Page 13 - First Coast Vol 4 No 1

Property rights are among the most fundamental and sig- ni cant civil liberties protect- ed by both state and federal
constitutions. Designed to support community growth while protecting landowners, the premise is straight- forward, the intent equitable. How- ever, as with many statutes, the inter- pretation and execution vary widely from state to state.
“ e government has to have the ability to take property, otherwise it would be nearly impossible to get anything done,” notes trial lawyer Menelaos “Manny” Papalas. “But just as important, that power needs to be exercised in a just manner with full compensation being paid. We believe the system in Florida, including the way attorneys are paid, allows for that level playing eld to exist here, where it might not elsewhere.”
e “we” Papalas refers to includes long-time associate and now part- ner, Chuck Gri th. Both men have specialized in the area of eminent domain throughout their careers and together established Papalas and Gri th PLLC earlier this year. By virtue of their impeccable reputa- tions and the resulting steady ow of referrals, the rm has been a success since day one.
“Referrals are an essential part of our lifeline and we are both very ap- preciative of the many attorneys who continue to endorse us in this way,” says Gri th. “Of course, we always pay referral fees, which can be quite substantial.”
WHY EMINENT DOMAIN?
“I’m pretty con dent that no one enters law school planning to be- come an eminent domain attorney,” Gri th’s wry smile mirrors his tone. “But, as soon as I was introduced, I knew it was a great t for me.”
A er his rst semester of law school, prior to ever taking a single eminent domain course, Gri th had the opportunity to clerk for Papalas, already one of the most highly-re- spected attorneys in the eld.
While he admits to being nervous during the interview, Gri th also ex- perienced an immediate and power- ful connection with the older attor- ney. Papalas’ recollection coincides with his partner’s.
“Chuck and I did have an easy rapport from the beginning,” says Papalas. “He was nervous about the interview yet had a great sense of hu- mor. I was caught o guard by how earnest he was. It was obvious to me that he was a person who would give 100 percent e ort. ere were sever- al outstanding applicants, but Chuck had the look of someone who didn’t just want the job, he wanted to grow that position into something more. He hasn’t disappointed me.”
“For the next two-and-a-half years our professional relationship contin- ued to grow as I learned the ins and outs of his practice,” says Gri th. “By the time I passed the bar and was sworn in, I was really able to hit the ground running as an eminent do- main lawyer.”
While Papalas’ passion lies in rep- resenting landowners, his initial in- troduction to the world of eminent domain was from the other side of the table. An associate with a large Jacksonville rm whose client was the City of Jacksonville, he and his colleagues were tasked with acquir- ing land through condemnation for the Better Jacksonville plan.
“Relatively quickly I realized that I could make more of a positive im- pact on peoples’ lives if I switched to representing landowners and busi- nesses having land taken,” he says. “Eminent domain is literally a ’bet the farm’ proposition for some of our clients. Representing landown- ers also meant that my compensa- tion would no longer be tied to bill- able hours, but rather to how much of a bene t I brought to my clients. I found that kind of win-win proposi- tion very appealing.”
A single father of a young son at the time, Papalas was striving to nd a reasonable balance in his life, and this seemed an ideal solution.
Here again the partners seem to be in perfect accord. “What I love most about our practice is that as a rm, our business interests are completely aligned with our clients’ interests,” says Gri th. “For most of our clients the land being taken through emi- nent domain represents their most signi cant investment, both nan- cially and o en emotionally. So, the fact that our fees are measured by the
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bene ts we can achieve for the client, rather than being tied to our time, creates a built-in trusting relation- ship that we really believe helps the judicial system function at a higher level for our clients in eminent do- main cases.”
NEW TAKE ON AN ANCIENT CONCEPT
A er working together for several years, the men decided to explore the possibilities of operating a rm built entirely on their own insights, expe- rience and instincts.
“We really thought that a rm dedicated to eminent domain and related issues could do a better job for our clients,” says Papalas. “Chuck and I, along with our paralegal Re- nee Farrington, were already a ‘ rm within a rm’, and going on our own just made sense. Everything we do is aimed at these particular cases and helping our clients. “Condemnation cases are di erent from the typical legal representation handled by our previous rm, and our clients have di erent needs. is just works bet- ter,” he adds.
“We’re very cognizant of how tricky it can be to maintain a healthy balance between work and person- al lives,” says Gri th. “I think it’s something that de nitely makes us unique. We work together on every case. In fact, when we meet with a client the rst time we always assure them they aren’t getting just me or Manny but our whole team. Every client has signi cant and meaningful interactions with all three of us.”
e third member of this team is Renee Farrington. Having worked with Palapas and Gri th at their former rm, Farrington was eager to join them as they embarked on this new venture.
“It wasn’t something I really had to think about when Manny and Chuck asked me to join them,” she says with an engaging smile. “I have great re- spect for both of them and enjoyed working with them both. Actually, while of course I had heard of emi- nent domain before, it wasn’t until I began working with them and had the opportunity to get more involved that I really fully appreciated what a fascinating part of the law it really is.
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