Charles Ruffin also represents nationally traded real estate investment trusts and other real estate investors. His clients include oil and gas interests, fast food franchisors and franchisees, hotel investors, commercial, shopping center and office developers, national drugstore chains, residential real estate developers, convenience store chains and a variety of individually owned enterprises, business operations, and properties.
In 2005, Mr. Ruffin testified on three occasions on behalf of landowner interests before a special Georgia Senate Committee considering revision of eminent domain laws following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London.
From 2007-2022 Mr. Ruffin led an eminent domain practice group at a law firm in the Atlanta area which was ranked at various times Tier 1 by US News–Best Lawyers.
Honors & Awards
• AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell /Judicial Edition
• Atlanta Lawyer of the Year, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, as recognized by The Best Lawyers in America®, years 2016 and 2020
• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2007 – 2023
• Listed in Georgia Super Lawyers in the area of Eminent Domain, 2014-2021
Significant Eminent Domain and Property Rights Representations and Reported Decisions
• Advised Atlanta-area church in negotiations with municipality that resulted in cancellation of plans to condemn five acres of property worth more than $5,000,000.
• Advised industrial property owner in pre-condemnation negotiations with Atlanta-area municipality that resulted in settlement of $9,000,000.
• Representation of rural church in Dublin, Georgia in jury trial that resulted in judgment of $1,500,000 for client.
• Representation of Atlanta-area auto repair franchise that resulted in $1.15 million judgment for client for damage to its business.
• Representation of New York-based property owner in negotiations with City of Sandy Springs that resulted in settlement of $7,000,000 for taking of a commercial parcel for use in a city center project.
• Settled a case in central Georgia that involved an interference with parking area for and access to a general commercial/retail building and further development on the site. The settlement was for an amount 280 percent higher than sums paid into court by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
• Negotiated a $1.1 million settlement of a condemnation case on the eve of a 4-day jury trial. The case concerned an undeveloped commercial outparcel along I-85 in southwest metro Atlanta and involved complicated historical issues.
• Obtained a jury award of $1.03 million in southwest metro Atlanta. The verdict was 730 percent higher than sums paid into court by GDOT.
• Obtained a jury verdict against GDOT in a case involving a recreational lake-oriented convenience store in central Georgia. The verdict resulted in an award of $1.22 million to the client, a gasoline and oil jobber, a sum 289 percent higher than that paid into court by GDOT on commencement of the litigation.
• Tried a jury trial involving damage to access to hotel property in central Georgia. Jury award resulted in a recovery 400 percent higher than the compensation offered by GDOT.
• Settled major condemnation for national trucking firm in Savannah. Settlement involved substantial plan revisions avoiding taking of office building and land locking of property. In addition, funds of $1.5 million were paid for property taken and for consequential damages and mitigation expense.
• Settled taking of portion of major shopping center in north metro Atlanta. Settlement involved cash of $4.5 million and plan revisions to mitigate damage to center.
• Tried a business loss and real estate condemnation case in west Georgia. After a nine-day trial, obtained a jury verdict resulting in a recovery of $1.9 million dollars, which represented a 100 percent increase over sums paid into court by GDOT. The case involved a taking of property from and damage to a warehouse distribution company.
• Negotiated for national retailer a relocation of a power transmission line, thus avoiding major disruptions to operations.
• Settled a case in Augusta, Georgia for $2 million dollars which involved a real estate-only taking of a lessor/nationally traded REIT’s interest in a casual dining concept restaurant. Settlement was 100 percent higher than the GDOT offer at mediation.
• Obtained jury award after jury trial for mineral bearing property located in central Georgia that was 54 times higher than the GDOT pay-in to court resulting in a judgment after interest of a sum 80 times higher than the original payment to the Clerk of Court.
• Settled condemnation for taking of right-of-way for access road constructed for new automobile assembly plant in west Georgia. Settlement was for $1.3 million dollars which was a 228 percent increase over the GDOT pay-in to court.
• Negotiated cessation of intent to condemn northwest Georgia mountain property for upgrade of county emergency communication system. Success was based on a theory of prior dedication to a public use, that being a conservation easement.
• Settled an eminent domain matter on behalf of a fast food restaurant corporation involving a metro Atlanta property. The location involved a corner interstate site in Clayton County. GDOT condemned the principal access to the site thus causing substantial damage to the value of the property. GDOT paid $2.3 million pursuant to the consent judgment obtained to conclude the settlement. That sum represented a 200 percent increase over the original sum offered by GDOT.
• Settled a case involving mitigation and relocation costs for an Interstate 75 retail specialty and gasoline dispensary location. The settlement of $1,427,500 represented an increase of 60 percent over the GDOT pay-in to the court. The relocation and mitigation costs salvaged a business valued at $5.1 million.
• Successfully tried to jury verdict a business loss claim by a major fast food franchisee in central Georgia resulting from a total taking of the franchised site. The judgment was 320 percent higher than sums originally paid into court by GDOT.
