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Lawyer Profile

Image of John C. Murphy

John C. Murphy

Murphy & Evertz LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2007
  • Recognized in:
    Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
    Litigation - Real Estate
  • Website:
    http://www.murphyevertz.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (714) 277.1700
  • Location:
    650 Town Center Drive, Suite 550
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626
"John Murphy is one of the finest attorneys in the field of Eminent Domain who has been my pleasure to work with over the past 30 years. He is one of the most prepared, knowledgeable, and skilled litigators in his field. Mr. Murphy demonstrates a depth of understanding of both the law and the human element in litigations and negotiations. His communication skills, availability, understanding of issues, and effectiveness are unsurpassed. He is a skilled litigant who defines the meaning of "professional" in the legal field. Mr. Murphy is recognized by his peers in articles in both the Los Angeles Times and the Orange Coast Magazine as a premier eminent domain specialist. "

-Morris Reynolds (Riverside County Flood Control & Water Conservation District), Riverside

"Working in eminent domain for three public agencies over 40-plus years, I have had the opportunity to interface with many good lawyers. Without exception, John's pre-trial preparation is the most meticulous I've seen. He just seems to cover everything. This, along with great trial strategy and presentation skills, has resulted in many victories for our public toll road agency."

-Terry Swindle, SR/WA (Transportation Corridor Agencies), Irvine

  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
  • News & Media
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

 

John Murphy focuses his practice on eminent domain, inverse condemnation and other complex real estate trials. He represents a wide variety of public agencies, corporations, and landowners.

Mr. Murphy and his firm have earned its clients over $275 Million in eminent domain awards over the past six years. His firm has won arguably the highest condemnation awards in the State in each of the past four years. Its 2017 judgment against the County of San Bernardino totals $48 Million.

He has been chosen repeatedly for inclusion in the definitive legal directory, Best Lawyers in America - - most recently for 2017 - - in two practice areas: eminent domain law and real estate law.  From 2006 – 2017, the Los Angeles Times has featured Mr. Murphy in its articles, “Southern California’s Best Lawyers.”  Los Angeles magazine has listed him repeatedly in Southern California Super Lawyers. Orange Coast magazine named him in its September, 2007 – 2015 features, “Top Attorneys in Orange County.” 

Best Lawyers in America, the nation’s oldest and most respected legal peer-review publication, honored Mr. Murphy in 2012 as its “Orange County Litigation – Real Estate Lawyer of The Year.”  Mr. Murphy was also named one of the “Top 50 in Orange County” lawyers for 2012 by Southern California’s Super Lawyers magazine.

Mr. Murphy has served as lead trial counsel in numerous significant, successful jury trials. He speaks regularly on eminent domain issues and his cases have garnered significant press coverage. He has been the subject of three Los Angeles Daily Journal profiles and has been featured on the cover of both Verdicts and Settlements and the Daily Journal. John also won one of the largest jury verdicts ($14.6 million) ever obtained in Marin County Superior Court.

In 2006, Mr. Murphy was elected a Fellow of the American Bar Association.  He has been consistently accorded an “AV-Preeminent” rating by Martindale Hubbell.

In 2017, the State Bar of California’s Real Property Section awarded Mr. Murphy a seat on its executive committee.

Mr. Murphy has managed, or played a lead role in, several major public agency acquisition projects. These agencies include:

  • Orange County Flood Control District (2008 – Present)
  • Los Angeles Unified School District (2009 – Present)
  • Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (2013 – Present)
  • Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (2003 – Present)
  • Orange County Transportation Corridor Agencies (1996 – 2007)
  • Riverside County (2007 – Present)
  • Riverside County Economic Development Agency (2007 – Present)
  • San Diego Unified Port District (2015 – Present)
  • City of Los Angeles Department of Airports (LAWA) (2004 – 2007)
  • City of Newport Beach (2007 – 2008);
  • Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (1998 – 2003)

Mr. Murphy spoke on trial tactics in eminent domain at the American Law Institute – Continuing Legal Education (ALI-CLE) 34th Annual Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Conference in San Diego in 2017.  He has also spoken at the January, 2006 23rd Annual ALI-ABA National Eminent Domain Conference in San Diego; the 2009, 26th ALI-ABA National Eminent Domain Conference in Miami, Florida; the 2012, 29th ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Conference in San Diego; and the 2015, 32nd Annual National Eminent Domain Conference in San Francisco.

