Here's the full agenda for the 2016 Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation / Condemnation 101 Conference, January 28-30, 2016, in Austin, Texas.
Together with our friend and colleague Joe Waldo, we think we're put together a pretty good program that covers a lot of ground. This is the first time the conference has been to Austin, and we're starting off with a talk by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who in his former life was an eminent domain lawyer. Other highlights:
- Professor Ilya Somin will speak about his recently-published book in a segment entitled "The Impact of Kelo and the Limits of Eminent Domain."
- "Pipelines and Energy Corridors: Valuation Perspectives of Condemnors and Condemnees" with the lawyers on the front lines of one of the hottest topics in eminent domain law nationwide.
- Retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul H. Anderson will give us his tips in "The Art of Effective Negotiation - A Judicial View." Justice Anderson has a unique view on eminent domain, since he not only litigated cases as a lawyer and resolved them as a jurist, he was also a property owner in a condemnation action.
- "Advice to Condemnees From Condemnors" - two lawyers who represent agencies with the power of eminent domain will share their thoughts on the do's and don't from a condemnor perspective.
- You often hear "war stories" about lawyers' successes. But often, you learn the most from your mistakes, and your recovery from those errors. In "Eminent Domain Trials: Lessons Learned the Hard Way," three experienced eminent domain lawyers will reveal their missteps, and how they became better lawyers as a result.
- Dana Berliner and W. Andrew Gowder will present about one of the cutting-edge topics in the nation's courtrooms: "First Amendment for Fifth Amendment Lawyers: Free Speech, Signs, Defamation, FOIA, and RLUIPA Claims."
- The concept of highest and best use means that eminent domain lawyers are often land use lawyers as well. In "Probability of Rezoning as an Element of Valuation," land use law experts Nikelle Meade, Dwight Merriam, and Charles W. (Chase) Ruffin will get you the information you need to know.
We especially focused on the ethics component this year, and are looking forward to the session on "Ethics: Tips and Traps for the Eminent Domain Practitioner" at the first plenary session on the second day.
The complete agenda is posted here, and we think it has more than a few sessions that will catch your interest.
The faculty, as you might have guessed, is the best-of-the-best, selected from lawyers who represent both property owners and condemnors:
- Steve Adler, Mayor, City of Austin, Texas
- Jody Harper Alderman, Alderman Bernstein, Denver
- Paul H. Anderson, Soule & Stull, Minneapolis; Retired Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court
- Robert E. Bainbridge, C-Store Valuations, Dallas
- Joshua E. Baker, Waldo & Lyle, P.C., Norfolk, Virginia
- Stanley G. Barr, Jr., Kaufman & Canoles, P.C., Norfolk, Virginia
- Sara K. Beachy, Assistant Attorney General, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Madison
- Michael M. Berger, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, Los Angeles
- Dana Berliner, Director, Institute for Justice, Arlington, Virginia
- Susan Bonnen, Chief Appellate Counsel, Texas Office of the Attorney General, Austin
- Amy Brigham Boulris, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A., Miami
- Roy R. Brandys, Barron & Adler, LLP, Austin
- James S. Burling, Director of Litigation, Pacific Legal Foundation, Sacramento
- Ivy N. Cadle, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Macon, Georgia
- F. Adam Cherry, III, Randoph, Boyd, Cherry and Vaughan, Richmond, Virginia
- Christopher M. Clough, Barron & Adler, LLP, Austin
- Anthony F. Della Pelle, McKirdy & Riskin P.A., Morristown, New Jersey
- Robert C. Dew, Jr., GDS Associates, Inc./Hi-Line Engineering, Marietta, Georgia
- David A. Domina, Domina Law Group PC LLO, Omaha, Nebraska
- Jill S. Gelineau, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C., Portland, Oregon
- W. Andrew Gowder, Jr., Pratt-Thomas Walker, P.A., Charleston, South Carolina
- Janet Bush Handy, Deputy Counsel, Assistant Attorney General, Maryland State Highway Administration, Baltimore
- Daniel D. Hannula, Hannula & Halom, Superior, Wisconsin
- Mark F. (Thor) Hearne, II, Arent Fox LLP, Washington, D.C.
- Jamila A. Johnson, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, Seattle
- Nikelle S. Meade, Husch Blackwell LLP, Austin
- Dwight H. Merriam, Robinson & Cole LLP, Hartford, Connecticut
- Mark M. Murakami, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert, L.C., Honolulu
- Robert B. Neblett, Jackson Walker L.L.P., Austin
- Thomas H. Peebles IV, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP, Nashville, Tennessee
- J. Casey Pipes, Helmsing, Leach, Herlong, Newman & Rouse, P.C., Mobile, Alabama
- Matthew P. Ray, MAI, Cantrell & Ray, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida
- Rick E. Rayl, Nossaman LLP, Irvine, California
- Joshua H. Rikon, Goldstein Rikon Rikon & Houghton P.C., New York
- Charles W. Ruffin, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Atlanta
- Mark D. Savin, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Minneapolis
- Paul R. Scott, Smith, Phillips, Mitchell, Scott & Nowak, LLP, Hernando, Mississippi
- Joseph V. Sherman, Waldo & Lyle, P.C., Norfolk, Virginia
- Randall A. Smith, Smith & Fawer, L.L.C., New Orleans
- Ilya Somin, Professor of Law, George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Virginia
- Michael Sullivan, Range West Consultants LLC, Prescott, Arizona
- Joseph P. Suntum, Miller, Miller & Canby, Chartered, Rockville, Maryland
- Christian F. Torgrimson, Pursley Friese Torgrimson, Atlanta
- Martin E. Wolf, Gordon, Wolf & Carney, Chartered, Towson, Maryland
Register here (includes hotel registration information as well as information on how to take advantage of early-bird and multiple attendee registrations).
The 2016 Conference is looking good, and we're looking forward to topping last year's San Francisco attendance.
Come, join your colleagues for three days of fantastic programming, networking, and fun in Austin. Hope to see you there.
