Top-rated eminent domain lawyers

What does a eminent domain lawyer do?

An eminent domain lawyer represents property owners and businesses when a government or utility takes all or part of their land, negotiating compensation and contesting the taking in court.

• Road and highway takings
• Partial takings and damage to the remainder
• Business damages
• Utility easements
• Inverse condemnation
• Bert Harris property rights claims

When do you need a eminent domain lawyer?

Talk to an eminent domain lawyer as soon as you receive a notice or written offer: the fee is measured from the last offer before you hire the lawyer.

• You received a notice that your property is needed for a project
• A government agency made a written offer for your land
• A project took part of your property and hurt the rest
• Your business will lose income because of a taking

Who are the best eminent domain lawyers in Florida?

The statewide ranking lists the top 25 of the 122 eminent domain lawyers LexRanked tracks in Florida, in order of their LexRank score. See the best eminent domain lawyers in Florida.

Where can I find a eminent domain lawyer in Florida?

Eminent domain rankings cover 10 Florida cities; Orlando has the most lawyers compared (13).

How much does a eminent domain lawyer cost in Florida?

In Florida the condemning authority pays the owner's attorney fees, based on the benefit achieved, and reasonable costs such as appraisal fees. Under The Florida Bar's rules, a lawyer who has not represented you before must explain the basis or rate of the fee and costs, preferably in writing, and no fee may be clearly excessive.

Florida eminent domain rules to know

In Florida, a government that takes private property must pay full compensation, and it also pays the owner's attorney fees and reasonable expert costs.

Are eminent domain lawyers board certified in Florida?

No. Eminent domain is not one of the fields in which The Florida Bar board-certifies lawyers, so LexRanked includes lawyers who list eminent domain as a practice area on their Florida Bar profile. The lawyer adds that practice area, and The Florida Bar does not review it, so ask how much of the lawyer's work is eminent domain. Lawyers in these rankings may still hold a board certification in a related field, which their profiles show. About 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

How to choose a eminent domain lawyer

Confirm the license in The Florida Bar's directory, then compare experience, certification and how often the lawyer handles cases like yours.

1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory: the license must show as eligible to practice, and public discipline is listed there.
2. Ask how much of the lawyer's work is eminent domain: practice areas on a Florida Bar profile are added by the lawyer and are not reviewed by The Florida Bar.
3. Ask for the fee agreement in writing before work starts.
4. Ask: Have you handled takings by this agency?
5. Ask: How much could my benefit realistically be?
6. Ask: Which experts will we need?

How LexRanked ranks eminent domain lawyers

By the LexRank score: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location, using only facts with a cited source. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Data checked November 2026 against each lawyer's Florida Bar profile. Payment never changes a position. See how we rank.

Sources

• Constitution of the State of Florida, article X, section 6
• Florida Statutes, section 73.015 (presuit negotiation)
• Florida Statutes, section 73.091 (costs of the proceedings)
• Florida Statutes, section 73.092 (attorney fees)
• Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, Rule 4-1.5 (fees and costs for legal services)
• The Florida Bar: Find a Lawyer directory