Overview
Amy Brigham Boulris is a veteran property rights litigator who exclusively represents landowners in eminent domain, takings, development exactions, Harris Act, and civil rights contexts. Highly experienced at both the trial and appellate levels, Amy joined Gunster in 2012, after more than two decades of extensive practice with the nationally renowned property rights boutique, Brigham Moore. She has continued her distinguished litigation practice over the past decade at Gunster, while also serving as a landowner advocate in high-stakes land use dispute resolution contexts.
As a frequent national lecturer, honorary member of the Owners Counsel of America, longstanding Florida Legal Elite Hall of Fame honoree, and member of the Board of Trustees at the Pacific Legal Foundation, clients and colleagues call upon Amy when faced with complex issues in the constitutional property rights and land use fields. She remains dedicated to providing insights and strategies designed to achieve client goals without litigation where possible and defend client rights through litigation where necessary.
Experience
- Finkelstein v. Dept. of Transportation, 656 So.2d 921 (Fla. 1995)
- Advisory Opinion to the State Attorney General, in re: Property Rights Initiative, 699 So.2d 1304 (Fla. 1997)
- Broward County v. Lapointe, 685 So.2d 889 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997)
- Brevard County v. A. Duda & Sons, Inc., 742 So.2d 476 (Fla. 5th DCA 1999)
- Royal World Metropolitan Inc. v. City of Miami Beach, 863 So.2d 320 (Fla. 3d DCA 2004), rev. den. 2005 Fla. LEXIS 292 (Fla. 2005)
- U.S. v. 480 Acres of Land, 557 F.3d 1297 (11th Cir. 2009)
- City of Miami v. Diocese of Newton Melkite Church, 176 So. 3d 388 (Fla. 3d DCA 2015)
- Woodbridge Holdings, LLC v. Prescott Group Aggressive Small Cap Master Fund, 193 So. 3d 2, 3 (Fla. 4th DCA 2015)
- Russell Post Properties, Inc. v. Leaders Bank, 159 So. 3d 348, 348–49 (Fla. 3d DCA 2015)
- City of Miami v. Mia Casa, LLC, 368 So. 3d 24, 25 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023)
Honors
- American Law Institute, Member
- Owners Counsel of America, Honorary Member
- Florida Trend, “Legal Elite,” 2004-22
- Hall of Fame, 2009-present
- AV Preeminent Attorney in Civil Rights Law, as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell (Highest Possible Rating), 2023
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation "Lawyer of the Year" in Miami, 2011, 2017, 2023
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation, 2007-25
- Business Edition: The Litigation Issue, 2021
- South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyer,” 2006-13
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-19
- Corporate Counsel, 2010
- “Top Fifty Women Lawyers” in Florida, 2007
News & Insights
- “Eminent Domain National Law Update,” presenter, ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Conference, February 2023 (co-presented with Robert Thomas)
- “Appellate Practice: Special Insights on Preserving Error and Presenting Arguments in Taking Cases,” panelist, ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Conference, February 2023
- "Recent Developments in Property Rights," 36th annual Environmental Permitting Summer School, Florida Chamber Foundation, July 2022
- "Recent Developments in Property Rights," 33rd annual Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 2019
- "Recent developments in property rights," Florida Environmental Network's Environmental Permitting Summer School, July 2017
- “Recent Developments in Property Rights," 30th annual Environmental Permitting School, Florida Chamber Foundation, July 2016
- “Developments in Eminent Domain Law,” ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Conference 2014 (co-presented with Professor Gideon Kanner)
- “Not Exactly: The Future of Alleged Future Exactions,” CLEI Eminent Domain Conference 2014
- “Update on Exactions,” ALI-CLE Land UseInstitute 2013
- “Caselaw Update — Exactions,” ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, Planning, Regulations, Litigation, Eminent Domain and Compensation, August 2011
- “Development Exactions as Takings,” CLEI, Tampa, FL, May 2011
- “Part II of the Harris Act: The Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act,” CLEI, Co-presenter, Tampa, FL, May 2011
- “Potential Amendments to the Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Protection Act,” CLEI, Tampa, FL, May 2011
- “Update on Planning, Land Use and Eminent Domain Decisions,” ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain and Compensation, August 2009
- Guest lecturer on the Harris Act, University of Miami Law School LLM Program of Real Property Development, 2007-12
- “How Public Use Affects the Right-to-Take Litigation Across the States,” ALI-ABA Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation, January 2009
- “Public Use in a Post-Kelo World: Show Me the Limits,” The Center for American and International Law Planning, Zoning and Property Rights, December 2008
- “Update on Economic Development and Redevelopment” and “2007-2008 Update on Judicial Reactions to Kelo,” ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain and Compensation, August 2008
- Eminent Domain Series, Professional Education Broadcast Network, July 2008
