Ethan Friedman is a shareholder in Miller Starr Regalia’s Walnut Creek office. A recognized expert in matters related to eminent domain and inverse condemnation, Ethan’s practice also includes land use and development, municipal representation, zoning and planning, and public project law. Ethan has extensive experience in all aspects of land acquisition and has represented both public agencies and private property owners throughout the acquisition process through and including trial. Ethan often works with a team of municipal staff and right-of-way professionals to efficiently and effectively carry out the agency’s constitutional obligation to pay just compensation. In addition, Ethan regularly coordinates with appraisers, engineers and other consultants in his representation of private property owners and agencies alike.
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EDUCATION
In 2000, Ethan received a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law. During law school, he earned a CALI Award for outstanding academic achievement in insurance law, served as the Advanced Competition Director for the Moot Court Board, and advanced to the Western Region Quarterfinals of the National Moot Court Competition. Ethan earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University), Los Angeles.
ASSOCIATIONS
Ethan frequently lectures on topics related to eminent domain. Most recently, he taught real estate professionals about the eminent domain process at the California Redevelopment Association’s Legal Issues Symposium (2007 and 2008) and the California 2008 Land Surveyor’s Legal Issue Seminar. He has also written articles on statewide referenda aimed to reform California’s eminent domain statutes, including recent Propositions 90, 98 and 99.
Ethan is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the International Right of Way Association and the California Redevelopment Association.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Ethan handles all land acquisition and eminent domain matters for the District which is in the midst of a long-term flood protection project in Downtown Napa. Ethan advises the District on a variety of issues other than land acquisition, including environmental claims and clean up reimbursement. The Flood Project involves many complicated takes and presents numerous cutting-edge condemnation issues.
City of St. Helena
Ethan represents the City in all of its land acquisition activities for its Flood Protection Project. He has negotiated purchase agreements, settlement agreements and tried eminent domain cases in order to acquire the necessary property interests to provide flood protection to a vulnerable community.