He serves as Co-Chairman of the annual CLE International Southern California seminar on eminent domain.  He has spoken frequently at Appraisal Institute seminars, and authored an article for the Appraisal Journal.  

Over the past ten years, Mr. Murphy has spoken at over 15 International Right of Way Association seminars and programs.  Most recently, he spoke at the IRWA’s 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Annual International Education Conferences in Indianapolis, Calgary, Atlanta, Seattle, West Virginia, and Hartford, Connecticut.    

Mr. Murphy has authored a chapter on condemnation for the California Continuing Education of the Bar; treatise, “Ground Lease Practice,” and he also authored a chapter of the American Bar Association text book on expert witnesses, “Litigators on Experts.”   

Mr. Murphy is the former president of Chapter 67 of the International Right of Way Association (2000) and former member of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Foundation. He is a past President of the Warren J. Ferguson Chapter of the American Inns of Court and has served on the Board of Visitors of the Chapman University Law School. He is also a member of Lambda Alpha, and an affiliate member of the Appraisal Institute.  

Mr. Murphy received his J.D. from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law in 1980; and his B.A., with honors, from the University of California, Riverside in 1976.

 

  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Bar Admissions:

  • California, The State Bar of California

Affiliations:

  • American Inns of Court, Warren J Ferguson Chapter - President
  • Appraisal Institute - Affiliate
  • Chapman University Law School - Board member - - Board of Visitors
  • IRWA, Chapter 67 - President

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Litigation - Real Estate, Orange County (2012)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
  • Litigation - Real Estate
 

Awards:

  • Speaker, "Eminent Domain Update: Developments in Eminent Domain Law Across The Country: 2011-2012", IRWA Annual International Education Conference, Seattle, Washington (June, 2012).
  • Contributing Author,the American Bar Association book on expert witnesses, Litigators on Experts.
  • Speaker, "Square Pegs, Round Holes and Easy Targets: Valuation of Special Purpose, Non-Profit Properties in Eminent Domain," ALI-ABA, Miami, FL (January 8-9, 2009).

Special Focus:

  • Ad Valorem Taxation
  • Condemnation
  • Eminent Domain
  • Litigation
  • Zoning
 

Lawyer Client Comments

"John Murphy is one of the finest attorneys in the field of Eminent Domain who has been my pleasure to work with over the past 30 years. He is one of the most prepared, knowledgeable, and skilled litigators in his field. Mr. Murphy demonstrates a depth of understanding of both the law and the human element in litigations and negotiations. His communication skills, availability, understanding of issues, and effectiveness are unsurpassed. He is a skilled litigant who defines the meaning of "professional" in the legal field. Mr. Murphy is recognized by his peers in articles in both the Los Angeles Times and the Orange Coast Magazine as a premier eminent domain specialist. "

Morris Reynolds, Riverside County Flood Control & Water Conservation District, Riverside

"Working in eminent domain for three public agencies over 40-plus years, I have had the opportunity to interface with many good lawyers. Without exception, John's pre-trial preparation is the most meticulous I've seen. He just seems to cover everything. This, along with great trial strategy and presentation skills, has resulted in many victories for our public toll road agency."

Terry Swindle, SR/WA, Transportation Corridor Agencies, Irvine

Firm Details

Image for Murphy & Evertz LLP View Firm Profile
Murphy & Evertz LLP
http://www.murphyevertz.com
 
Headquarters
650 Town Center Drive, Suite 550
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 277.1700

News & Media

Featured Publications

Cover for our Southern California publication

Lawyer Case History

Roll Properties LLC and Carmenita SFS Property LLC adv. Caltrans

Represented the owners of a large, 210,271 square foot business park with 62 tenants in Santa Fe Springs on the Interstate 5 freeway. After establishing the necessity for a full take, Mr. Murphy negotiated a $25.5 million sales price, while preserving the client's ability to seek substantial additional precondemnation damages and reimbursement of environmental remediation offsets. 

Budget Inn (Santa Fe Springs) adv. Caltrans.


 Represented the owner of a 105 room budget motel. Caltrans' initial offer for a part take was $84,000. Mr. Murphy won a settlement of $4.6 million for his clients.

People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Calvary Deaf Church and the Southern California Assemblies of God.


