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Jack L. Van Coevering

Senior Attorney
Grand Rapids
1700 East Beltline, N.E.
Suite 200
Grand Rapids, MI 49525-7044
T 616.726.2221
F 616.726.2299

Overview

Jack is the former Chairman of the Michigan Tax Tribunal. For 25 years, Jack has practiced state and local tax, a career that has included government and private sector positions as a Michigan Assistant Attorney General, Administrator of the Michigan Department of Treasury’s legal and hearings divisions and private practice.

Jack’s work primarily involves complex property tax litigation involving power plants, mines and large industrial properties. He represents several municipalities in “big box” appeals including the City of Escanaba in its appeal of the “dark store” decision in Menard Inc. v City of Escanaba, 315 Mich App 512 (2016), lv den. He authored the property tax appeal chapter in Real Property Tax Appeals in Michigan (ICLE 2010) and for a number of years taught the property tax class for Cooley Law School’s Masters of Law program. Jack is a member of the Michigan Assessors Association, the International Association of Assessing Officers and the Appraisal Institute.

In addition to his property tax work, Jack also represents taxpayers in state tax controversies. He has regularly presented at conferences for the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, the Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the MACPA and the Michigan and American Bar tax sections and is a member of state and local tax committees, the ABA’s State and National Government Law Section and is member of the MACPA’s State and Local Taskforce, the West Michigan Tax Symposium Taskforce and the Michigan Tax Conference Taskforce. He has been continuously included in Best Lawyers in America® since 2013. In 2013, 2014 and 2020, he was recognized as "Lawyer of the Year" in Tax Litigation and Controversy for Grand Rapids. Jack can be reached at (616) 726-2221.

Honors & Recognitions

Best Lawyers® in America - Litigation and Controversy - Tax; Tax Law, 2013-2025

Best Lawyers® in America - 2013-2014 and 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” Grand Rapids, Tax Litigation and Controversy

"Top Lawyer", Grand Rapids Magazine, 2019 and 2020 in Tax Law

Affiliations

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:
  • American Bar Association
    • Taxation Section
    • State and Local Tax
    • Real Property
    • Trust and Estate Law Section
    • State and Local Government Law Section
  • Federal Bar Association
    • Western Michigan Chapter, Member
  • State Bar of Michigan
    • Taxation Section
    • Tax Council, 2008-2010
    • State and Local Tax Committee
    • Real Property Law Section; Member
    • Joint Taskforce on the State Real Estate Transfer Tax
  • Grand Rapids Bar Association
Industry & Professional Associations:
  • Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants
    • State and Local Taskforce
    • Michigan Tax Conference Planning Taskforce
    • West Michigan Tax Symposium Taskforce
    • 2008 Member of Distinguished Taskforce Award
    • 2006 Partner of the Year Award
  • International Association of Assessing Officers
    • Public Utility Section
    • Tax Collection Section
  • Michigan Assessors Association
    • 2017 Subscribing Member Award
  • Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
    • Tax and Regulatory Affairs Committee
  • Michigan Chamber of Commerce
    • Tax Committee
  • National Conference of State Tax Judges, 2003-2007
  • Appraisal Institute
  • Building Owners and Managers Association of West Michigan, 2007-2010
  • Streamlined Sales Tax Business Advisory Council
  • Streamlined Sales Tax Project
    • Governing Council
    • Vice-chair of two working groups, 1999-2002
  • Multistate Tax Commission
    • Sales Tax Uniformity Committee, Michigan Representative, 1999-2001
    • Litigation Committee, Chair, 2000-2002, Vice-Chair, 1999-2000
    • Awarded 2002 Honorary Resolution

