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Meet Our Professionals

Elizabeth R. Story

Partner
Atlanta | 404.665.1229
Fax | 404.869.6972

Elizabeth Story represents clients in real estate litigation with a focus on eminent domain and condemnation. She guides property and business owners through all phases of the eminent domain proceedings, from pre-take acquisitions to special master hearings, mediations, and jury trials. Outside of the context of eminent domain, Elizabeth advises property owners on other private property disputes and litigation related to owning and developing commercial real estate.

Her clients include a wide range of landowners and large and small businesses, including real estate investors and trusts, shopping center developers, restaurant franchisors and franchisees, car dealerships, owners and operators of hotels and convenience stores, and owners of other commercial and mixed-use properties.

Elizabeth has served as the president of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL) Foundation, which plays a leading role in encouraging philanthropy by women lawyers for the benefit of the greater Georgia community. She has also served on the board of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers and on Parker Poe's Community Service Committee.

Earlier in her career, Elizabeth was a staff attorney for the Superior Court Judges of the Cherokee Judicial Circuit. She has also built legal experience providing services to Atlanta Public Schools, the Family Justice Clinic in Athens, Georgia, and the Northeastern Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office in Gainesville, Georgia.

Representative Experience

  • Resolved the taking of commercial property in Forsyth County for the amount the owner sought, at more than 187% of the original offer, resulting in a settlement prior to the filing of litigation.
  • Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a client for the total taking of property and business for more than double a city’s original offer.
  • Successfully negotiated a partial taking and damage to vacant commercial land in Forsyth County, obtaining a 335% increase over the original offer.
  • Obtained a special master award for a client for the partial taking of a commercial property for more than double the original offer, and then successfully negotiated a final settlement for a sum that was 278% over the original offer.
  • Obtained a special master award for a client for the total taking of two residential properties for more than three times a city’s original offer.
  • Successfully negotiated substantial easement language revisions with a utility company on behalf of a commercial landowner while also securing an approximately 40% increase in compensation over the original offer.
  • Secured a $1.5 million settlement for taking and damaging of a poultry farm business and land in Gordon County in lieu of a jury trial.
  • Successfully negotiated a partial taking and damaging of a medical office property in Muscogee County for more than two times the original offer. The negotiation also featured plan changes to include an additional driveway cut for the property.
  • Assisted with a successful challenge to and negotiation of settlement for a full take of a multifamily property, obtaining a 430% increase above the original offer.
  • Secured a $2 million settlement for the taking of property and business in Muscogee County by the Georgia Department of Transportation in lieu of a jury trial, obtaining a 120% increase above the original offer.
  • Settled a condemnation case involving the partial taking and damaging of industrial/manufacturing warehouse property in DeKalb County for 60% more than the original offer.
  • Settled a condemnation case involving the partial taking of a vacant commercial property, obtaining five times more than the original offer.

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Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year" in Atlanta for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America in Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2022-2025
  • The Daily Report's "On the Rise," 2021
  • Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2018-2020

Memberships

  • Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL) Foundation, Board of Directors, 2016-2022, President, 2020-2021, President-Elect, 2019-2020
  • Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), Board of Directors, 2021-2022
  • Joseph Henry Lumpkin American Inn of Court, Barrister, 2014-2016