The state handed us a letter and called it fair. Claim handed us a check for nearly three times that amount and called it a starting point.
Government's Offer
$214,000
Final Award
$597,500
Margaret & Dale Hoffmann
Third-generation grain farmers · 84 acres condemned for ODOT Route 30 expansion
No fee unless we increase your offer
Lead Attorney
Jonathan R. Alcott
Former ODOT Right-of-Way Counsel · 22 years condemnation law
340+
Cases
$47M+
Recovered
You pay nothing unless we put more money in your pocket.
The government's first offer is rarely their best — it's a number designed for property owners who don't push back. We push back for a living.
We know what the government knows
Jonathan Alcott spent seven years as ODOT's own right-of-way counsel before switching sides. He knows exactly which comparable sales are being ignored and which engineering reports are being written conservatively.
Independent appraisals change the math
State appraisers work from a checklist. Our certified appraisers examine business disruption, severance damages, special use value, and access loss — factors that routinely double or triple initial figures.
We're prepared to go to trial
Most firms settle fast. We prepare every case for the courthouse. That posture alone increases settlement values — agencies know we'll cross-examine their valuators under oath.
Numbers the government doesn't want you to see.
Every figure below represents a property owner who didn't accept the first envelope.
247%
Average increase over initial government offer
Across 340+ completed cases, 2010–2025
$47.2M
Total additional compensation recovered
Above what clients were originally offered
94%
Cases resolved above the initial offer
Including settlements and trial verdicts
38
Cases taken to trial when needed
Agencies know we'll cross-examine their appraisers
Morrow County, OH
Offered / Awarded
ODOT pipeline easement across 112 acres of prime corn ground. State appraisal ignored drainage tile replacement costs and crop yield disruption.
Stark County, OH
Offered / Awarded
Strip mall partial taking for road widening. Loss of anchor tenant and reduced parking not accounted for in state's offer.
Summit County, OH
Offered / Awarded
Full residential taking for transit corridor. Replacement cost analysis and neighborhood comparables were selectively omitted.
Cuyahoga County, OH
Offered / Awarded
Partial warehouse taking affecting loading dock access. Business interruption and permanent access impairment required engineering analysis.
Four moves between their offer and your actual loss.
The guarantee isn't generosity. It's confidence in a process built to close the gap.
Free Case Review
You share your condemnation notice and property details. We assess the gap between the offer and what the record supports — at no charge, no commitment.
Independent Appraisal & Engineering Analysis
We commission our own certified appraisal — one that accounts for severance damages, access loss, business disruption, crop yield, and special-use value the state's checklist never reaches. Where infrastructure is affected, we retain licensed engineers.
Demand & Negotiation
Armed with a complete damages picture, we present a documented counter-demand. Most cases resolve here — at numbers that reflect actual loss, not agency convenience.
Trial-Ready Preparation
If the agency doesn't move, we don't fold. We prepare for cross-examination of state valuators, depose agency appraisers, and present to a jury what the government hoped you'd never hear.
The Claim Guarantee
No fee unless we increase your offer. Our compensation is a percentage of the increase only — not the total award. If we don't improve what you were handed, you owe us nothing.
Jonathan R. Alcott
J.D., Ohio State University Moritz College of Law · Admitted Ohio & Federal
22
Years Practice
340+
Cases Won
$47M+
Recovered
I spent seven years writing the playbook they use against you. I know exactly which line items their appraisers skip, which comparable sales they exclude, and which engineering reports they commission conservatively. That knowledge doesn't belong to the government anymore.
Former Insider, Now Your Advocate
Seven years at ODOT means Jonathan has reviewed thousands of right-of-way files from the agency side. He knows what they're hoping you don't ask for.
Every File Gets a Full Read
No paralegal intake. Jonathan personally reviews your condemnation notice, surveys, and appraisal before your first conversation.
Trial Experience That Settles Cases
38 trials taken to verdict. Agencies check the docket before they write a counter-offer.
Tell us what you received. We'll tell you what it's worth.
No fee. No obligation. Just a clear-eyed assessment from an attorney who has read thousands of these notices.
Have you received a condemnation notice or government offer for your property?
Free Download
5 Rights Every Property Owner Has Before Signing
The government's notice comes with a deadline designed to pressure you. This guide explains five rights Ohio law guarantees you — including the right to your own appraisal — before you put a signature on anything.
- The right to independent appraisal
- The right to negotiate after accepting
- The right to severance damage claims
- The right to business disruption compensation
- The right to appeal after settlement
Prefer to call directly?
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41 South High Street, Suite 2800
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Response within 1 business day
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