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Litigation
  • Legislative and Tax Policy
  • Power Plant Valuation Experience:
    • 15 years of experience in power plant valuation appeals as chief judge of the Michigan Tax Tribunal, presiding judge or as litigating attorney.
    • Consulting to local units and attorneys in matters involving pollution control exemptions for power plants, tax incentives, personal property allocations and valuations of wind and natural gas.
    • Representation of local units in power plant matters before the Michigan Tax Tribunal, the Michigan State Tax Commission, Michigan appellate courts and Michigan circuit courts.
    • Power Plant Valuation and Litigation Strategy, International Association of Assessing Officer’s Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana (September 15, 2015).
  • Power Plant Valuation Litigation:
    • DTE v Frenchtown Charter Township, MRR DK No. 18-001811. The Fermi 2 Nuclear Plant, a 1,198 MW nuclear power plant.  Representing Frenchtown Charter Township -- multiple tax years.
    • DTE v City of Trenton, MTT Dk No. 18-001809-TT. The Trenton Channel Plant, a 536 MW coal-fired plant. Representing the City.
    • DTE v City of Monroe, MTT Dk No. 18-002256. The Monroe Power Plant, a 3,300 MW coal-fired plant. Representing the City and Frenchtown Township.
    • Consumers Energy v Port Sheldon Township; MTT Dk No. 16-001716. The J. H. Campbell Power Plant, a 1,450 MW coal-fired plant. Represented the Township.
    • Fremont Community Digester, a 3 MW biomass plant using anaerobic digestion of food waste. Consultant to the City.
    • Consumers Energy Co. v City of Zeeland, MTT Dk Nos. 14-002063, 15-001586, 16-001503. The Zeeland Generating Station, an 868 MW natural gas combined cycle plant. Represented the City.
    • Wisconsin Electric Power Company d/b/a WE Energies v City of Marquette, MTT Dk Nos. 14-004609; MTT Dk Nos. 17-000856, 18-001227. The Presque Isle Power Plant, a 431 MW coal-fired plant. Represented/representing the City.
    • L’Anse Warden Electric Co LLC v Twp of L’Anse, MTT Dk Nos. 392335, 436306, 454723; COA Dk No. 326067. L’Anse Warden Biomass Plant, a 20 MW biomass plant fueled by wood and tire waste. Represented the Township.
    • DPS Juniper LLC v City of Jackson, MTT Dk No. 0453720. Jackson Generating Station, a 564 MW natural gas combined cycle plant. Represented the City.
    • New Covert Generating Co. LLC v Covert Township (and Van Buren County, Intervening Party), MTT Dk Nos. 0399578, 12-000248 through 16-001888; 17-001737; 18-001312, 19-000863, 20-002115, and 21-001632. New Covert Generating Facility, a 1,159 MW natural gas combined cycle plant now operating in the PJM zone.  Representing the Township and County in valuation appeals.
    • Detroit Edison Co v St. Clair Township, MTT DK Nos. 0262065; 0262066. St. Clair Power Plant, a 1,958 MW coal-fired plant. The presiding Michigan Tax Tribunal judge for a one-month trial.
    • Detroit Edison Co v East China Township, MTT Dk Nos. 0292795; 0292987. Belle River Power Plant, a 1,260 MW coal-fired plant. The presiding Michigan Tax Tribunal judge for a one-month trial.

Communications

Recent Blog Posts

Tax Law Blog

Publications

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News & Events

Speaking Engagements

  • The Practicalities in Property Tax, MICPA: Michigan Tax Conference, November 7, 2019
  • Troubleshooting Multi-State Nexus Issues for the Family Business Post-Wayfair, Foster Swift Collins & Smith, June 6, 2019
  • Case by Case-Examining Real Property and Tax Compliance, MICPA: Michigan Tax Conference-Livonia, November 7, 2018
  • Lessons Learned from Menard Inc. v. City of Escanaba, 2018 MTA Annual Conference: Michigan Townships Association, April 23, 2018
  • 2018 Expert Insights Into Michigan Property Tax Issues and the Tribunal, Michigan, Appraisal Institute, Michigan Chapter, February 15, 2018
  • Your One-Stop Shop for Property Tax, Michigan Tax Conference, November 8, 2017

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News

Education

University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1987

Calvin University, B.A., 1982

Bar and Court Admissions

Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District

U.S. District Court for the Western District

Lansing
Southfield
Grand Rapids
Detroit
Holland