Biography
Overview
Peter Schnore is a real estate litigator who counsels clients that are facing real property valuation disputes. His practice is primarily comprised of handling Pennsylvania commercial real estate tax-assessment appeals and Pennsylvania eminent domain proceedings for both condemnors and condemnees. Mr. Schnore also is experienced with handling other real estate-related disputes and transactions.
Mr. Schnore represents commercial property owners before county boards of assessment appeals and courts throughout Pennsylvania who are either seeking a reduction in their tax real estate obligations, or seeking a real estate tax exemption or abatement. He also represents many clients faced with defending the assessed value from a challenge brought by a local taxing authority.
Mr. Schnore also represents condemnors and condemnees in Pennsylvania eminent domain cases, which includes condemnations for large highway construction and sewer projects and pipeline rights-of-way. He counsels public bodies in how to properly navigate the property acquisition process under applicable federal and state law, and in defending against inverse condemnation claims. Mr. Schnore also represents condemnees who are challenging the propriety of a taking or the just compensation to which they are entitled.
Mr. Schnore also handles other real estate-related disputes, including those related to title and property rights, adverse possession claims, real estate broker’s fee disputes, planned community/HOA disputes, and matters relating to commercial development including zoning and land use.
Education and Recognitions
Mr. Schnore received his B.A. from Lehigh University in 1996 where he majored in Philosophy. He attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and obtained his Juris Doctor in 2001. During law school, Mr. Schnore served as articles editor and member of the Editorial Board of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review. He also received a CALI Excellence for the Future Award for his written work.
Upon graduation, Mr. Schnore served as a law clerk to the Honorable R. Stanton Wettick, Jr. of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Schnore was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 2001, and is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Schnore worked as an attorney for a number of large Pittsburgh law firms, including Reed Smith and Babst Calland, before forming Schnore Law LLC.
Mr. Schnore serves as Treasurer of the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Real Property Section, and is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion.
Mr. Schnore is a member of the National Association of Property Tax Attorneys (NAPTA).
Mr. Schnore is a Certified Member of the Institute (CMI), Property Tax, a professional designation that the Institute of Professionals in Taxation (IPT) awards reflecting expertise in property taxation. He was the co-recipient of the 2013 IPT Property Tax Article of the Year Award.
Mr. Schnore is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in the Real Estate Law Section for 2024 by BL Rankings.
Publications/
Presentations
Speaker, “Allegheny County Property Taxes and Your Budget,” AC&WPATC Fall Conference, Erie, PA, October 20, 2023. Peter H. Schnore Shareholder
Speaker, “Latest Developments in Allegheny County Regarding Common Level Ratio and Real Estate Tax Assessment Matters.” Videoconference of Real Property Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association, May 11, 2023.
Ostrowski, Sue (interviewed by author), “Developments in the Calculation of an Assessment Ratio Could Benefit Allegheny County Property Owners,” Smart Business, September 2022.
Ostrowski, Sue (interviewed by author), “Now Might Be Time to Appeal Your Commercial Real Estate Assessment,” Smart Business, October 2021.
Speaker, “Litigating Property Tax Appeals When School Districts or Other Stakeholders Participate,” Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s 2019 Property Tax Symposium, Seattle, WA, November 12, 2019.
Author, “The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Upholds School District’s Use of a Monetary Threshold to Select Properties for Tax Appeals,” The Insider, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, November 2019.
Author, “Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Finds that Ground Rents Paid for Billboard Use are Relevant to Land Assessment Even Though Billboards are Statutorily Exempt from Taxation,” The Insider, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, February 2019.
Speaker, “Ethical Dilemmas in the Tax World,” Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s 2018 Property Tax Symposium, Orlando, FL, November 7, 2018.
Speaker, “Pennsylvania’s Eminent Domain Law,” ACBA Municipal Law Section, Pittsburgh, PA, September 20, 2018. Speaker, “Assessment Law & Procedure in Pennsylvania,” PBI Professional Development Conference Center, Pittsburgh, PA, June 18, 2018.
Author, “Recent Pennsylvania Trial Court Opinion Highlights the Need to Carefully Evaluate Expert Reports and Anticipated Trial Testimony,” The Insider, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, February 2018.
Author, “Pennsylvania Supreme Court Decides Valley Forge Towers Apartments, et al. v. Upper Merion Area School District and Keystone Realty Advisors, LLC.,” The Insider, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, August 2017.
Speaker, “Turning the Tables on Assessors and Taxing Jurisdictions Who Bring ‘Recent Sale’ and Other Reverse Appeals” Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s 41st Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC, July 10, 2017.
Speaker, “Pennsylvania Real Property Taxation – Overview and Legal Update” Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s Western Pennsylvania Local Luncheon Group, Pittsburgh, PA, May 18, 2017.
Speaker, “Assessment Law & Procedure in Pennsylvania,” PBI Professional Development Conference Center, Pittsburgh, PA, July 26, 2016.
Author, “A ‘Twofer’ from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court: The Court Addresses the Limits of Considering Property’s Potential Future Use, and the Impact of Environmental Contamination and Remediation, on Real Estate Tax Valuation,” The Insider, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, January 2016.
Author, “‘Base-Year’ Assessment Appeals Called Into Question by Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court,” The Insider, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, October 2015.
Speaker, “A Practical Perspective on Real Estate: Pennsylvania Tax Assessments, Practical Tips,” The Legal Intelligencer’s In-House Counsel CLE Seminar, Pittsburgh, PA, September 29, 2015.
Speaker, “The Pennsylvania Property Tax Assessment System,” CLE Seminar, Pittsburgh, PA, May 19, 2015.
Speaker, “Understanding Court-Ordered Reassessments: The Allegheny County Example,” Pennsylvania Bar Association, Pittsburgh, PA, May 8, 2013.
Speaker, “Valuation of Income Producing Properties for Assessment Purposes & the Impact of the Tech One Decision,” PBI Professional Development Conference Center, Pittsburgh, PA, March 13, 2013.
Co-author, “Tech One Associates v. Bd. of Prop. Ass’t. of Allegh. Co. – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court Addresses the Taxation of Improvements Constructed Pursuant to Long-Term Ground Lease,” Tax Report, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, June 2012.
Personal
Mr. Schnore has lived in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, for more than 20 years. His wife, who is also an attorney, is currently the President of the Upper St. Clair School District Board of Directors. They have two wonderful teenage boys.
Mr. Schnore’s passion, after his family and practice, is competitive autocross. His highest autocross achievement to date is finishing 9th out of 67 in class at the 2023 SCCA Tire Rack Solo National Championships held in Lincoln, Nebraska.