Jeffrey T. Bennett

Jeff is a partner in the firm’s Tax and Employee Benefits department. He practices in the areas of property tax, economic development, and environmental law. Jeff approaches each client as an individual and pursues a custom approach to address each client’s issues. In cases of tax litigation, his goal is to maximize the fairness in tax assessments for his clients. 

He has represented taxpayers in a variety of industries in tax litigation matters. Jeff is part of the firm’s tax litigation team which has one of the largest collections of state and local tax litigation partners in the region. He has collectively litigated more than a hundred tax cases in the Indiana Tax Court and the Indiana Supreme Court. The state and local cases that Jeff handles sometimes involve state and federal constitutional provisions. He has also frequently represents clients in property tax disputes concerning the valuation of business personal property.

Jeff frequently assists clients in matters of economic development, including negotiating and obtaining incentives such as tax abatement and real estate matters. He is experienced in serving clients in the utility and energy sectors, including but not limited to wind energy companies in Indiana.

Jeff earned his J.D. from Indiana University Maurer School of Law. He earned his undergraduate degree from DePauw University. Jeff received admission to the Indiana Bar, the U.S. District Court, Southern and Northern Districts of Indiana in 1989. He was admitted to the U.S.  Supreme Court in 2005.

• Allen County Assessor v. Verizon Data Services, Cause No. 49T10-1408-TA-00053, Indiana  Tax Court (October 30, 2015)
• Washington County Township Asssessor, Allen County Assessor, and Allen County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals v. Verizon Data Services, Cause No. 49T10-1102-TA-00013, Indiana  Tax Court (October 30, 2015)
• Tube City IMS, LLC v. Lake County Assessor, Indiana Board of Tax Review (June 28, 2012)
• Verizon Data Services, Inc. v. Washington Township Assessor, et al., Indiana Board of Tax Review (Dec. 6, 2010)
• Lake County Assessor v. Amoco Sulfer Recovery Corp., 930 N.E. 2d 1248 (Ind. Tax Ct. 2010) trans. denied
• BP Products North America, Inc. and Amoco Sulfur Recovery Corp. v. North Township Assessor, Indiana Board of Tax Review (Aug. 19, 2009)
• Lakes of the Four Seasons Property Owners’ Association, Inc. v. Department of Local Government Finance, 875 N.E.2d 833 (Ind. Tax. Ct. 2007), rev. denied
• Brenwick TND Communities, LLC, et.al v. Clay Township Assessor, et.al, Indiana Board of Tax Review (May 15, 2006)
• Graybar Electric Company v. State Board of Tax Commissioners, 723 N.E.2d 491 (Ind. Tax Ct. 2000)

• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2018-2020 in the field of Tax Law
• 40 Under 40, Indianapolis Business Journal, 2002

• Indianapolis Bar Association, Tax, Land Use, and Environmental Law Sections
• Indiana State Bar Association, Tax, Land Use, and Environmental Law Sections
• Federalist Society

• Indianapolis Opera, 1996-2002; Marketing Committee Member, 1996-present; Governance Committee, 1998
• Preserve at Fall Creek Inc., 2002-2007; President, 2006

• Treasurer, Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Indianapolis, Inc. Foundation, 2012-2017

• “How to Handle the Ever-Present ‘Lifetime Bureaucrat Personality’,” COST 2018 Property Tax Workshop, Dallas, TX, August 16, 2018
• “Proactively Address Property Tax Issues – Minimize the Need to Appeal,” COST 2018 Property Tax Workshop, Dallas, TX, August 15, 2018
• “Valuation Issues 101: The View from 1000 Feet”, Bennett & Becker, Council on State Taxation, Oakbook, IL, September 28, 2017
• "Impact of Environmental Issues on Property Tax Assessments: Potential Tax Reduction Opportunities that May Offset Environmental Compliance Costs," 15th Annual Kentucky Environmental Conference, March 28, 2017
• “Economic Incentives: Choosing, Securing, Perfecting and Keeping Them”, Bennett & Amoroso, Council on State Taxation, San Antonio, TX, January, 2016
• Panelist, “Ask the Experts”, Council on State Taxation,  Minneapolis, MN, September, 2016
• “Local Governments’ Powerful Economic Development Tools”, “Tax Talk”, Indiana Manufacturers’ Association, July 2014