2025 IAAO Legal Seminar

The IAAO Legal Committee is currently seeking qualified professionals to present on topics of interest to attorneys and assessors for the 2025 IAAO Legal Seminar, set for Dec. 11-12 in Phoenix at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown hotel. During the seminar attendees will hear from industry experts on legal topics of interest to members of the assessment and property tax industry.

Registration is now open for the 2025 IAAO Legal Seminar, set for Dec. 11-12 in Phoenix at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. The theme for the seminar is “Property Taxation and the Law: Challenges and Solutions” and attendees will hear from industry experts on legal topics of interest to members of the assessment and property tax industry.

The IAAO Legal Committee is seeking qualified professionals to present on topics of interest to attorneys and assessors for the legal seminar and the deadline to submit topics is Aug. 1.

Call for Presentations

IAAO is seeking qualified professionals to present on topics of interest to attorneys and assessors. Among the areas topics will be considered from are:

• Unique valuation problems
• Effective representation
• Technology
• Public policy and ethics
• Unique valuation problems
• Effective representation
• Technology
• Public policy and ethics
• Artificial intelligence and tools for your practice
• Economic and non-economic impacts of the development of sports stadiums
• Valuation issues assessing affordable housing communities created through public-private partnerships
• E-filing systems and programs around the country – how those systems impact legal practice and data-mining – the pros/cons  
• Assessment uniformity and discrimination in under-assessment Appeals
• Cross-examination tools
• Preferential assessments – varying interpretations and unintended consequences
• Legislation – varying interpretations and unintended consequences
•     – How to read/draft legislation
•     – How to properly consider the legal application of pending legislation
• Senior exemption and freeze fraud issues
• Residential-level fraud from multiuse, primarily commercial   
• Repurposing of anchor department stores at shopping malls  
• Assessment of data centers
• Anatomy of a tax assessment case
• Climate change: impact on assessing real estate

Use the abstract submission form to submit topics. Due to Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) requirements, speakers must submit a completed written paper by October 3, which will be reviewed by various state MCLE commissions and provided to all attendees in a bound spiral notebook at the seminar. PowerPoint slides cannot be accepted for the MCLE review process, although PowerPoint slides are welcome at the seminar itself. Speakers who cannot meet this deadline will not be considered.

The presentation submission deadline has been extended until Aug. 1. For more information, contact the Legal Committee staff liaison and IAAO Conference Content Manager Kristin Taylor (taylor@iaao.org).

Continuing Legal Education

Continuing Legal Education credits (CLEs) will be available, and IAAO will seek approval for continuing legal education credits for states that are requested by Oct. 3. The amount of CLE credit varies by state. Requests for CLE credit must be made no later than Oct. 3. Note: Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits are not the same as CEUs. For more information on CLEs, contact Director, Library Services Elizabeth Ferguson (ferguson@iaao.org)

Registration

Registration is now open in July and attendees can register online. Fees will be $630 for IAAO members and $840 for nonmembers until Nov. 7. From Nov. 8 to Nov. 28, fees increase to $740 for members and $998 for nonmembers. After Nov. 28, the onsite registration rate is $885 for members and $1,190 for nonmembers.

Hotel Reservations

The Legal Seminar will take place at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown hotel. Attendees can reserve hotel rooms, starting at $199. The deadline to reserve a room in the IAAO room block is Nov. 18.

The hotel is in the heart of Central Phoenix. Offering 4-star services and urban decor, the hotel in downtown Phoenix boasts an ideal location near an incredible array of downtown attractions, including the Phoenix Convention Center, Chase Field, PHX Arena, and the Phoenix Art Museum.