 Won a $ 4.6 million settlement, just one week before a scheduled three week jury trial for the defendant congregation and denomination. Caltrans had previously offered no more than $ 1.6 million and had planned to argue at trial for a $ 770,000 value. The final settlement is well more than five times this figure.

San Bernardino Water District v. Mentone Citrus Growers

Represented the owner of a large historic citrus grove.  The Water District offered $1.8 million.  Mr. Murphy won a settlement of $4.6 million for his client. 

City of Lake Forest v. Alexander S. Rados, Trustee

Represented the Rados Family in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Lake Forest.  The City condemned the Rados Family's property for a new sports park.  The City's initial offer was $7.4 million.  The case settled for $15.4 million. 

Fresno Unified School District v. International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

Represented a local Fresno congregation, and its Pastor against the Fresno Unified School District.  The District condemned the church's property for a new elementary school.  The District initially offered $410,000.  The case settled for $1.35 million.  

Caltrans v. Javad N. Sani, M.D., & Parvin Nahvi, M.D.

Caltrans v. Javad N. Sani, M.D., & Parvin Nahvi, M.D. - Represented owners of three ocean- and pastoral-view parcels totaling 13.47 acres off Highway 1 in San Simeon.  Caltrans sought to condemn portions of two of the three parcels for its State Route 1 Realignment Project.  Caltrans initially offered $1,073,800.  It later valued total compensation for the part takes at $4,000,200.  Caltrans ultimately agreed to pay $6,440,000 for full takes of two of the parcels, preserving the owners' ability to seek compensation for the taking of, and damages to, the third parcel.

City of Lake Forest v. Alexander S. Rados, Trustee -

City of Lake Forest v. Alexander S. Rados, Trustee - Represented the landowner in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Lake Forest.  The City condemned the Rados Family’s property - - a little over 13 acres - - for a new sports park.  The City valued just compensation for the expert exchange at $6.665 million.  The case settled for $15.4 million.  

San Francisco Bay Area Transit District v. PPF Industrial Whipple Road/Bowman Place LP

Represented the landowner of a 28.6-acre multi-tenant property in an eminent domain action brought by the San Francisco Bay Area Transit District.  BART condemned the entire property for the Hayward Maintenance Complex Project.  BART initially offered PPF Industrial $34,000,000.  The case settled before trial for $42,750,000.

 

Riverside County Transportation Commission v. Ostlund

Represented the landowner in an eminent domain action brought by the Riverside County Transportation Commission.  The Ostlund Family owned a parcel totaling 20,909 square feet and improved with a commercial/industrial building.  RCTC's initial offer to the Ostlund Family was $1,117,000.  The case settled before trial.  RCTC agreed to pay the Ostlund Family $2.1 million.

Riverside County Transportation Commission v. Charlie R. Webb, Rosina G. Webb, et al.

Represented the landowner in the City of Corona.  the Webb Family operated Unique Designs, a successful outdoor patio and landscape art and furniture business, on the property for over 21 years.  RCTC sought to condemn a portion of the property for its SR-91 widening project.  RCTC valued the property at $886,000 and valued the lost goodwill at $84,000 for a total of $970,000.  The case settled before trial for $1,796,318.  

Riverside County Transportation Commission v. 2410 Wardlow Property, LLC

Represented the landowner of a 4.73 acre parcel improved with eleven freeway-frontage retail and showroom suites.  The property also enjoyed a 40-foot tall pylon sign with double-faced digital marquee, which provided freeway-visible advertising space for the property and its tenants.  RCTC sought to condemn portions of the property for its SR-91 widening project.  RCTC initially offered $1,111,000.  The case settled before trial for $4.7 million.

3187 Redhill, LLC; M2 Freeway LLC; ICC LLC v. The People of the State of California, acting by and through the Department of Transportation

Represented the landowner of a multi-tenant building consisting of eight buildings and 70 suites in an inverse condemnation action against Caltrans.  the landowner claimed that as a result of Caltrans' unreasonable pre-condemnation conduct and unreasonable delay, it lost tenants and potential tenants, could not sell the property, and lost rent.  Caltrans denied any wrongdoing.  The parties entered into a settlement agreement relating to the acquisition of the property where they both agreed to be bound by the opinion of a mutually selected, professional real estate appraiser.  The appraiser valued the property at $38 million, and also awarded lost rent.  
 
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