Bond County Real Estate Tax Case

1. IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES. This agreement is made between the DeVore Law Offices, LLC, d/b/a/ Silver Lake Group, Ltd., hereafter referred to as "Attorney," and the Property Owners, hereafter referred to as "Client."
2. LEGAL SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED. The legal services to be provided by Attorney to Client are as follows: representation of Property Owners through all levels of a property tax appeal for the 2022 tax year. This representation shall include representation at the Bond County Board of Review, and if necessary at the Property Tax Appeals Board and the Circuit Court and subsequent appeals.
3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ATTORNEY AND CLIENT. Attorney will perform the legal services called for under this agreement, keep Client informed of progress and developments, and respond promptly to Client's inquiries and communications. Client will be truthful and cooperative with Attorney and keep Attorney reasonably informed of developments and of Client's address, telephone number, and whereabouts.
4. ATTORNEY'S FEES. The amount Attorney will receive for attorney's fees for the legal services to be provided under this agreement will be:
(a) Contingency Fee 50% of first year’s savings on real estate taxes calculated by the difference between the assessor’s proposed assessment based on the notice of change and the final assessment which results due to the legal efforts of the attorney. The attorney will receive 50% the savings as calculated by the assessment reduction multiplied by the current year tax rate.
Client is informed that this Attorney's fee is not set by law but rather is negotiable between the Attorney and the Client. If there is no net recovery, Attorney will receive no attorney's fees.
6. COSTS. All court costs will be paid by the attorney.
7. REPRESENTATION OF ADVERSE INTERESTS. Client is informed that the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Illinois require the Client's informed written consent before an Attorney may begin or continue to represent the Client when the attorney has or had a relationship with another party interested in the subject matter of the Attorney's proposed representation of the client. Attorney is not aware of any relationship with any other party interested in the subject matter of Attorney's services for Client under this agreement. As long as Attorney's services for Client continue under this agreement, Attorney will not agree to provide legal services for any such party without Client's prior written consent.
8. DISCHARGE OF ATTORNEY. Client may discharge Attorney at any time by written notice effective when received by Attorney. Unless specifically agreed by Attorney and Client, Attorney will provide no further services and advance no further costs on Client's behalf after receipt of the notice. If Attorney is Client's attorney of record in any proceeding, Client will execute and return a substitution-of-attorney form immediately on its receipt from Attorney.
9. WITHDRAWAL OF ATTORNEY. Attorney may withdraw at any time as permitted under the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Illinois.
10. RELEASE OF CLIENT'S PAPERS AND PROPERTY. Attorney will release promptly to Client on request all of Client's papers and property.
11. DISCLAIMER OF GUARANTY. Although Attorney may offer an opinion about possible results regarding the subject matter of this agreement, Attorney cannot guarantee any particular result. Client acknowledges that Attorney has made no promises about the outcome and that any opinion offered by Attorney in the future will not constitute a guaranty.
12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties. No other agreement, statement, or promise made on or before the effective date of this agreement will be binding on the parties.
13. SEVERABILITY IN EVENT OF PARTIAL INVALIDITY. If any provision of this agreement is held in whole or in part to be unenforceable for any reason, the remainder of that provision and of the entire agreement will be severable and remain in effect.
14. MODIFICATION BY SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENT. This agreement may be modified by subsequent agreement of the parties only by an instrument in writing signed by both of them or an oral agreement to the extent that the parties carry it out.
15. EFFECTIVE DATE OF AGREEMENT. The effective date of this agreement will be the date when it has been executed by Client.