Eminent Domain Experience
Mr. Fixel’s practice concentrates on the representation of private property owners and businesses in eminent domain cases throughout the state of Florida. Mr. Fixel’s eminent domain legal experience includes both preventing improper takings from occurring and obtaining full compensation for property owners and businesses who are subjected to eminent domain acquisitions.
In his practice, Mr. Fixel has represented hundreds of clients, ranging from individual homeowners to multi-billion dollar businesses who are subjected to potential eminent domain takings. Mr. Fixel has represented these property and business owners in eminent domain matters throughout the state of Florida including in Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dade, Duval, Escambia, Gadsden, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sumter, St. John’s, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.
Mr. Fixel’s eminent domain experience includes first chair trial work. In both 2023 and 2024, Mr. Fixel acted as the primary, first chair attorney in eminent domain trials, both of which resulted in complete judgments in favor of Mr. Fixel’s clients. Mr. Fixel has acted as the first chair trial attorney contesting and stopping numerous eminent domain order of taking hearings, and Mr. Fixel acted as the first chair trial attorney in a nationally and state-wide recognized evidentiary hearing related to a contested motion for rehearing in an eminent domain case.
Prior Professional Experience
Prior to joining the Fixel Law Firm in the spring of 2010, Mr. Fixel spent five years as an associate with King & Spalding, LLP in Atlanta, Georgia. While at King & Spalding, Mr. Fixel’s practice focused on mass tort litigation throughout the country.
Mr. Fixel’s prior legal experience includes representing oil and gas, pharmaceutical, automobile, and transportation companies in product liability and personal injury matters throughout the United States.
Honors
Recognized as a Super Lawyer in 2025 in the field of Florida eminent domain law. This honor is given to the top 5% of attorneys in the state of Florida.
Previously recognized as a Super Lawyer Rising Star in every year from 2013 to 2020 in Florida eminent domain Thishonor is given to attorneys under the age of 40 who have excelled in the practice of eminent domain law in the state of Florida. No more than 2.5% of qualified lawyers in the state of Florida are designated as Super Lawyer Rising Stars, and Mr. Fixel received this honor for eight consecutive years.
Authorship/Speaking Engagements:
-
Co-Author of “Eminent Domain Mediation,” Thirteenth Edition (2024), Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure, The Florida Bar Manual.
- Contributed to “Eminent Domain Mediation,” Twelfth Edition (2021), Eleventh Edition (2019), Tenth Edition (2017), Ninth Edition (2014) and Eighth Edition (2012), Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure, The Florida Bar Manual.
-
Featured Speaker on Technology and the Practice of Law at the 21st Annual Eminent Domain Institute’s CLE International Conference in Tampa, Florida (2017)
-
Featured Speaker on Attorneys’ Fees and Costs in Florida Eminent Domain Law at the 20th Annual Eminent Domain Institute’s CLE International Conference in Tampa, Florida (2016).
-
Featured Speaker on Tree Valuation in Florida Eminent Domain Law at a 2016 International Society of Arboriculture Conference in Tallahassee, Florida (2016)
-
Featured Speaker on Ethics Issues in Florida Eminent Domain Law at the 17th Annual Eminent Domain Institute’s CLE International Conference in Tampa, Florida (2013).
-
Co-Author of Striking Back Against Peremptory Strikes, American Bar Association, Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee Newsletter (2010).
-
Co-Author of How Mohawk Will Affect Litigation, Law360.com, Appellate and Employment Sections (2010).
-
Co-Author of Trends in U.S. Product Liability Litigation, PLC Cross-border Handbook, Life Sciences (2007, 2008).
-
Contributed to the article, “Proposed Changes to the Georgia Rules of Evidence Synthesizing 140 Years of Trial and Error, December 7, 2007 edition of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia’s Product Liability Seminar Program Materials.
- Contributed to the article, “A Bedeviling Little Subject Called Metadata,” April 17, 2006 edition of the New York Law Journal.
Memberships:
-
Member of The Florida Bar, 2010
-
Member of The Georgia Bar, 2005
-
Member of United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (2011)
- Member of United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (2007)
- Member of the United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit (2007)
- Member of Georgia Court of Appeals (2007)
- Member of Georgia Supreme Court (2007)
Personal:
- Fifth generation Floridian, born in Tallahassee in 1980
- Married to Sarah Irvin Fixel in 2008
- One daughter (Raleigh Gail Fixel) born in 2011 and one son (Arthur Sorrell Fixel) born in 2015
Education:
Legal
- University of Virginia, J.D., 2005
- While studying law at the University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. Fixel was a member of the editorial staff for the University of Virginia Environmental Law Journal
Undergraduate
- Duke University, B.A., double major in Religion and Political Science, 2002
Community Activities:
-
Member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees for Maclay School in Tallahassee
-
Chairman of the Long Range Planning Committee for Maclay School
-
Former Vice President of the Alumni Association Board for Maclay School
-
Member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee
-
Past Elder and Member of First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee
-
Past Chairman of the Stewardship Committee for the First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee
-
Past Member of the Finance, Endowment and Nominating Committees for First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee
-
Regional interviewer for the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia
-
Lifelong supporter of Florida State University athletics and Legacy Chief Booster
-
Tallahassee Neighborhood Leadership Academy Graduate (Class of 2012)
Contact Us
Active Project News
The Florida Department of Transportation Increases Funding for Finalized Construction Plans for the State Road 390 Widening from State Road 77 to US 231 in Bay County, Florida
The Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) recently updated its Five Year Work Program to add an additional $1,079,478 dollars of funding to complete construction plans for the State Road 390 widening project from State Road 77 to US 231 in Bay County, Florida....
The Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency Releases Funding Information for Segment G of the Airport Gateway Project in Tallahassee, Florida
The Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency (“CRTPA”) released information regarding the funding of the right of way acquisition for Segment G of the Airport Gateway Project in Tallahassee, Florida. The CRTPA indicated that $14.6 million dollars has been...
The Florida Department of Transportation Appears to be Moving Forward with the State Road 85 Project (from Live Oak Church Road to PJ Adams Parkway) in Okaloosa County, Florida
The Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) has released its tentative five-year work program for fiscal years 2027-2031. In that tentative work program, the FDOT indicated that it plans to allocate over $23 million dollars for right of way acquisition for the...
The Florida Department of Transportation Holds a Public Meeting for the “Around the Mound” Project in Okaloosa County, Florida
On December 9th, 2025, the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) held a public meeting for the “Around the Mound” road project in Okaloosa County, Florida. During the public meeting, the FDOT indicated that FDOT had selected a preferred alternative for the...
