I have been asked many times, when should I hire an eminent domain lawyer? My answer is simple, ASAP. The government will often notify you of a planned taking long before negotiations. They sometimes have surveyors evaluating the property before you are officially made aware of a taking. You could even catch wind of a taking from any party associated with the government before notice is sent to you, they may even visit you at your home. If this happens to you, contact an eminent domain lawyer as soon as you are aware of a taking so they can help guide you through your next steps. If you aren’t aware of the taking before you receive notice, contact a lawyer once you receive notice.
An eminent domain lawyer is going to make you feel at ease with their vast knowledge of the subject matter and their rolodex of experts they can call to evaluate your property. When choosing an eminent domain lawyer look out for lawyers who represent both the condemning authority and the property owner, make sure an ask this question of your attorney. At Eminent Advocate We only represent property owners, and we want to make sure their outcome is in their best interest.
When hiring an eminent domain lawyer ask them if they have trial experience. This is important because not every case can be resolved through the negotiations phase and in order to protect your interests as the property owner you may have to take your case all the way to trial. Have an experienced litigator is going to make the process much simpler for you. You can rest easy knowing that our lawyers are not afraid of a courtroom, and we will fight to get you the best possible offer for your property whether that is through negotiations, mediation or even trial.
When being faced with a condemnation (government taking) it may feel as though the odds are not in your favor, rest assured; they can be if you hire competent lawyers to fight on your behalf. At Eminent Advocate there is not risk to you as the property owner. We do not take a fee unless we are able to get you more than the government authority’s original offer. This means we don’t get paid unless you get paid more. The government has lawyers working hard for them, why shouldn’t you have the same. Our team has unmatched experience fighting protect our clients’ rights and increasing the value of their properties.
