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Alan T. Ackerman is the managing partner in the firm of Ackerman Ackerman & Dynkowski, a Michigan based law firm that has specialized in condemnation law for over 30 years.  Ackerman and his firm take great pride in being Michigan's only law firm specializing in eminent domain matters and representing only owners in eminent domain and condemnation proceedings.   Ackerman joined with his father in 1972 and is currently a member of the Michigan, Florida, and District of Columbia Bar Associations. 

Ackerman and his firm have represented all types of properties, including individual homeowners, farmers, small business owners, property developers, houses of worship, non-profits, cemeteries, marinas, marine industrial projects, manufacturers and Fortune 500 companies for over 30 years in matters ranging from property valuations to complex business litigation against all condemning agencies, including local municipality, state agencies, the Federal Government, and utility companies.  Ackerman and his firm believe in the zealous protection of property rights and valuation maximization.

Areas of Practice

Eminent Domain, Condemnation

Prior Professional Experience

• Represented 40 property owners in the City of Detroit-Poletown Redevelopment Project, all the owners in the Mt. Elliott Chrysler-Jefferson Redevelopment Project.
• Represented property owners in road projects including M-59 expansion, I-696 expansion, US-27 expansion, M-5 Haggerty Connector construction, and numerous other roadway expansions, extensions, and reconstructions.
• Represented all types of properties on behalf of property owners, including apartments, subdivisions, retail and commercial locations, national franchises, national chains, industrial properties, farming operations, marine, dock, bridge and other marine-related facilities, houses of worship, and other non-profit organizations, cemeteries, golf courses, and virtually every other type of private property interest.
• Successfully challenged attempted takings for mixed use industrial parks, toll bridge takings, and private property transfers, and claimed blight rehabilitation projects, among others, reversing the infamous Poletown decision, cited in this.
• Was instrumental in successful constitutional amendment to protect private property rights in eminent domain proceedings, drafted revisions to the Michigan Uniform Condemnation Procedures Act, and collaborated with the creation and revision of Standard Jury Instructions for eminent domain matters.

Notable Cases

• Wayne County v. Hathcock, 468 NW2d 765; 471 Mich 445 (2004). Mr. Ackerman was lead counsel in this successful challenge to the condemnation of property slated to be taken by the County of Wayne for purposes of economic development, including the development of an industrial park, hotel and golf course. This successful challenge reversed the infamous Poletown Neighborhood Council v. City of Detroit, 304 NW2d 455; 410 Mich 616 (1981), case and barred the taking of private property for purely economic development purposes.

• Central Industrial Park Project, 441 NW2d 27; 177 Mich App 11 (1989). Ackerman successfully obtained a dismissal of the condemnation action for the City of Detroit's failure to meet jurisdictional requirements for tendering of the statutory good-faith offer. 

• City of Detroit v. Mistele Company, 380 NW2d 43; 146 Mich App 145 (1985). Ackerman successfully obtained penalty interest payments for the City's failure to pay just compensation in a timely manner.

Education

• University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1972
• Michigan State University, Masters of Labor and Industrial Relations, 1971
• Michigan State University, B.A., 1968

Professional Activities

Alan Ackerman has led numerous eminent domain committees during his career.  He is a past Chairman of the American Bar Association Real Property Section Condemnation Law Committee, Vice Chairman of the American Bar Condemnation  Litigation Committee, Past Chair of the State Bar of Michigan Condemnation Committee,  Detroit Bar Association Eminent Domain Committe, and Oakland County Bar, and Past President of the Old Newsboys' Goodfellow Fund and University of Michigan Lawyers Club.  Mr. Ackerman has been an adjunct professor teaching condemnation law at the University of Detroit School of Law since 1982.  In addition to his membership and practice, Mr. Ackerman has authored or co-authored numerous articles, touching such subjects as "Trends in Condemnation Law; Compensation for Fixture Damages", Just Compensation: Remainder Damages in Partial Taking Cases", "Eminent Domain: The Constitutionality of Condemnation Quick -Take Statutes", "Payment of Going Concern in Condemnation", "Tax Planning for Condemnation Gains", "Burden of Proof, Range of Testimony and Appellate Review in Condemnation Proceedings", and Principles of Compensation in Eminent Domain".  Additionally, Mr. Ackerman was the editor of the "Current Condemnation Law" book published in 1994, as well as co-editor with his partner, Darius W. Dynkowski, in "Current Condemnation Law, Volume II", published in 2006.  Mr. Ackerman has been the Chairman of Continuing Legal Education International's condemnation law programs in Michigan and Ohio, and a speaker in numerous other states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois and Florida.  

Honors

Mr. Ackerman was the recipient of the 2005 Crystal Eagle award recognizing champions of property rights, as well as the 2005 recipient of the Michigan "Lawyer of the Year" awarded by the Michigan Lawyers Weekly.