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In the area of eminent domain law, Leslie A. Fields has been active on virtually all sides of the land acquisition process. Representing both private and governmental entities, her clients include individual landowners, developers, private pipeline companies, public service corporations, counties, municipalities, urban renewal authorities, and special districts. She has counseled and represented her clients through every stage of a condemnation case, from preliminary negotiations for the acquisition of property, to the institution of condemnation proceedings, to the ultimate determination of just compensation through litigation and the appellate process. During the many years that she has been practicing in the eminent domain area, Leslie has been involved in nearly every major governmental project within the State of Colorado, including for example the Denver International Airport, the Downtown Convention Center, Highways C-470 and E-470, and most recently the I-25 Highway Expansion Project, otherwise known as T-REX. Leslie has an in-depth understanding of the appraisal process having worked for many years with countless appraisers, real estate brokers and other valuation experts. Leslie’s extensive eminent domain experience includes:Representing private landowners in the condemnation of approximately 15,000 acres of land, mineral and water rights for the new Denver International Airport, touted to be one of the largest condemnations in Colorado history Representing private landowners both in prosecuting and defending the condemnation of property for private purposes under Article II, Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution Representing landowners in the few appellate cases to reject a governmental entity’s right to condemn private property Leslie is currently co-chairman of the ALI-ABA Conference, a national conference on Eminent Domain and Land Valuation. This conference, which generally occurs in January of each year, is attended by lawyers, judges, appraisers, right-of-way agents and others. It has become an excellent forum for not only reporting on the law, but exchanging and developing new ideas on how to improve the area of eminent domain in general. In the area of land development law, Leslie’s clients range from private landowners to major developers seeking to annex, rezone, subdivide and develop various real estate interests. Her extensive background in this area stems from four years as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Lakewood, Colorado at which time she was involved in numerous areas of municipal law, including advising the Planning Commission of the City of Lakewood on various land planning cases; drafting ordinances, and government contracts; interpreting charter and statutory provisions; and reviewing and advising the City on referendums and legal protests. An outgrowth of Leslie’s extensive eminent domain and land development background is her expertise in the area of inverse condemnation. In this arena, she has advised, counseled and litigated in both state and federal courts on behalf of individual claimants. She is particularly qualified in the area of constitutional law as it pertains to unlawful takings of private property rights, including access rights, as a result of governmental acts and regulations. | 