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Warren C. Herlong, Jr.

Member of the Firm

Martindale-Hubbell Rating:
AV Preeminent

Warren C. Herlong, JR.

Intro

The first associate lawyer of Helmsing Leach, Warren’s decades of hard work and success have earned him a stellar reputation in the fields of eminent domain, condemnation, and land valuation litigation.

Practice Area(s) Focus

Warren specializes in eminent domain, condemnation, land value litigation primarily on behalf of property owners. Consistently recognized as a top lawyer in his field, Warren has a number of professional affiliations. He was selected for membership in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), the premier organization for U.S. real estate lawyers headquartered in Rockville, Md. He is one of only nine lawyers in the state of Alabama who are active members. Warren is also a member of the Alabama Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.

Additionally, Warren is one of the initial members of the Owner’s Counsel of America, a Miami-based national organization of eminent domain and condemnation trial lawyers. Each state has one representative member. Warren is now an emeritus member and Casey Pipes, partner at Helmsing Leach, is the primary member.

Representing clients locally and nationally, Warren’s career includes cases tried in both state and federal courts. Warren served as co-counsel for the defendant throughout the litigation in Kumho Tire Company, Ltd., et al. v. Patrick Carmichael, et al., 119 S. Ct. 1167 (1999), a United States Supreme Court case that had a major impact on the law of admissibility of expert witnesses in federal court.

Education

  • University of Edinburgh, Scotland 1977-1978, Diploma of Roman Law
  • University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia 1971-1974, Juris Doctor
  • University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1966-1970, Bachelor of Arts

Bar & Court Admissions

  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Claims
  • United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
  • United States District Court for the Southern, Middle, and
  • Northern Districts of Alabama
  • Martindale-Hubbell Rating: AV Preeminent
  • Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers: Commercial Litigation, Creditors Rights & Insurance Defense 
  • Martindale-Hubbell 2022 AV Preeminent Attorney – Judicial Edition
  • Chambers USA
  • America’s Most Honored Lawyers 2022
  • Best Lawyers in America (since 2006)
    • Lawyer of the Year, Litigation – Real Estate (2020, 2018, 2013)
    • Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
    • Litigation – Antitrust
    • Litigation – Real Estate
  • Alabama Super Lawyers, Eminent Domain 
  • America’s Most Honored Lawyers – 2021
  • America’s Most Honored Professionals 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 – Top 1%
  • Winner, University of Virginia School of Law William Minor Lyle Moot Court Competition,1974
Recipient, University of Virginia School of Law Steven Pierre Trainer Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy for most outstanding final round moot court oral argument, 1974
  • New Gourmet Concepts, Inc. v. Siedo Investments Co., Inc., 988 So.2d 961 (Ala. 2007)
  • Alabama Dept. of Transp. v. Williams, 984 So.2d 1092 (Ala. 2007)
  • State v. Howington, 859 So. 2d 1093, (Ala. 2002)
  • Ex parte Tuscaloosa County v. Phillip LaMoreaux, 825 So. 2d 729, (Ala. 2001)
  • Sustainable Forests, L.L.C v. Alabama Power Co., 805 So. 2d 681, (Ala. 2001)
  • State v. Armstrong, 779 So. 2d 1211 (Ala. 2000).
  • Pace v. The Utilities Bd. Of the City of Foley, 752 So. 2d 510 (Ala. Civ. App. 1999)
  • Town and Campus Apartments, Inc. v. Kemp, 548 So. 2d 436 (Ala. 1989)
  • Thiry v. State, 480 So. 2d 1243 (Ala. Civ. App. 1985)
  • Petroleum and Convenience Marketers of Alabama Association 
  • Birmingham, Alabama
  • Presentation on eminent domain and inverse condemnation issues of interest to convenience store owners and operators
  • American Law Institute-American Bar Association
  • Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Condemnation 101, Panel, “How the Case was Won: Practice Tips from Experienced Eminent Domain Practitioners”
  • CLE Alabama
  • Birmingham, Alabama
  • “Probate Court Commissioners Hearing Strategies in Eminent Domain Cases from the Owner’s Perspective”
  • Eminent domain
  • Condemnation
  • Land valuation litigation