Owners’ Counsel of America Honors Appellate Attorney, Michael Berger, for his Dedication to Protecting Property Rights

The Owners’ Counsel of America honored appellate and condemnation attorney, Michael M. Berger, Esq., with the Crystal Eagle Award for his devotion to defending Americans and their private property in eminent domain, regulatory takings, inverse condemnation, land use litigation and on appeal. For more than 40 years, Michael Berger, has consistently sought to advance the cause of private property rights throughout California and the United States.

Michael Berger is a partner with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP in Los Angeles and is co-chair of Manatt’s Appellate Practice Group. Mr. Berger is not only one of the country’s preeminent appellate lawyers, but also one of the nation’s top condemnation and land use attorneys. In addition to eminent domain and property rights matters, his appellate cases have also involved planning, zoning, defective construction, landslides, due process, equal protection, contract, nuisance, insurance, business litigation and environmental law.

Throughout his remarkable career, Mr. Berger has argued four cases before the United States Supreme Court as well as cases before appellate courts throughout California, the federal courts of appeal and various state supreme courts. Mr. Berger has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in each of these well-known property rights cases: Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (2002), City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes at Monterey, Ltd. (1999), Preseault v. ICC (1990) and First English Evangelical Lutheran Church v. County of Los Angeles (1987).

As a frequent author of amicus curiae briefs, Mr. Berger has advanced his clients’ interests in various appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. In support of private ownership, he authored amicus briefs in some of the landmark property rights cases of our time, including Kelo v. City of New London (2005), Lingle v. Chevron USA, Inc. (2005), Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council (1992) and Nollan v. California Coastal Commission (1987).

Among his many honors, Washington University School of Law honored Mr. Berger with the Distinguished Law Alumni Award in 2008. Mr. Berger has been recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America (2006-2011) and as one of the “Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America” (2006). The American Law Institute – American Bar Association presented him with the Harrison Tweed Award for Special Merit in Continuing Legal Education in 1989.

Annually, the Owners’ Counsel of America identifies individuals who have made a substantial contribution toward advancing the cause of property rights and presents the Crystal Eagle Award. Past recipients include Gideon Kanner (Professor Emeritus, Loyola School of Law and Of-Counsel, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP), Dana Berliner (Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice), Alan Ackerman (Partner, Ackerman, Ackerman & Dynkowski, P.C. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan), Professor James Ely (Vanderbilt University and author of The Guardian of Every Other Right), Dean Starkman, Dennis Hartig and Norman Oder (Journalists), as well as Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes (former co-hosts of Hannity & Colmes, Fox News Channel).

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