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Christian F. Torgrimson

Partner
Board of Directors of the Firm
Atlanta | 404.665.1232
Fax | 404.869.6972

Christian Torgrimson is an experienced eminent domain attorney, helping her clients navigate the complexities of eminent domain issues and condemnation procedures across Georgia and throughout the Southeast. For more than 20 years, she has represented a wide spectrum of businesses and property owners as well as governmental entities in the condemnation of private property for public projects, property disputes, and other real estate related matters.

Her clients include real estate investors and trusts, large and small businesses, mixed-use and shopping center developers, restaurant franchisors and franchisees, and owners and operators of hotels and gas station/convenience stores. Her experience on both sides of the condemnation aisle, particularly with real estate and business damage claims, allows her to reach resolutions that make business sense for her clients. She brings extensive experience to all aspects of condemnation proceedings throughout Georgia, including in jury trials, mediations, acquisitions, closings, and special master hearings.

She helps write the authoritative book on eminent domain laws across the United States, serving as the editor and author of the Georgia chapter of the American Bar Association's national eminent domain compendium. She is a past chair of the Eminent Domain Section of the State Bar of Georgia. A respected national speaker on Georgia eminent domain law, Christian frequently writes and speaks on condemnation issues for various professional organizations, including the American Law Institute.

In 2018, Christian was awarded the CRE designation by the Counselors of Real Estate, an international membership of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters. In 2019, she joined the Advisory Board of the Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference, an international scholarly conference held annually at William & Mary Law School.

In addition, Christian is a past president of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), and she served on its executive board for more than 10 years. She was instrumental in creating the GAWL Foundation in 2003, serving as its founding president for two years.

Representative Experience

  • Settled condemnation case involving the partial taking and damaging of convenience store in Douglas County for $1 million, representing a 253 percent increase above the original offer.
  • Successfully negotiated $4.7 million settlement for partial taking and damaging of multiple-tenant office complex in DeKalb County, representing a 500 percent increase above the original offer.
  • Settled condemnation case involving a partial taking and damaging of a hotel in Rockdale County for nearly three times the original offer.
  • Resolved the condemnation of a commercial shopping center in Forsyth County for more than double the original offer, resulting in a settlement prior to the filing of litigation.
  • Successfully negotiated access rights, easement rights, and compensation for a commercial office building in a condemnation matter prior to litigation.
  • Secured relocation compensation for bail bonding business in Gwinnett County in condemnation action brought by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for an amount 25 times greater than original offer.
  • Secured compensation for damage to an easement owned by a telecommunications tower as a part of a GDOT project in condemnation action in which no offer was made to the tower owner.
  • Settled a condemnation case involving the taking and damaging of three separate commercial parcels for two and a half times the original offer.
  • Obtained $1.7 million jury verdict in favor of client for partial taking and damaging of gas station and convenience store in Fulton County by GDOT, representing a 539 percent increase above the original offer.
  • Secured $19.5 million settlement of a condemnation case brought by GDOT involving mixed-use development property in midtown Atlanta, along with a new driveway cut on a limited access street.
  • Negotiated a settlement for business value of four times the original offer in a condemnation case for the full taking of a franchise fast food restaurant by GDOT.
  • Secured $1 million settlement during the jury trial of a condemnation case by GDOT involving an office building development, representing an 850 percent increase above the original offer.
  • Negotiated a settlement for land value of more than double the original offer in the partial taking of land from a retail shopping center for a county water tower project.
  • Obtained $11 million jury verdict in favor of client for the taking of a hotel site by GDOT in Atlanta, representing a 150 percent increase above the original offer.
  • Obtained $5.9 million jury verdict in favor of high-end automobile dealership client for appraised property and business value against GDOT, representing a 450 percent increase above the original offer.
  • Secured a jury verdict as first chair in favor of client for fully appraised property value, and successfully represented client in subsequent appeals before the Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
  • Successfully represented MARTA in case challenging a transit oriented development project involving public use and private enterprise features before the Georgia Supreme Court.

Reported Cases

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Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America in Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2019-2025; Real Estate Litigation, 2020-2023, 2025
  • Real Estate Forum's Women of Influence, 2018
  • Counselors of Real Estate, CRE Designation, 2018
  • AV Preeminent Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, 2004-present
  • Georgia Super Lawyers Top 50 Women Lawyers, 2014-2020
  • Georgia Super Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, 2014-2018
  • Georgia Super Lawyers, 2013-2024
  • Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, 2015
  • CREW Atlanta's Leadership Class of 2014
  • Georgia Trend magazine’s “Legal Elite," 2008-2010, 2014
  • Georgia Association for Women Lawyers Foundation's 2013 Honorable Debra Bernes Community Volunteer Award
  • The Daily Report's "On the Rise," 2009
  • Atlanta Woman magazine's "Leader in Law," 2008
  • Supreme Court Justice Robert Benham Community Service Award, 2004

Memberships

  • Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference, Advisory Board, 2019-present
  • Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Atlanta, Leadership CREW, Co-Chair, 2021-2022
  • Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), President, 2008-2009; Member, 1999-present
  • Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), Georgia Chapter, Vice-Chair, 2020-present
  • Georgia Latino Law Foundation, Mentor, 2018-present
  • Lawyers Club of Atlanta