Providing guidance with respect to condemnation proceedings from a project's initial planning stage to the final valuation hearings.  Representing 

both municipalities and property owners facing condemnation proceedings, we ensure compliance with the strict statutory requirements of New York's Eminent Domain Procedure.

Workingwith municipalities, we assist in selecting the size and location of parcels to be acquired to meet the public need, plan and attend public hearings that may be necessary, draft Determinations and Findings, work with appraisers to ascertain the fair market value of properties, ensure compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act ("SEQR"), draft and serve Final Written Offers, commence and notice actions to obtain a Court Order authorizing the taking pursuant to the Eminent Domain Procedure Law and, finally,  defend compensation awards in proceedings brought to contest the value of the property acquired.

Our goal is to “bulletproof” the proceedings ensuring that all aspects of the taking are consistent with New York's Eminent Domain Procedure Law, eliminating any basis for a challenge to the taking.

We also represent property owners wishing to contest the appropriation of their real property or the amount of compensation proposed to be paid by the condemnor.  We ascertain whether there is a basis for challenging the taking or the compensation due.  Often, preliminary valuations do not consider both the direct and indirect damages resulting from takings.  We aggressively work to obtain fair compensation, that includes both direct and indirect damages, for each property owner.

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