Bradley D. Pierce

Overview

Brad Pierce is a trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience in complex litigation actions. A large part of his practice focuses on representing governmental entities and private business and landowners in cases involving eminent domain, inverse condemnation and other land use disputes. Mr. Pierce has acted as lead counsel on complex jury and bench trials involving a variety of property rights and commercial issues. He frequently handles challenging valuation issues involving the value of the land taken, pre-condemnation damages, severance damages, loss of business goodwill and challenges to the right to take. Mr. Pierce is experienced in all aspects of the condemnation process, including pre-acquisition planning, selection and coordination of the services of appraisers and other expert witnesses, negotiation, relocation assistance, and environmental issues.

Mr. Pierce has acted as special counsel for counties, cities, school districts, airport districts, water districts, and numerous other special districts. He handles a variety of litigation issues for public agencies, when the issue calls for his expertise or general counsel has a conflict. Mr. Pierce also handles a range of issues unique to governmental entities and local government. He is experienced with disputes involving the Brown Act, the California Public Records Act, conflict of interest issues, entitlements, development impact fees, administrative and traditional mandate, as well as disputes between public entities.

Mr. Pierce also has extensive experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in litigation involving property rights disputes; boundary and easement disputes involving commercial and residential properties; CC&R, equitable servitude, and covenant disputes; as well as litigating quiet title, partition, and adverse possession claims.

Honors & Recognitions

Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell
Million Dollar Advocates Forum (MDAF), Member
10/10 rating on Avvo
Named as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, 2004 – 2006

Representative Matters

Published Cases

Sierra View Local Health Care Dist. v. Sierra Medical Plaza Assoc. (2005) 126 Cal.App.4th 478.
City of Barstow v. Mojave Water Agency (2000) 23 Cal.4th 1224.

Practice Areas

News & Publications

Events & Speaking Engagements

The Showing Required to Obtain Prejudgment Possession, CLE International’s 28^th Annual Eminent Domain Conference (March 9 – 10, 2026)
Valuation of Part Takings of Improved Property, CLE International’s 27th Annual California Eminent Domain Conference (January 23 – 24, 2025)
Successfully Developing and Challenging a Goodwill Loss Claim, CLE International’s 26th Annual California Eminent Domain Conference (February 8 – 9, 2024)
How to Effectively & Efficiently Represent Small Businesses Seeking Compensation in Eminent Domain Proceedings, CLE International’s 25th Annual Southern California Eminent Domain Conference (March 16 – 17, 2023)
Insights into Severance Damages, CLE International’s 21st Annual Southern California Eminent Domain Conference (January 31 – February 1, 2019)
Seven Things That Every Real Property Practitioner Should Know About Eminent Domain, California State Bar Real Property Law Section 35th Annual Retreat (May 2016)
10 Things Non-Condemnation Lawyers Should Know About Eminent Domain, State Bar of California 88th Annual Meeting (October 2015)
Eminent Domain Start to Finish, Trial Practice and Strategy, National Business Institute, (January 2014)
Photo Enforcement: Red Light and Speed, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, Traffic Adjudication Institute, Torrance, CA (March 21 – 23, 2007)

Publications

Pierce, B. (2022). Using the Undisclosed Expert Witness at Trial. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Pierce, B. (2022). “Special Benefits” v. Fair Market Value: The View from California, Planning & Environmental Law. American Planning Association, 65(11).
Pierce, B. (2011). The Perils of Public Improvement Projects. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Pierce, B. (2011). Judicial Takings: A Decision Without a Decision. California Real Property Journal, 29(1).
Pierce, B. (2008). Climate Change, Land Use and ‘Smart Growth’: Redevelopment Holds a Key to a Better Future. California Environmental Law Reporter, 145.
Pierce, B. (2007). California Supreme Court Addresses the Roles of Judge and Jury in Eminent Domain Cases. California Real Property Journal, 25(3).

Community Involvement

Community & Professional

International Right of Way Association, Chapter 67, Member (2005 – Present)
California Lawyers Association, Real Property and Public Law Sections, Co-Chair (2003 – Present)
California Lawyers Association, Inverse Condemnation/Eminent Domain Subsection of the Real Property Law Section (2003 – 2018)
International Right of Way Association, Chapter 1, Law Chair (2001 – 2005)
Orange County Bar Association – Real Estate Law Section, Member
Los Angeles County Bar Association – Real Property Section, Member
Orange County Asian American Bar Association, Member
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, Member
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Member