Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor knows that quality education comes at a price - so we use every legal tool available to help educational institutions maximize available funding and minimize the cost of doing business.

Tax-wise counsel. With many Illinois schools depending on property taxes for 60 to 70 percent of their funding, protecting tax revenues is critical. Taking a preventive approach, Robbins, Schwartz guides educational entities through the process of preparing levies in a manner that discourages taxpayer objections. When objections do arise, clients benefit both from Robbins, Schwartz's hands-on experience with the mechanics of tax levies and from our fundamental understanding of school finance. For example, our amicus brief, prepared for the Illinois Association of School Boards, was instrumental in persuading the Illinois Supreme Court to reject tax objectors' assertions that state law presumes year-to-year correspondence between school budgets and tax levies.

Smart financial alternatives. When it comes to school finance, state law limits flexibility, so school districts are tapping creative strategies to generate new revenues. Robbins, Schwartz analyzes legal and policy issues raised by corporate sponsorships and school alliances with foundations - helping school boards retain appropriate control over and maximize use of school property. In communities where developer donation ordinances do not exist, Robbins, Schwartz can help school districts work with municipalities to negotiate donation agreements that secure the financial resources required to serve student populations generated by new developments. When TIF districts threaten to reduce support for education, Robbins, Schwartz works to protect school districts' interests through constructive negotiation with TIF proponents. When unwarranted requests for tax assessment reductions or exemptions arise, the firm goes to bat for client districts, ensuring that property owners pay their fair share for public education.

Redrawing the lines. Demographic changes can adversely affect the quality of education that overburdened or underpopulated school districts can provide. Robbins, Schwartz understands the painful realities of annexation and consolidation. Where student population has dropped to critical levels, we've helped districts to consolidate and to secure state incentive payments, which can give them a new lease on life. In growth areas, where district boundaries may no longer reflect community affinities, Robbins, Schwartz counsels clients as to the available courses of action when property owners petition to switch districts.

Real property, real advice. At various junctures, school districts and colleges are landowners, lessors and lessees, with responsibility for substantial properties. Robbins, Schwartz helps clients address all the issues associated with property ownership, including liability and First Amendment problems that can arise from community use of school property, and environmental concerns about asbestos abatement, mold removal, radon testing and "sick building" syndrome. We counsel clients through the process of acquiring property, including zoning and land use issues, real estate contracts and title checks, and we oversee selling or leasing unused school sites - counseling clients as to the potential tax consequences of lease arrangements and, when possible, ensuring that such agreements do not jeopardize their tax exempt status.

Constructive counsel. Robbins, Schwartz offers clients an unparalleled team dedicated to the construction industry. Clients and adversaries alike respect our substantive knowledge of applicable law and regulations, our focused experience in the field, and our problem-solving, preventive approach. We begin every project, regardless of size, by educating clients about the construction industry, how it works, and the respective contributions of each team member. Then, Robbins, Schwartz helps define the project scope, identify the precise combination of skills best suited to the job at hand, and develop contracts that are neither so onerous as to cause resentment, nor so vague as to invite disputes. By establishing expectations before the first nail is driven - and serving as an expert resource throughout the project - Robbins, Schwartz helps minimize disruption and promotes timely, cost-efficient construction projects. Should unanticipated delays or construction defects give rise to disputes, Robbins, Schwartz seeks the most direct and cost-effective means of resolving them. Often, mediation is a useful option; but thirty years of experience teaches us to recognize which disputes are negotiable and which are destined for the courtroom. Through preventive counsel, we put our clients in a winning position from the outset; through aggressive advocacy in any forum, we validate that position with consistently winning results.