OCA Blog

April 19th, 2018 — In News & Events

Congratulations to OCA Emeritus Member James Thompson

James L. Thompson, a partner with Miller, Miller & Canby and OCA Member Emeritus has been selected as Senior Lawyer of the Year by the Maryland State Bar Association Senior Lawyer Section. Thompson’s career has spanned more than 45 years, during which he has served clients and the legal community. He concentrates his practice in eminent domain and real estate valuation litigation, as well as civil litigation involving complex real...

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March 5th, 2018 — In Uncategorized

Manatt Triumps in Eminent Domain Lawsuit Against the United States

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, litigators, led by partner and OCA Member Edward G. Burg at trial, secured a victory for Hahm International Inc. and Levand Steel & Supply Corp. on Feb. 15 in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California against the United States. The jury awarded $30.3 million in compensation to the owners of 1,000 acres of land in the Mojave Desert, which was taken by eminent...

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February 28th, 2018 — In Articles

Five New Orleans stores to receive $2.1M from Major Drainage Project

Owners’ Counsel of America Member Randall Smith represented several landowners who filed damage claims arising from a sewage and sanitation project in New Orleans. After several years of litigation, the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board has agreed to pay five Uptown stores a total of $2.125 million for physical damages and the loss of business caused by major drainage work done on Jefferson Avenue in recent years. The...

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Joshua E. Baker

February 13th, 2018 — In News & Events

Owners’ Counsel of America Elects Joshua E. Baker as Virginia Representative

Owners’ Counsel of American (OCA) is pleased to announce the selection of Joshua E. Baker of the firm of Waldo & Lyle as the Primary OCA Representative for the State of Virginia. After an extended vetting process, Owners’ Counsel of America limits its membership to but one eminent domain attorney from each of the 50 states. The Virginia seat was previously occupied by Joseph T. Waldo who has been elected...

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February 8th, 2018 — In News & Events

This Is Not A Taking for Affordable Housing According To Landowners’ Attorney

Richard De Angelis, with the law firm of McKirdy, Riskin, Olson, and DellaPelle (where OCA Member Tony DellaPelle also practices) is currently representing private landowners in New Jersey who are asserting that their property is being taken for private redevelopment purposes disguised as an affordable housing project. The borough’s claim that it can seize four downtown properties in the name of affordable housing is nothing more than a “whitewash” to help a for-profit development...

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February 6th, 2018 — In News & Events

2018 Crystal Eagle Award Winner Luis Gallardo-Rivera

Owners’ Counsel of America (OCA) announces that it has presented its highest honor, the Crystal Eagle Award, to Luis Gallardo-Rivera of Puerto Rico, a person who has consistently demonstrated his passion and commitment to the protection of private property rights in his native country of Puerto Rico. Working with other dedicated citizens who believe that the residential communities of Puerto Rico need not be sacrificed in the name of economic and private redevelopment projects, Luis Gallardo-Rivera has fought...

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January 31st, 2018 — In News & Events

Louisiana Supreme Court Decides St. Bernard Port, Harbor v. Violet Dock Port, Inc.

On January 30, 2018  a unanimous Louisiana Supreme Court found that Violet Dock Port, after a 7-year courageous battle, was not accorded just compensation for the taking of its private property and remanded the case back to the appellate court for such a determination. Unfortunately, divided by a 4-3 vote, the Court did not also find the taking of the property to be unconstitutional, given the landowner’s assertion that...

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November 15th, 2017 — In News & Events

American Law Institute Selects Joseph T. Waldo as New Member

Owners’ Counsel of American would like to congratuate OCA member Joseph T. Waldo for being selected by the American Law Institute (ALI) as a new member as this organization embarks on a major study of property law in America. Joe is the president of Waldo & Lyle and the designated OCA representative from Virginia. ALI is composed of attorneys, judges and legal scholars from all 50 states. ALI was founded...

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October 27th, 2017 — In News & Events

35th Annual ALI-CLE Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Conference in Charleston, South Carolina

Watch this video from OCA member Robert Thomas talking about the upcoming ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. This is a fantastic conference for anyone interested in getting better informed on the most current eminent domain issues across the country. Many of our OCA members will be attending as well as presenting on a variety of interesting topics. Please come and join us.

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October 19th, 2017 — In News & Events

OCA Member Randall Smith Argues Precedent Setting Eminent Domain Case Before Louisiana Supreme Court

As reported in the New Orleans Advocate, this facility, once owned by the Violet Dock Port but since taken through eminent domain by St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District, is at the center of a protracted legal dispute that came before the Louisiana Supreme Court for argument on Monday. For decades, the facility serviced U.S. Navy ships on three of its five docks. The Violet Dock Port claimed...

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