The Swartz Report: An Appreciation for the Attorneys in My Life

Post written by Donald Swartz, President and Principal at Swartz + Associates, Inc. | Lover of Chiefs, Royals and golf | Avid “Cruiser” | Poker Enthusiast

I recently returned from my wife’s annual meeting of defense counselors, held this year in Quebec City, Canada. While many may consider this a nice vacation for me as the “tag along spouse”, I see this as another networking opportunity to connect with friends I’ve made and attorneys across the country that may be beneficial to my practice and my clients.

Our clients have locations across the country, allowing me the opportunity to work with county appraisers and assessors everywhere. Because of this, strong local counsel is a must in several situations.

I’ve found some of the best attorneys through my relationships with the members of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) as well as the Defense Research Institute (DRI). These networks have spawned terrific relationships over the years with people who we’ve engaged to successfully represent our clients.

Interestingly, while I always appreciate the effort and work of legal counsel, it was during a discussion with a speaker from the conference that reaffirmed my confidence in counsel. This particular speaker has been an expert witness in his field and has been called to testify in cases multiple times over his career.

He commented that he’s heard all the “lawyer jokes” and the sometimes “rolling of the eyes” or a somewhat sarcastic tone with a response of, “Ohhhhhhh, you’re a LAWYER!” when asked about one’s profession.

This speaker went on to say that he loves working with lawyers. Why? Because he finds them to be smart, thoughtful and willing to dissect possibilities to give a client the best outcomes (sometimes even if they are unfavorable).

While I’ve always assumed this to be the case, it was reinforced when hearing it from another person, particularly an individual with a niche expertise that may exceed the general knowledge of any legal counsel.

So let me take a moment to again thank all of the counselors I’ve had the privilege of working with over the past 30 years for your efforts and representation of our clients. I appreciate our partnership and look forward to many more successful outcomes.

And to my clients, thank you for trusting us in our recommendations. Our goal has been, and will remain, to put ourselves in the best position to obtain results for our clients in a professional and respectful manner.

Quick note from the property tax world……

Valuation notices are out in most states at this time and some areas are receiving their tax bills. While most appeal deadlines have passed, this is a good opportunity to review your tax situation and get a head start on planning for next year. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns as to your tax liability or associated valuation.

If you have questions about your tax liability or associated valuation, email me at  or call our office at (913) 766-8777.