Michael R. Whitt

Michael R. Whitt is a trial-tested attorney with over 35 years of experience, concentrating his trial practice in the areas of eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and business and real estate disputes. Mike’s experience includes a wide array of business and real estate litigation, including eminent domain, zoning and land use, boundary and title disputes, inverse condemnation and other property right matters. Mike is Board Certified by The Florida Bar as a Specialist in Business Litigation. In these areas, and throughout the trial process, Mike has counseled individuals and small businesses, as well as Fortune 100 companies, and foreign individuals and businesses.

Mike leverages his deep understanding of eminent domain laws and his knowledge of government and construction regulations to counsel his clients through all stages of the eminent domain process, from initial acquisition procedures through litigation, in an effort to maximize the compensation they receive.

Representation

Mike has litigated cases dealing with condemnation, inverse condemnation, Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Protection Act, Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act and Administrative proceedings throughout Florida.

These cases involved myriad governmental and quasi-governmental claims and disputes including road right-of-way, gas transmissions lines, electrical powerlines, flood control and storm water management, public parks, schools, municipal water and wastewater projects, sewer projects and noise walls.

Accolades

• Obtained permit approvals for two separate rock mines despite intense opposition from neighboring owners, environmental groups and County staff. Both cases followed multi-day contested evidentiary hearings.
• Defended challenge by a neighboring property owner, allowing the development of a multimillion dollar botanical and sculpture garden to proceed.
• Represented a Saudi Company seeking recovery of a stolen super yacht.
• Obtained judgment for a Panamanian company enforcing promissory notes, resulting in a receivership of a failed publicly traded company.
• Defeated a $2 million+ claim by a participating bank against the lead bank based on alleged breaches of the Participation Agreement and claims of fraud, resulting in a voluntary dismissal of the claim.
• Foreclosed on a failed condominium project with an eight-figure value, despite a vigorous defense and counterclaims, securing the collateral for the lender.
• Defended client’s multi-million dollar waterfront property from bank foreclosure, by imposing liability onto third parties.
• Represented a School Board in two separate actions against developers claiming an exemption from the school impact fee ordinance. Both cases settled with the School Board’s collection of seven-figure impact fees on both projects.
• Obtained injunction against fabricator of specialized manufacturing equipment who was holding the equipment “hostage” in an overseas port threatening ruination of the client’s business. Obtained an injunction ordering the release of the equipment, thus allowing the client to begin its Malaysia-based manufacturing operations.
• Defended two condominium associations charged by the U.S. Government with housing discrimination under the Fair Housing Amendments Act. One case resulted in a defense verdict in favor of the Association and the individual Board members named as defendants following a lengthy federal court trial. The other case resulted in a voluntary dismissal of the discrimination case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office only days before the federal court trial was set to commence.

• Naples Illustrated Honors 11 Hahn Loeser Attorneys Among Its 2024 Top Lawyers
  September 03, 2024
• Eleven Hahn Loeser Attorneys Named to Naples Illustrated‘s 2023 Top Lawyers
  September 06, 2023
• Best Lawyers Recognizes 87 Hahn Loeser Attorneys Across 53 Specialties
  August 17, 2023
• Four Hahn Loeser Attorneys Are Recognized as Being Board Certified by The Florida Bar
  February 03, 2023
• Best Lawyers Recognizes 75 Hahn Loeser Attorneys Across 45 Specialties
  August 18, 2022
• Seventy-One Hahn Loeser Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers Across Forty-Seven Specialties
  August 19, 2021
• Three Hahn Loeser Attorneys Earn AV Preeminent Rating, Bringing Firm Total to 50
  June 28, 2021
• Seventy-Four Hahn Loeser Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers Across Forty-Six Specialties
  August 20, 2020
• Eminent Domain Attorney Michael Whitt Joins Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
  June 11, 2018

• Speaker

  Florida Eminent Domain Law/Florida Land Use Law for Building Professionals

  September 14, 2023
• Speaker

  Eminent Domain Workshop

  January 30, 2020
• Author

  2018 Florida Legislative Law Update for Community Associations

  June 15, 2018
• Speaker

  Eminent Domain: Where the ‘Art of War’ meets the ‘Art of the Deal’

  May 01, 2018
• Author

  Takings: Your Rights, Business Damages and Preventive Measures

  January 08, 2018
• Speaker

  Case Law Update 2017: Is the Larger Parcel Theory Now Just a MURR-age? The SCOTUS Decision in Murr v. State of Wisconsin and Other Selected Cases

  September 01, 2017
• Author

  Fair Market Rent: Avoiding Its Commonly Uncommon Meaning…and Litigation

  August 04, 2017