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Since 1983, Carl Gigante has been involved in cases associated with the power of government to take private property for a public use, otherwise known as eminent domain. He has litigated cases in which the government acquired or sought to acquire all or portions of vacant land, farmland, single family residences, apartment buildings, golf courses, hotels, restaurants of every kind, grocery stores, shopping malls, farms, gas stations, car washes, auto-repair shops, parking lots, private roads, auto-dealerships, billboards, out door movie theatres, quarries, factories, industrial sites, warehouses, truck terminals, downtown office buildings, suburban office complexes, unimproved subdivisions, college campuses, churches, air rights, access rights, and the like. He has represented owners in instances where the government seeks to acquire temporary or permanent easements across, above or below their property. He has also represented tenants with long or short term commercial leases. On numerous occasions Carl has challenged the government's attempt to exercise the power of eminent domain, and has been successful in obtaining court orders in which the government is either defeated or elects to abandon its efforts to take the property. Carl has also been involved in cases in which the government significantly interferes with the owner's use and enjoyment of his or her property to such an extent that the owner is entitled to compensation. His appellate experience includes arguments before the Illinois Appellate Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Carl's peers have recognized him among one of Illinois' leading lawyers in the field of eminent domain. He has written material for and lectured to the American Business Institute, the American Bar Association and American College of Real Estate Appraisers. He has also co-authored a chapter on eminent domain for the Illinois Continuing Legal Education Program.

Carl graduated from Fenwick High School, attended Northwestern University, and graduated magna cum laude in 1980 from Loyola University. He also received his law degree from Loyola School of Law in 1983. During law school, he was a member of the Loyola Law Journal, served as a judicial extern to the late federal Judge Nicholas Bua. Carl has co-authored a chapter concerning eminent domain for the Illinois Continuing Legal Education Program. He is married with four children.

Carl has recently been featured in Leading Lawyers Magazine.  Click here to read the full article.