- “Supreme Court Rules on Eminent Domain for Private Development,” ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education, July 2008
- “Head Start Program,” “The Basics of Eminent Domain” and “Update on Kelo v. City of New London and the Use of Eminent Domain for Economic Development and Redevelopment,” ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain and Compensation, August 2007
- “The Experience of Florida’s Property Rights Law — Two Perspectives on the Bert J. Harris Act,” ALI-ABA, Inverse Condemnation and Related Government Liability, April 2007
- Kelo v. City of New London Update, ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, Mid-Year Update Teleseminar, March 2007
- “Making Sense of Takings Jurisprudence, a Practitioner’s Perspective,” CLEI, Regulatory Takings, February 2007
- “Regulatory Taking Update,” ALI-ABA Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation, January 2007
- “Behavior Modification: How the Redevelopment Process Has Changed,” ULI Southeast Florida/Caribbean, 4th Annual Redevelopment Program, The ABCs of Dealing with CRAs: Working in the Post-Kelo Environment, November 2006
- Lecturer at the Third Annual Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference, October 2006
- “The Basics of Eminent Domain” and “Update on Kelo v. City of New London and the Use of Eminent Domain for Economic Development and Redevelopment,” ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain, and Compensation, August 2006
- “Kelo Anniversary: Subsequent Treatment by Lower Courts,” Eminent Domain, Economic Development, and Redevelopment, ALI-ABA Telephone Seminar, Land Use Series, June 2006
- “Are We in Danger of Losing Our Homes? The Conflict Between Economic Development and Property Rights,” Broward Center for the Performing Arts, May 2006
- “Ethics: Issues for the Regulatory Land Use Litigation Practitioner,” Challenges to Wetlands Regulations: Recognizing a Claim and Deciding How to Pursue It” and “Pleading the Basics: Inverse Condemnation Claims, Necessary Witnesses and Proof,” CLEI Regulatory Takings, Tampa, Florida, March 2006
- Respondent, “New Takes on Takings: Kelo, Lingle, Canker and More,” University of Florida Law Symposium, November 2005
- “Basic Principles of Ripeness in Regulatory Taking Cases: The Challenge of Getting to the Merits,” ALI-ABA Inverse Condemnation and Related Government Liability Seminar, September 2005
- “Ripeness and Exhaustion of Remedies,” Continuing Legal Education Institute, Regulatory Takings: Government Regulation v. Private Property Rights, February 2005
- “Post Trial Practice & Procedure,” Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, 2004
- “Case Law Update,” Continuing Legal Education Institute, Eminent Domain, 2001
- “Building an Appellate Practice in the Condemnation Area Benefits to Clients, Your Firm and You,” CLEI Denver, 2001
- “Update on Ripeness: Dying on the Vine?” CLE International Regulatory Takings Seminar, 1998
- “Does Rising Water Also Give Rise to Compensation?” ALI-ABA Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Seminar, 1997, reprinted in Southwestern Legal Foundation, Institute on Planning, Zoning and Eminent Domain, 1997
- “Environmental Issues in Eminent Domain Proceedings,” XVIII Annual Local Government Law in Florida Seminar, 1995
- “Dealing with Contaminated Land from the Condemnee’s Perspective,” ALI-ABA Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Conference, 1995
- “Transportation Planning Within Constitutional Corridors,” Florida Bar Seminar on Land Use and Environmental Issues as the Millennium Approaches Seminar, 1995
- “Condemnation of Contaminated Land,” Florida Conference of Circuit Judges Eminent Domain Seminar, 1995
- “Apportionment,” Florida Conference of Circuit Judges Eminent Domain Seminar, 1995
- “Admissibility of Contamination in Eminent Domain Trial,” ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, 1994
- “High Court Gives Urgency to Clean Water Act Woes,” Daily Business Review, co-author, April 2012
- Appellate Chapter in the Florida Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure, co-author
- South Florida Legal Guide, profiled, 2010
- Professional forum article, South Florida Legal Guide, co-author, 2010
- “Right of Way Dedications: When Property Owners Should Say ‘Enough!’” Proyecto Magazine, co-author, March 2006
- Professional Forum article, South Florida Legal Guide, author, 2005
- “When Property Owners Should Say ‘Enough is Enough’” author, Florida Real Estate Journal, September 2004
- “Distinctions Between Florida and Federal Practice,” Florida Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure, co-author, 6th Ed., 2003
- “When Fair Market Value Does Not Justly Compensate,” ALI-ABA Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation, co-author, 1996
Involvement
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Owners Counsel of America, Honorary Member
- Pacific Legal Foundation, Board of Trustees
- Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section
Civic & Community Service
- National Christian Foundation South Florida, Member Miami Community Board
- Spotlight Miami, Women's Giving Circle
- Westminster Christian School, 2001-22
- Member
- Board of Directors
