Mr. Brigham is a third generation trial lawyer with experience in complex, high-profile cases involving real estate of many kinds. He is experienced in cases heavily litigated with land use and zoning issues, where use and value of real estate are at stake. He is both familiar with real estate appraisal theory and methodology used in land and industrial development of many varieties and also knowledgeable in matters involving the highest and best use or contested title and ownership issues. In eminent domain and property rights matters, Mr. Brigham focuses his practice upon the defense of private property ownership representing only only property and business owners.
He has never represented the government or other condemning authorities (for example, natural gas pipeline, electrical transmission line companies, transportation authorities or water management districts).
Throughout his more than twenty years of experience representing clients in both large and small cases statewide, he has become best known for his representation of property and business owners in eminent domain proceedings. Over his career, he has served as lead counsel in eminent domain jury trials in Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia, Escambia, Walton, Leon, Alachua, Lake, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Dade, Broward, and Martin Counties. He has also resolved a variety of eminent domain matters in Nassau, Clay, Putnam, Bradford, Columbia, Santa Rosa, Washington, Bay, Hernando, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Highlands, Brevard, St. Lucie, and Palm Beach Counties. His experience includes representing owners in evidentiary hearings such as hearings on orders of taking, bench trials in inverse condemnation, and appeals. Apart from eminent domain, Mr. Brigham has been retained in complex real estate litigation involving valuation, division, title, and use of real property.
Mr. Brigham co-chairs the American Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI-CLE) national seminar, Condemnation 101, and the CLE-International Florida state seminar, Eminent Domain. He frequently lectures on eminent domain, property rights, and trial advocacy. He spoke at the 2011 Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China as well as the 2013 Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference at William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Mr. Brigham is rated AV® Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell in Eminent Domain. He has been selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers (2007-2013) and selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of eminent domain (2007-2013). He was chosen by his peers for recognition in Florida Trend Magazine's "Legal Elite" in the field of eminent domain for the years of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. He is also the Florida member of Owners’ Counsel of America, a nationwide network of eminent domain attorneys dedicated to representing property owners in eminent domain and property rights litigation. You are invited to learn more about Owners’ Counsel of America at www.ownerscounsel.com
As part of an ad hoc task force made up of lawyers representing property owners and condemning authorities, Mr. Brigham drafted revisions to the Florida Eminent Domain Code in 1998/1999 (Chapters 73 & 74 Florida Statutes). He testified before the Florida House and Senate in 2006 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in Kelo v. City of New London, Conn. resulting in both statutory reform and a constitutional amendment.
Mr. Brigham’s energetic style of practice reflects his view that it is a privilege to protect the civil right of private ownership.
