George B. Autry, Jr. has been a trial lawyer since 1991 and has practiced exclusively eminent domain since 1993.  Before joining Cranfill, Sumner, LLP as a partner in 2001, George was a partner in Autry & Crabill, a Raleigh eminent domain law firm.  Prior to representing exclusively property owners in eminent domain matters, George Autry handled condemnation cases as an Associate Attorney General for the State of North Carolina.  George’s career has included over fifty cases where the property owner has received in excess of one million dollars.

Since leaving the Attorney General’s office in 1999, George Autry has limited his practice to representing property owners facing eminent domain.  He has tried over a dozen multi-million dollar land condemnation cases to favorable jury verdicts, resulting in awards greatly in excess of the condemnor’s estimated just compensation.  George, along with his wife and law partner, Stephanie Autry, has won the two largest land condemnation judgments in NCDOT history.  George’s career includes trial and settlements of virtually every type of eminent domain case, including condemnations of shopping centers, golf courses, gas stations, hotels, mining and manufacturing facilities, office and residential condominiums, livestock farms, schools, churches, and automobile dealerships.  George B. Autry, Jr. regularly represents clients against the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the City of Charlotte, the Triangle Transit Authority, and Duke Energy Progress.

For the past ten years, George Autry has represented North Carolina in the Owners’ Counsel of America, a group of attorneys (one from each state) recognized nationally as leaders in the practice of eminent domain.  He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Owners’ Counsel of America.  George was also appointed Chairman of the Land Condemnation Specialty Committee by the North Carolina State Bar.

Representative clients include Target, Inc., Developers Diversified Realty, Chick Fil A, Public Storage, Pro-Build, Inc., Boggs Construction Company, and many other individuals and businesses.

Representative Matters

Cases or matters referenced do not represent the lawyer’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.

  • Obtained a jury verdict of $2,533,364 including interest, for a Durham County hotel owner originally offered $291,000 for the taking of approximately .6 acres of land.
  • Obtained a jury verdict of $2,558,031.12, including interest, for an Alamance County landowner originally offered $400,800 for a partial taking of his property. The verdict continues to be the largest of any kind in Alamance County history.
  • Obtained a jury verdict of $1,707,033.16, including interest, on behalf of a Durham County restaurant owner who was originally offered $427,425.
  • Achieved a settlement of $3,041,000 for a Wake county property owner originally offered $692,760 for a partial taking.
  • Obtained a settlement of $3,667,000 on behalf of two brothers in a highly publicized case involving the total taking of a family tire business located in downtown Raleigh.
  • Achieved a settlement of $1,277,266 on behalf of Rex Hospital for the taking of four acres. The hospital was originally offered nothing.

Articles, Presentations, and Publications

  • George has spoken and presented at programs at various eminent domain seminars and currently presents at area continuing legal education programs.

Representative examples are:

  • The Condemnation Process — Fair Play Along the Road
  • Valuation of a Partially Developed Tract of Land — Lots v. Land
  • Partial Takings and Damages to the Remainder
  • Damages for Loss of Visibility

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