Flood Services

All regulatory, administrative and legal challenges (where necessary) of existing flood map designations. Preparation and prosecution of all FEMA-based and/or community adopted flood map amendments and revisions. Interface with lenders and insurance providers on flood map revisions, lending requirements and impacts and insurance requirements and rates. Personal follow-through on all Letters of Map Revision (LOMR) and Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA).

Review, analysis and confirmation of appropriate flood elevations and risks associated with particular land parcels. GIS, tax parcel and other designated information to assist in detailed determinations of actual flood elevations. Surveying, benchmark and other designator reviews to confirm accuracy of elevation designations and to prepare for elevation challenges.

Prosecution or defense, "lead chair", co-counsel or support counsel, trial and deposition preparation, expert testimony and expert testimony preparation on all matters relating to FEMA, flood impacts and flood mapping, regulatory taking, land valuation and other matters relative to the imposition of community or FEMA-based flood maps. Post-flood and disaster litigation relating to flood causation, flood risk evaluation and preparation, community, state and federal flood and disaster response, as well as other related agency actions (such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state departments of transportation).

Representation and expert testimony, testimony preparation and legal support on behalf of corporations, communities and not-for-profit organizations with respect to FEMA, mapping and land use, zoning and comprehensive planning at community and municipal proceedings.

Preparation of positions, expert testimony and preparation of facts and data to support conclusions before all community, municipal, state and federal regulatory and legislative bodies. Advice and representation of communities, corporations and not-for-profit organizations with respect to flood, flood mapping, land use, zoning, land valuation, flood response, and disaster assistance issues and other FEMA-related matters before legislative bodies.

Advise, support, assist and counsel on all land use and zoning matters related to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps, flood designations and other related regulatory and legal issues. Private, corporate and community advice on all matters such as land use planning, land valuation, project impacts, project support, environmental impacts and legal ramifications relating to implementation of flood maps, flood elevations, land use requirements and zoning.

Preparation of testimony as an expert on behalf of public, private, corporate, not-for-profit and governmental entities before legislative and judicial bodies on all matters relating to flooding, flood causation, flood maps and mapping, flood preparation, post-flood and disaster response as well as land valuation and other effects of land use and regulatory actions. Testimony before all legislative, judicial and regulatory bodies on the same and assistance in preparing organizations and their counsel on expert preparation. Interface with other related experts to support stronger position on behalf of all clients with flood or flood mapping related issues.

Legal representation, trial and case preparation, expert testimony, expert witness support and preparation and legislative support and testimony on all matters related to land valuation arising from flood mapping, inaccurate flood designations, flood map revisions and amendments, land use and zoning related to flood designations, comprehensive planning and other related regulatory interface. Impact evaluation following flooding and other related disasters and interface with other environmental issues such as wetlands, environmental habitats and contaminants. Counsel to clients with respect to evaluations by appraisers as related to correct or inaccurate flood zone or flood elevation designations.

Assistance, preparation, lead or co-counsel and development or support of the prosecution or defense of taking or eminent domain claims relative to flood mapping or flood designations, regulatory land use and zoning activities and post-flood claims. Preparation of claims and defenses in support of related legal actions such as negligence and nuisance claims related to flooding and damages from other related causes.

Assistance to individuals, organizations, corporations and communities following natural disasters. Interface with FEMA and other governmental and non-governmental organizations in obtaining disaster assistance, community assistance, individual claim assistance as well as post-disaster planning assistance. Support and advice regarding future land use and other regulatory approaches to aid in claims and assistance opportunities in the future should the need arise.

Legal representation, case preparation and support, expert testimony, expert testimony preparation, other expert identification on all matters relating to flooding, flood damage, flood causation and other related legal issues such as claims involving other negligence or nuisance. Support or defense of individual claims, class action claims on behalf of claimants, insurance carriers and re-insurance companies. Interface with other disciplines including engineering, surveying, hydraulics, hydrology and earth sciences to prove or disprove flood causation and/or flood damages.

On behalf of corporations and communities, direct liaison and interface with state and federal agencies involving flood issues such as flood mapping, flood map revisions (LOMRs and community-wide re-mapping efforts), disaster assistance, flood protection requirements and funding as well as legislative interface on same. Intervention with appropriate regulatory agencies involving challenges to mapping issues, land use and zoning matters affected by federal and state activities, impacts from activities by governmental agencies affecting flood risks and situations involving disaster assistance claims.

Representation of communities with respect to all map revision matters and community-wide re-mapping efforts. Interface with federal agencies such as FEMA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in obtaining financial support and timely updated flood maps. Legislative interface in obtaining funding for community mapping as well as significant funding for flood reduction projects. Legal and regulatory representation on all matters related to flood re-mapping and legal or administrative challenges to same.