Kara J. Cavallo

PARTNER

Kara J. Cavallo is a Partner concentrating in the areas of real property tax certiorari, civil appellate practice and civil litigation.  Kara primarily represents taxing jurisdictions and petitioners in tax certiorari proceedings with respect to real property tax exemptions, valuation and assessment.  Kara represents assessors, municipalities, not-for-profit and for-profit entities with respect to a wide array of real property cases including condominiums, apartments, restaurants, golf courses, hemp and cannabis, manufacturing, residential subdivisions, senior care, rehabilitation and treatment centers and other commercial and industrial properties.  She handles cases at both the trial and appellate level involving the valuation of real property, charitable, religious, agricultural, business investment and other real property tax exemptions, selective assessment, and constitutional issues impacting real property taxation and assessment.

Kara received her Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in 1994 from Arizona State University, with a major in Political Science and a minor in Spanish.  Kara received her Juris Doctor degree in 1999 from the University of Arizona, College of Law, where she was an Executive Note Editor for the Arizona Law Review.

Kara was admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New York in 2002.  She clerked for the Honorable James B. Sult at the Arizona Court of Appeals after graduating from law school, and practiced as a litigation association in the Phoenix office of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP before joining J&G in 2004.

Kara currently serves as Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Rights Society, Inc.  Kara previously served on the Board of Directors of the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties (“WBAOSC”), including as its President, and is a member of both WBAOSC and the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.  She is also a member of the New York  State Bar Association, Real Property Law Section and the Committee on Condemnation, Certiorari and Real Estate Taxation.  Kara is a subscribing member of the Orange County Assessors Association, and an associate member of the New York State Assessors Association and the International Association of Assessing Officers.  Kara published her Note, while serving on the Arizona Law Review, and has lectured at seminars and continuing legal education presentations, including on the topics of appellate practice, sexual harassment prevention, not-for-profit governance and compliance, and real property taxation and assessment.

Kara has been selected as a Woman Leader in Law by Martindale-Hubbell in April 2023.

BAR ADMISSIONS

·         New York, 2002

·         U.S. District Court Southern District of New York

·         U.S. District Court Northern District of New York

·         U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

·         U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit

EDUCATION

• University of Arizona College of Law, Tucson, Arizona
  •  J.D. – 1999
  • Law Review: University of Arizona, College of Law, 1997-1999, Executive Note Editor, 1998 – 1999
• Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
  • B.S. magna cum laude – 1994
  • Honors: Dean’s List
  • Major: Political Science
  • Minor: Spanish

CLASSES/SEMINARS

• Co-presenter with Dylan Harris, Esq., 2023 Dutchess County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education:  “Article 7 Refresher and Case Law Update” (April 21, 2023)
• Guest Speaker, Westchester County Chapter, New York State Assessors Association, “Selective Assessment:  SCAR and Statute of Limitations” (January 10, 2023)
• Presenter:  Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties Continuing Legal Education: “Tax Certiorari 101” (December 7, 2022)
• Guest Speaker, New York State Assessors Association, Webinar Series:  “Selective Assessment Recap” (November 2, 2022)
• Instructor, 2022 New York State Assessors Association Annual Conference:  “Constitutional Issues Impacting Real Property Taxation and Assessment” (September 21, 2022)
• Co-presenter with John Cappello, 2021 Mid-Hudson Appraisal Institute Case Studies Seminar:  “Nuts and Bolts and Recent Developments in Solar, Cannabis and Residential Development” (October 13, 2021)
• Instructor, 2021 New York State Assessors Association Seminar:  “Mandatory Real Property Tax Exemptions for Nonprofit Entities” (April 21, 2021)
• Instructor,  2020 New York State Assessors Association Annual Conference:  “The Ins and Outs of the Exemption Process” (October 6, 2020)
• Co-presenter with Marissa Logan, Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, 5th Annual Appraisal Case Studies Seminar: “Marijuana and Hemp Industry – Impact of Evolving Laws and Regulation on Real Estate” (October 16, 2019)
• Presenter:  “Sexual Harassment Prevention Training”
• Co-presenter with Gary Schuster:  “Nonprofit 101” (November, 2018)
• Guest on the Orange County Chamber of Commerce ‘Chamber Chat’ Radio Program on WTBQ with Gary Schuster:  “Nonprofit 101” (August 17, 2018)
• Co-presenter with Hon. Mark C. Dillon, Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department:  “Appellate Practice:  Perspectives from the Bench and Bar” (May 24, 2018)
• Presenter, Appraisal Institute, Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, 1st Annual Appraisal Case Studies Seminar:  “Recent Decisions in Tax Assessment Case Law and What it Means for Appraisers” (October 14, 2015)
• Instructor, 2015 New York State Assessors Association Annual Conference:  “Constitutional Issues Affecting Real Property Taxation” (October 6 & 7, 2015)
• Guest Speaker, Meeting of Assessors from Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties:  “Selective Assessment and Other Legal Issues Impacting Real Property Taxation and Assessment” (November 7, 2014)
• Guest speaker, Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Appraisal Institute:  “Selective Assessment and Other Legal Issues Impacting Real Property Taxation and Assessment” (September 10, 2014)

PUBLISHED WORKS

• The ABA’s Resolution Calling For A Moratorium on Executions: What Jurisdictions Can Do To Ensure that the Death Penalty Is Imposed Responsibly, Arizona Law Review, 40 Ariz L. Rev. 1515, 1998

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Woman Leader in Law, Martindale-Hubbell, April 2023

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

• Board of Director, Vice President, Children’s Rights Society, Inc., Orange County, New York
• Women’s Bar Association of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Immediate Past President and Delegate to the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (2017-2018)
• Women’s Bar Association of Orange & Sullivan Counties, President (2016-2017)
• Women’s Bar Association of Orange & Sullivan Counties, President-Elect and Delegate to the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (2015-2016)
• Women’s Bar Association of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Treasurer (2014-2015)
• Women’s Bar Association of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Corresponding Secretary (2013-2014)
• Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, Member
• Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Member
• New York State Bar Association, Member
• New York  State Bar Association, Real Property Law Section and the Committee on Condemnation, Certiorari and Real Estate Taxation, Member
• Orange County Assessors Association, Subscribing Member
• New York State Assessors Association, Associate Member
• International Association of Assessing Officers, Associate Member