properties. Previously, Mr. Battista also served as an Illinois Assistant Attorney General representing parties in civil litigation matters as trial counsel. In 1987, he became Chief of Prosecutions of the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation where his staff was responsible for enforcing statutes governing licensed professionals. Mr. Battista completed undergraduate and graduate studies at Western Illinois University receiving his B.A. in 1979 and M.A.in 1980 and received his law degree in 1983 from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Mr. Battista holds membership in the Chicago Bar Association and has served in various leadership capacities in the Illinois State Bar Association and the Justinian Society of Lawyers. He is former chair of the State and Local Taxation Section Council, and Administrative Law Section Council. He has lectured frequently on matters covering property tax appeals, civil practice and procedure, trial advocacy, and administrative agency adjudication. He lectured frequently for the ISBA Civil Practice Section and before civil practice trial lawyers and assessment officials throughout Illinois. Mr. Battista is licensed to practice law in Illinois as well as before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where he is admitted to the Federal Trial Bar, and the United States Supreme Court Bar.
Battista Law Offices are at 734 N. Wells Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654 and can be reached by phone at 1-312-255-8550, or email at tom@battistalawoffices.com. We are excited about our close relationship and know that our combined experiences will bring clients the best representation in our practice of law.