Commercial real estate services firm JLL has announced a significant expansion of its Value and Risk Advisory platform, adding four senior-level experts to its national property tax team. The strategic hires are set to enhance the firm's advisory capabilities for clients navigating complex property tax regulations across the United States.
The new additions include Executive Directors Newt Kirk and Joshua Soroka, alongside Senior Directors Kenneth Zdrok and Matthew Gorman. These appointments bring decades of specialized experience from backgrounds in law, valuation, and Big Four accounting firms, signaling a strategic investment in a critical area of real estate management.
Key Takeaways
- JLL has hired four new senior members for its national property tax division.
- The new hires are Executive Directors Newt Kirk and Joshua Soroka, and Senior Directors Kenneth Zdrok and Matthew Gorman.
- These experts bring extensive experience from firms like EY, Cushman & Wakefield, and KPMG.
- The expansion strengthens JLL's ability to advise clients on property tax mitigation and appeals across the country.
Strategic Reinforcement of a Critical Service
In the current economic climate, property tax management has become a focal point for commercial real estate owners and investors. Fluctuating property values, changing local tax laws, and the need for operational efficiency have increased the demand for expert advisory services. JLL's move to bring in four seasoned professionals underscores the growing importance of this specialized field.
The new team members will report to Dan Leonard and Debra Moore, who co-lead the property tax division. Their integration is expected to provide clients with deeper insights and more robust strategies for managing tax liabilities on diverse portfolios, from industrial parks and office towers to retail centers and multifamily developments.
Why Property Tax Advisory Matters
Property taxes represent one of the largest operating expenses for commercial real estate owners. Effective tax advisory helps clients ensure fair and equitable assessments, identify potential savings through appeals, and manage compliance across multiple jurisdictions. This service is crucial for maximizing an asset's net operating income and overall investment return.
A Closer Look at the New Leadership
The four new hires bring a wealth of diverse experience and geographical expertise, strengthening JLL's presence in key markets from coast to coast. Their collective background covers legal challenges, transactional advisory, and complex valuation disputes.
Kenneth Zdrok: Legal and Appeals Expertise
Based in Atlanta, Kenneth Zdrok joins as a Senior Director. An attorney with over 20 years of experience in property tax appeals, Zdrok has worked across a wide range of industries and property types. His background includes a role as a principal at McGuire Sponsel and as a senior manager of property tax and business incentives at PruittHealth, giving him a unique perspective on both advisory and in-house corporate tax strategy.
Matthew Gorman: Transactional Tax Mitigation
Matthew Gorman, operating out of Miami, also joins as a Senior Director. Coming from EY where he was a senior manager, Gorman brings more than a decade of experience focused on mitigating property tax exposure. His expertise is particularly valuable in the context of real estate transactions, development projects, and ongoing operational assessments, helping clients forecast and control tax liabilities from the outset.
Expanding Executive-Level Talent
The appointments of Newt Kirk and Joshua Soroka as Executive Directors add significant senior leadership to the team, enhancing its capacity for handling complex, high-stakes tax advisory work for major institutional clients.
Newt Kirk: Valuation and Tax Court Expertise
Newt Kirk, formerly a senior manager at EY, is a member of the prestigious Appraisal Institute. His background as an expert witness in the Tax Court of New Jersey highlights his deep knowledge of property valuation and litigation. This experience is critical for clients facing contentious assessment disputes that require rigorous, data-backed arguments.
Joshua Soroka: Broad Industry Experience
Joining the Los Angeles office, Joshua Soroka brings over 15 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. His career includes senior roles at several major firms, including EY, Cushman & Wakefield, and KPMG. Most recently, he was a managing director at a national boutique firm specializing in property tax advisory, where he honed his skills in providing tailored strategies for a diverse client base.
A Wealth of Big Four Experience
Three of the four new hires—Matthew Gorman, Newt Kirk, and Joshua Soroka—have held senior management positions at EY, one of the largest professional services networks in the world. This shared background indicates a high level of expertise in handling complex tax issues for large corporate and institutional clients.
Implications for the Commercial Real Estate Market
JLL's strategic expansion of its tax team reflects a broader trend in the commercial real estate industry. As investors and owners face economic uncertainty and rising operational costs, the ability to effectively manage property tax liabilities is no longer a secondary concern but a primary driver of asset performance.
By bringing in top talent with specialized skills in law, valuation, and transactional advisory, JLL is positioning itself to offer a more comprehensive and proactive service. This allows clients to move beyond simple compliance and toward strategic tax planning that can unlock significant value and reduce risk across their portfolios.
The move also signals confidence in the long-term health of the commercial real estate market, suggesting that sophisticated advisory services will remain in high demand as the landscape continues to evolve. With experts now stationed in key hubs like Atlanta, Miami, and Los Angeles, the firm is better equipped to provide localized knowledge on a national scale.