• Successfully defended an Atlanta-based partnership that operates a 7,000-acre farming and quail hunting preserve in central Georgia against a private taking of land by an adjoining landowner.
• Settled a condemnation action of a largely abandoned shopping center in Valdosta, GA. The settlement included $5.62 million in compensation while the client retained ownership of eight acres of in-line space. The property was taken for a city-planned arts complex.
Speaking Engagements
• “Probability of Rezoning as an Element of Valuation,” panelist, ALI-CLE
• “Issues and Questions When a Franchise is Taken by Eminent Domain,” co-author, ALI-ABA National Eminent Conference presentation, Miami Beach, Florida, January 2013
• “Overview of Private Property Development and Eminent Domain Law in Georgia,” invited speaker by Mercer University and Georgia State officials, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia, October 17, 2011
• “How to Properly Prepare a case for Trial on Behalf of the Condemnee,” Eminent Domain Section, State Bar of Georgia, November 2009
• “The Examination of Expected Experts in a Condemnation Case,” American Law Institute – American Bar Association Conference on Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation, San Francisco, California, January 2008
• “Update on Georgia Eminent Domain Law,” Georgia Association of Convenience Stores Convention, Board of Directors, Ponte Vedra, Florida, June 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003
• “Update on Georgia Eminent Domain Law,” National Business Institute, Savannah, Georgia, September 2006
• “Update on Georgia Eminent Domain Law,” Lorman Educational Service, Macon, Georgia, July 2006
• “Business Loss Recovery in Compensable and Non-Compensable Jurisdictions,” American Law Institute – American Bar Association – Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Course of Study, San Diego, California, January 2006
• “Kelo v. City of New London, Triumph or Tragedy,” Real Property Law Section – State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, Fall 2005
• “Legal Issues for Georgia Civil Engineers,” Atlanta, Georgia, February 2005
• “Taking an Eminent Domain Case to Trial,” National Business Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, September 2004
• “Maximizing Awards in Condemnation Cases,” 26th Annual Real Property Law Institute, Amelia Island Plantation, Florida, May 2004
Professional Activities
• President, State Bar of Georgia, 2013-2014
• Chair, Institute of Continuing Legal Education of Georgia
• Chair, Eminent Domain Section, State Bar of Georgia
• Chair, Constitutional Law Section, State Bar of Georgia
• State Bar of Georgia (President, 2013-2014; Treasurer, Founding Chair, Eminent Domain Section; Chair, Military Legal Assistance Program; Member, Board of Governors Executive Committee)
• Past President, Macon Bar Association
• Member, Emory Law School Council
• Member, Lawyers Club of Atlanta
• Chair, Eminent Domain Seminars, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 2003-04
• President, Downtown Macon Rotary Club
• Member, Leadership USA
• Member, Leadership Georgia
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Fellow, Georgia Bar Foundation
• Board of Directors, Owners’ Counsel of America, 2013-2016
Bar Admissions and Memberships
• Supreme Court of the United States
• United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of Georgia
• U.S. District Court for the Middle and Northern District of Georgia
• All Georgia Superior and State Courts
• All Specialty Courts of Georgia
• State Bar of Georgia
• Atlanta Bar Association
• Macon Bar Association
• American Bar Association (Member, Eminent Domain Committee, Real Estate Section)
1994-1995. Board Member: Central Georgia Chapter, American Red Cross, 1990-1994; Leadership USA, 1995-1996; Leadership Georgia, 1993-1994; Leadership Macon, 1983-1984. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law (since 2007). Advisory Board, Institute for Local Government Legal Studies. Presenter: "Overview of Private Property Development and Eminent Domain Law in Georgia," invited speaker by Mercer University and Georgia State officials, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia, October 17, 2011; "How to Properly Prepare a case for Trial on Behalf of the Condemnee," Eminent Domain Section, State Bar of Georgia (November 2009); "The Examination of Expected Experts in a Condemnation Case," American Law Institute — American Bar Association Conference on Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation, San Francisco, California, January 2008; "Update on Georgia Eminent Domain Law," Georgia Association of Convenience Stores Convention, Board of Directors, Ponte Vedra, Florida, June 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003; "Update on Georgia Eminent Domain Law," National Business Institute, Savannah, Georgia, September 2006; "Update on Georgia Eminent Domain Law," Lorman Educational Service, Macon, Georgia, July 2006; "Business Loss Recovery in Compensable and Non-Compensable Jurisdictions," American Law Institute — American Bar Association — Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Course of Study, San Diego, California, January 2006. Member: Atlanta, Macon (President, 2004, President-elect, 2003-2004, Treasurer, 2002-2003) and American (Member, Condemnation Committee) Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia (Treasurer Elect, 2010; Board of Governor, Chairman: Eminent Domain Section; Bench and Bar Committee, Advisory Committee on Legislation); Lawyers Club of Atlanta (Membership Committee). Fellow: Lawyers Foundation of Georgia; American Bar Foundation.
