Robert M. Careless

Vice Chair, Zoning, Land Use & Development

Bob concentrates his practice in the area of land use and zoning law, primarily in the city of Philadelphia and in the suburbs of Southeastern Pennsylvania. He represents developers, builders, property owners, investors, educational institutions, and financial institutions in a wide range of development and construction projects. Bob regularly appears before zoning hearing boards, planning commissions, and governing bodies as part of the zoning and land use approval process. He was ranked by Chambers & Partners USA in 2022 and 2023. Bob has been named to the Pennsylvania Rising Stars list for Land Use & Zoning since 2019 by Super Lawyers, which recognizes only 2.5 percent of Pennsylvania attorneys.

In addition, Bob concentrates a portion of his practice on state and location taxation law, with an emphasis on real estate tax assessment appeals. He has extensive experience representing clients in tax appeal proceedings before administrative appeal boards and in the courts. Bob also has extensive experience representing clients facing the collection of delinquent property taxes.   

Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor, Bob represented townships, boroughs, and other local government entities in municipal, land use, zoning, local taxation, eminent domain, code enforcement, and litigation matters. 

Bob received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Temple University. Upon graduating from Temple, Bob worked as a full-time paralegal for a Montgomery County based law firm while he attended law school at night. He earned his J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 2011. 

Bob serves as chair of the Real Property Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association and is a member of the Zoning, Land Use, and Code Enforcement Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association; the Real Estate Committee of the Montgomery County Bar Association; and the Home Builders Association of Bucks & Montgomery Counties.

 

Experience

News

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

42 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers & Rising Stars

May 24, 2023

Super Lawyers has selected 42 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2023 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Robert Careless Named To Philadelphia Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 List

May 01, 2023

Robert Careless, member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice, has been named to Philadelphia Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. The list recognizes “40 remarkable individuals who are leaving an imprint on the region.”

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

49 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

June 01, 2022

Super Lawyers has selected 49 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

47 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

May 28, 2021

Super Lawyers has selected 47 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2021 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Fifty-Eight Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

June 05, 2020

Super Lawyers has selected 58 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Cozen O’Connor Promotes 20 to Membership

April 08, 2020

Cozen O'Connor is pleased to recognize 20 attorneys with the promotion to member.

64 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

May 21, 2019

Super Lawyers has selected 64 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to the 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Publications

Automatic Carryforward of Prior Residential Appeals Is Not Evidence of Uniform Assessments in Pennsylvania

August 11, 2020

Joseph Bright and Bob Careless co-authored an article, published by Bloomberg Tax, analyzing a recent decision by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania that is favorable to commercial taxpayers facing selective reverse assessment appeals. Bright and Careless note that decision in the case, Colonial School District v. Metroplex West Associates, L.P., undercuts a common argument by localities in relying on the automatic carryforward of residential appeals when defending against claims of uniformity clause violations.

INSIGHT: Event Tickets Not Taxable to Pennsylvania Casinos [Bloomberg Tax]

November 12, 2019

Heidi Schwartz and Bob Careless explain how a court found that tickets are an intangible property deductible under the state’s gaming tax in a Bloomberg Tax article.

Freight Broker Is Not Entitled to Deduct Freight Delivery Charges [Bloomberg BNA]

November 16, 2017

Joe Bright and Bob Careless, members of Cozen O’Connor’s Tax Practice Group, discuss the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court’s decision that a freight broker, who was taxed on delivery charges although it did not provide delivery services, does not fall within the freight delivery exception of the Local Tax Enabling Act (LTEA) in Bloomberg BNA.

Zoning Hurdles for Budding Pennsylvania Cannabis Businesses [The Temple 10-Q]

October 27, 2017

Bob Careless, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Zoning, Land Use, & Development and Tax Practice Groups, discusses zoning obstacles for medical marijuana operators after the passage of the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act (Act 16) in The Temple 10-Q.

Zoning Hurdles for Budding Pennsylvania Cannabis Businesses [Cannabis Alert]

August 09, 2017

Bob Careless discusses how Pennsylvania municipalities are handling zoning cannabis related businesses.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Education

  • Temple University—James E. Beasley School of Law, J.D., 2011
  • Temple University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2006

Awards & Honors

40 Under 40, Philadelphia Business Journal, 2023

Chambers and Partners USA, 2024

* This award is conferred by Chambers and Partners. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Up and Coming, Chambers and Partners USA, 2022-2023
* This award is conferred by Chambers and Partners. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Rising Stars, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2019-2023
* This award is conferred by Super Lawyers. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Bar Association; Chair, Real Property Section

Montgomery County Bar Association, Member 

Home Builders Association of Bucks & Montgomery Counties, Member