John J. Mehler

For 30 years, "Jack" Mehler has helped public and private companies, banks, developers, non-profit corporations and individuals in a wide range of legal matters. Jack concentrates in the areas of general business matters, real estate, banking, and financial transactions.

Jack also represents taxpayer-clients and developers in real estate tax assessment (value) appeals, and tax exemption cases throughout western Pennsylvania on many different types of properties as diverse as marinas, waterfront shipping facilities, hospitals, shopping centers and malls, industrial plants, truck terminals and warehouses, commercial and professional office buildings, corporate headquarters, hotels, and senior living facilities.

Jack has written numerous articles and is a frequent speaker before peer groups on business, real estate, appraisal practice and property tax litigation.

Clients include: Erie Insurance Exchange, General Electric, HANDS (Housing and Neighborhood Development Service), Plastek Industries, Inc., and Wegmans Food Markets.

Representative Matters

Northwest Pennsylvania Hospital. Jack was the lead lawyer on a challenge to a hospital's tax exemption. Jack's team successfully defended and ultimately defeated the challenge to the real estate tax exemption for the large, rural, historically tax-exempt Hospital. At the outset, the county and its assessment office revoked the real estate tax exemption for the health center and increased the nominal assessment to nearly $39 million. Consequently, the Hospital faced paying in excess of $1.7 million in real estate taxes annually. Jack led the interdisciplinary team of real estate, healthcare, and tax lawyers in handling the case. As a result of these efforts, the Hospital remains exempt, and the assessed value was returned to its former, nominal assessment. The Hospital's case became a template used by other local, traditionally nonprofit entities in preserving their exempt status as well.

International Loan Transaction. Jack Mehler is counsel to a multi-national corporation which re-financed a $100 million credit facility extended by a syndication of banks. Subsidiaries involved in the loan transaction are located in Europe, Latin America, and South America. Jack oversaw and coordinated the efforts of counsel to the various subsidiaries, and handled the negotiation, execution and delivery of the loan documents, and the assembly and delivery of the company's constituent and collateral documents, to the lead bank.

Real Estate Assessment Appeal - Outside Entertainment Venue. Jack successfully handled a real estate tax assessment (value) appeal case involving an outside entertainment venue. As part of the overall resolution of the case, the assessor reduced the assessment on the motor sports complex from approximately $5.3 million to $1.75 million. In addition to the 60% reduction in the assessment, Jack secured tax (cash) refunds for the property owner well in excess of $200,000.