150 E 4th St #4
Cincinnati, OH 45202-4018

P 513.768.9782
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Bar Admissions

  • Ohio
  • U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. Southern District of Ohio

Emily T. Supinger

Shareholder

Emily Supinger is a member of the Litigation Department and focuses her practice on civil litigation, property rights, zoning and land use planning, eminent domain, municipal law, and employment law.

Emily has represented political subdivisions, locally and across Ohio, in a variety of matters, including zoning disputes and eminent domain cases. She currently serves as the law director/solicitor for several communities in Hamilton County and Clermont County. As a law director, Emily deals with all aspects of government representation and governance, including public records and open meetings, contracts, real estate, zoning and economic development issues, elections law and referendum, as well as employment and personnel matters.

Emily has extensive experience in eminent domain matters and has successfully challenged the government’s “right to take” property on behalf of property owners, thereby preventing government agencies from acquiring their property. She has also represented public agencies in acquiring property for public projects. Her creative and thoughtful approach in such matters has resulted in expeditious and fair results for the parties involved.

Emily has represented clients in a variety of other matters, including personal injury and wrongful death, civil rights, and corporate disputes. She has appeared and presented argument in courts throughout Ohio, including the Ohio Supreme Court.

Education

  • University of Akron School of Law (J.D.)
  • Ohio University (B.S., Biological Science)

Practice Areas

  • Complex Litigation
  • Property Rights
  • Eminent Domain
  • Inverse Condemnation
  • Regulatory Takings
  • Land Use | Zoning
  • Local Government
  • Employment
  • Historic Preservation
  • Personal Injury

Significant Representations

  • Serves as the law director/solicitor of the City of Wyoming, Village of Woodlawn, Village of Newtown, Village of Bethel, Village of Moscow and Ohio Township.
  • Defended the Village of Lockbourne in an appropriation case brought by the City of Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio. The trial court granted Lockbourne’s motion for summary judgment, finding that Columbus had failed to demonstrate that the acquisition was necessary for a public purpose and therefore did not have the right to condemn the property. The court then granted Lockbourne’s motion for attorney’s fees and costs, awarding the Village the full amount requested — more than $150,000.
  • Represented Cincinnati Public Schools in appropriating property through the eminent domain process for the expansion of school district facilities.
  • Represented the owners of the historic Dickerson Building in Newport, Kentucky, in an eminent domain matter brought by the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK). TANK sought to acquire the property in order to construct a transit center, which would have required the Dickerson Building to be demolished. After it was demonstrated that TANK had failed to comply with the necessary federal historic preservation laws, the Federal Transit Authority revoked federal funding for the project. After a trial on whether TANK had the right to take the property, the trial court determined that TANK could not afford the project without the federal funds, and therefore could not give reasonable assurances that the project would come to pass. As such, it did not have the right to condemn the property. BIF Inc. v. Campbell County, 2007 Ky. App. Unpub. 858 (2007).
  • Represented a group of property owners in Clifton Heights in an eminent domain matter brought by the City of Cincinnati. Two of the three cases settled for several times the City’s initial offer. In the remaining case, the Court of Appeals agreed that the City did not have the right to take the client’s property, and the Court ordered the City to pay our client’s legal fees and expenses. City of Cincinnati v. Clif Cor, 2007-Ohio-311. (1st Dist. 2007).
  • Represented Somerford Township in Madison County in successfully defending its agricultural zoning against a constitutional challenge. Hart v. Somerford Twp. Bd. Of Twp. Trustees, 2008-Ohio-1793 (12th Dist. 2008).
  • Represented West Chester Township in Butler County, Ohio, in successfully defending its commercial zoning and obtaining injunctive relief against Speedway Superamerica. West Chester Twp. Bd. of Twp. Trustees v. Speedway Superamerica, LLC (2007-Ohio-2844 (12th Dist. 2007).
  • Represented Congress Township in Wayne County, Ohio, in appealing a decision it had received from the 9th District Court of Appeals that invalidated its local zoning code to the Ohio Supreme Court. The decision was reversed, and the Court clarified that townships could rely on a county comprehensive plan in developing local zoning. B.J. Alan Co. v. Congress Twp. Bd. of Zoning Appeals, 2009-Ohio-5863 (Ohio Sup. Ct.).

Articles, Publications & Lectures

  • Asking for salary history risks creating discriminatory pay issues. Cincinnati Business Courier, July 2018
  • American Planning Association, Central Ohio Section, Planning and Zoning Workshop, Columbus, Ohio, May 2018
  • Ohio Eminent Domain Conference, Columbus, Ohio, May 2018
  • Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation, San Diego, California, January 2017
  • Advanced Eminent Domain and Valuation, Cincinnati, Ohio, December 2013
  • When a Natural Disaster Strikes Your Community, A Case Study of Moscow, Ohio, Cincinnati Bar Association, July 2012
  • Case Study, Columbus v. Lockbourne, et al., Cincinnati Bar Association, July 2011
  • Eminent Domain Update, Clermont County League of Women Voters, March 2007
  • Key Eminent Domain Concepts, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 2004

Community Involvement

  • Cincinnati Bar Association
  • City of Cincinnati Zoning Board of Appeals, Chair
  • Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers (CALL Class XIII), Fellow
  • Cincinnati Bar Association, Admissions and Legal Education Committee, Member
  • Cincinnati Bar Association, CLE Coordinator 2010-2014; Local Government Law Committee, Chair, 2008-2010; Secretary, 2006-2008
  • Hamilton County Juvenile Court, Unofficial Juvenile Court Referee, North College Hill, 2003-2009
  • St. Ursula Academy, Mock Trial Coach

Honors & Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America® (2021-2024)
  • Ohio Super Lawyers – Local & Municipal (2017-2020, 2022-2024)
  • Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars – Local & Municipal (2009, 2012, 2014-2015)