Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Charles B. McFarland
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2011 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Charles is a board-certified civil trial lawyer and primarily represents property owners in securing just compensation when government takes private property for public use. While his experience has included takings projects for highway expansion, pipelines, electric transmission lines, and flood control, Charles’s principal practice is focused on highway and roadway widening projects impacting retail, commercial, and industrial uses.
Charles has obtained successful special commissioners’ awards, jury verdicts, settlements, and judgments for clients in condemnation cases across the State, including Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, Waller County, Galveston County, Brazoria County, Williamson County, Dallas County, Matagorda County, Wharton County, Angelina County, Austin County, San Jacinto County, Titus County, Presidio County, and Val Verde County.
Charles’s business acumen and legal ability is well-regarded in legal community, as exemplified by his selection by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and Texas Super Lawyers in the practice area of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. Charles has the AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible rating for both ethical standards and legal ability.
He has handled appeals of condemnation cases and other matters in the First, Fourth, Sixth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals and in the Texas Supreme Court. Charles was formerly a partner in the Condemnation and Land Use Litigation practice group of Vinson & Elkins LLP.
He has been board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Trial Law since 2003.
Overview
- The University of Texas, Juris Doctorate, with honors, graduated 1995
- The University of Texas, BA, with honors, graduated 1991
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- Counselors of Real Estate - Member
- Damages Subcommittee of the Condemnation, Zoning and Land Use Litigation Committee of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association - Former Chair
- Houston Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Owners' Counsel of America - Texas Representative
- Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists - Board Member, Former President
- Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- University of Texas School of Law - Keeton Fellow
- United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- Counselors of Real Estate - Member
- Damages Subcommittee of the Condemnation, Zoning and Land Use Litigation Committee of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association - Former Chair
- Houston Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Owners' Counsel of America - Texas Representative
- Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists - Board Member, Former President
- Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- University of Texas School of Law - Keeton Fellow
- The University of Texas, Juris Doctorate, with honors, graduated 1995
- The University of Texas, BA, with honors, graduated 1991
- United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Houston (2020)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Litigation - Real Estate
Awards:
- Best Lawyers in America, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2011-2025
- Best Lawyers in America, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2020 Lawyer of the Year
- Board Certified, Civil Trial Law
- Keeton Fellow
- Texas Super Lawyers, 2012-2022
- Top 100: 2020 Houston Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2021 Houston Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2022 Houston Super Lawyers
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Q&A
We are exclusively eminent domain lawyers, which is itself a fairly narrow niche of the law. We specialize even further, however, focusing mainly on highway and roadway takings impacting our clients' retail, commercial, industrial, and special-use properties. This is the only area of law in which I have ever practiced, which is pretty uncommon, and I became board certified in Civil Trial Law through trying condemnation cases, which is definitely a unique. We guarantee our results, and we have a proven process for delivering those results to our clients.
Clients frequently ask when they should get us involved. Since we typically work on a contingent fee, it generally will not affect the fee owed to engage us upon notice of the proposed acquisition, which can be several months or years before an offer is even made. Many clients prefer to wait for the offer on the premise that "they might not need a lawyer," but since these are usually well-located properties on major thoroughfares, it is always going to be a good idea to get us to review even a good-seeming offer.
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