Dusty Elias Kirk

Dusty is a trusted adviser in all aspects of real estate development, negotiating complex contractual arrangements for acquisitions and dispositions. Her focus is on real estate litigation, including tax-assessment appeals, land-use and zoning appeals, and eminent domain proceedings. Dusty also counsels on sustainability issues that impact development projects.

Dusty handles the acquisition, financing and tax increment financing for commercial, retail, office, industrial and institutional properties, and obtaining economic incentives for development projects. She regularly handles issues involving public-private partnerships and transportation issues.

She represents developers, property owners and nonprofit institutions in real estate assessment appeals of industrial, commercial, office, retail and exempt properties in issues regarding valuation of real estate, tax-exempt status, taxation of mineral rights, and tax abatements for newly constructed and reconstructed properties. Dusty litigates matters throughout Pennsylvania before administrative hearing boards, as well as in trial and appellate proceedings.

Dusty negotiates economic incentive agreements with various state economic development agencies, negotiates with local tax jurisdictions on tax-increment financing, other economic incentives, transportation and highway occupancy permits, and business and neighborhood improvement districts. She also represents property owners in realty transfer tax and other tax matters, prepares loan and loan-workout documents for lenders and developers, and negotiates sales and disposition agreements.

Dusty led Reed Smith’s Real Estate practice from 2010 to 2017.