Christopher J. Knezevic
Practice Areas
Education
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., 2005
- Miami University, B.A., 2002, cum laude
Bar & Court Admissions
Chris is an associate in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the probate and tax group. He has a decade of experience advising domestic and international companies on economic development incentives, tax incentives and site selection analysis. He has helped his clients, spanning from Fortune 100 corporations to small and middle market enterprises in jurisdictions across the U.S., obtain more than $500 million in incentives.
Chris has experience assisting clients from a variety of industries, including manufacturing, financial services, energy, distribution, transportation, healthcare, education and retail.
His notable experience includes:
- Identifying, negotiating, and implementing economic incentives and tax credits for clients relocating, expanding, consolidating, or experiencing significant operational changes.
- Assisting clients with financing transactions related to federal and state incentives, such as New Markets Tax Credits, tax increment financing and bond issuances.
- Advising clients on various real estate acquisitions, permitting requirements and regulatory matters as well as in general tax and corporate matters.
Chris received his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.A. cum laude from Miami University.
News
- 4/30/2019Recently, a financial closing took place for the redevelopment of the Dayton Arcade complex. The developer described the financing structure as "one of the largest and most complex, using these types of redevelopment financing tools layered together, in the United States."
- 5/23/2017Vorys announced today that Jonathan Stock and Christopher Knezevic, attorneys with more than 30 years of combined experience, have joined the firm’s economic development incentives practice.
Events
- 2/22/2019Vorys hosted its fourth annual Economic Development Incentives Conference on February 22, 2019.
- 2/23/2018The Vorys Economic Development Incentives Conference was held on February 23, 2018 in Columbus, OH.
Insights
- 7/10/2019On June 12, 2019, the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 95. The bill, sponsored by State Senators Bob Peterson and Stephanie Kunze, has been sent to the House for further consideration.
- Spring 2019Through Vorys’ fourth annual Economic Development Incentives Conference – hosted in February – we welcomed more than 270 guests from three countries and seven states.
- 9/10/2018On August 29, 2018, House Speaker Pro Tempore Kirk Schuring introduced a bill (H.B. No. 727) to create a tax credit for investments in Qualified Opportunity Zones.
- 7/3/2018In the Summer 2018 edition of Development Incentives Quarterly, read our Top 10 most interesting facts about the Foxconn deal, read a recap of the Ohio Supreme Court decision on what takes priority – a TIF exemption or another exemption, and seven interesting things to know about the City of Columbus' proposed incentives policy.
- 6/27/2018Earlier this year, the City of Columbus announced it would be implementing a new incentives policy impacting residential post-1994 Community Reinvestment Areas (CRAs) in the city.
- Spring 2018Vorys third annual Economic Development Incentives Conference – hosted in February – welcomed more than 160 guests from several states across the country.
- 3/23/2018In the Spring 2018 edition of Development Incentives Quarterly, read a Q&A with Chris Chung, CEO of North Carolina’s Economic Development Partnership; learn about strategies for successfully obtaining New Market Tax Credit financing; and see a recap of Vorys’ 2018 Economic Development Incentives Conference.
- 2/5/2018Columbus has implemented a new policy prohibiting businesses from benefiting from incentives granted and administered by Columbus for any year in which the business elects to file its Columbus net profits tax return with the Ohio Department of Taxation (the department).
- Fall 2017One of Illinois’ main economic development incentives is back. On September 18, 2017, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law H.B. 162, which reinstates the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Tax Credit Program and extends the sunset date to June 30, 2022.
- 11/15/2017In the Fall 2017 edition of Development Incentives Quarterly, read a Q&A with Kenny McDonald, president and chief economic officer of Columbus 2020; learn about how the new effective date for the Ohio historic preservation tax credit certificates could cause a delay in claiming credit; and learn more about what it mean now that Illinois was reinstated and revised the EDGE Tax Credit.
- 8/29/2017Ohio Governor John Kasich signed in June Am. Sub. House Bill 49, which allowed for the creation of transportation financing districts, a new economic development incentive.
- 8/9/2017In the Summer 2017 edition of Development Incentives Quarterly, learn five more common TIF misconceptions, read about the growing pains municipalities are facing with GASB 77 and find out which Ohio county auditors will complete the required six-year tax appraisal of all properties located in their counties this year.
- Summer 2017The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) made waves in the economic development community in 2015 when it issued Statement No. 77 (GASB 77). GASB 77 requires governments, for the first time, to disclose in the notes of their financial statements the amount of tax revenues the government has promised to forego through tax abatements.