Paul A. Blucher, Esquire ()

Personal:

Paul A. Blucher, Esquire - was born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1958 and moved to Florida in 1990. He is a former Police Detective and received his undergraduate degrees from Youngstown State University with high honors. Mr. Blucher was partner of a large civil law firm in Florida prior to opening this law office in Sarasota.

Education & Memberships:

University of Pittsburgh, School of Law - May 1990 with awards in Trial Court and Moot Court competitions. Mr. Blucher has written articles on eminent domain topics, one of which was published in the March/April 1998 edition of Restaurateur Magazine, and lectured at the International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference as well as other local Bar Association functions. His practice is limited to assisting property and business owners in eminent domain and property rights matters. Mr. Blucher is a member, Judge John M. Scheb Inn of Court, the Florida Bar (1990), the Federal Bar Association, the Middle District of Florida (1997), and is a long standing member of the Florida Bar Eminent Domain Committee, the American Bar Association, and the American Bar Association Government Law Section, the Sarasota County Bar Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, Florida Restaurant Owners Association, the Florida Bar Stress Management Committee, the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service, Association of Eminent Domain Professionals, member Sterling’s Who’s Who Directory, member of Who’s Who in American Law and committee member of the United Way Allocations & Admissions Committee.

Experience:

Mr. Blucher has resolved hundreds of eminent domain matters throughout Florida with various condemning authorities including the Florida Department of Transportation, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Power & Light Company, Seminole Electric Cooperative, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Orange County and Brevard County, Polk County, Manatee County, Sarasota County, the City of Sarasota, Charlotte County, Desoto County, Lee County, Collier County, and numerous other public and private condemning authorities in Florida. Mr. Blucher has also been involved in eminent domain matters outside of the State of Florida.

Mr. Blucher has represented both large and small property owners and tenants including: mall developers, real estate developers, railroads, shopping centers, health clubs, hotels/motels, retail stores, utility companies, vacant land holdings, farms, citrus groves, residential owners, mobile home parks, condominiums, small business owners/tenants, automobile dealerships, fast food restaurants, restaurants, lounges, convenience stores, gas stations, manufacturing/industrial operations, professional offices, mines, and boating operation facilities, just to name a few.

Tracey Bogen Starrett, Esquire ()

Personal:

Tracey Bogen Starrett - was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1962 and moved to Florida in 1984. Just prior to coming to Florida, she received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Starrett joined Mr. Blucher’s firm in March of 2001.

Education & Memberships:

Stetson University, School of Law - December 1993, graduated magna cum laude, and third in her class. During law school, Ms. Starrett interned at the Florida Department of Transportation (District 7, Tampa) and clerked for the Honorable Elizabeth A. Kovachevich, in the (federal) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, in Tampa. Since becoming a lawyer, Ms. Starrett has assisted in writing chapters for Nichol’s on Eminent Domain and the Florida Bar continuing legal education (CLE) publication on Eminent Domain, Florida Eminent Domain Practice and Procedure. She has also written an article dealing with property rights and wetland issues for CLE International. Her practice, like Mr. Blucher’s, is real estate transactions and assisting property and business owners in eminent domain and property rights matters. Ms. Starrett is a member of the Florida Bar (1994), she is admitted to practice before the federal courts of the Middle District of Florida, Tampa, Florida, and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, Atlanta, Georgia. She is a title attorney-agent with Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund, Inc. (The FUND) and with Lawyer’s Title Insurance Company. She is a long standing member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi, the American Bar Association , the Florida Bar Eminent Domain Committee, and the Sarasota County Bar Association, where she served for many years in various positions within the Young Lawyer’s Section. She has also been a member of the Association of Eminent Domain Professionals and the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court. She has served her community as a member of Women’s Sertoma of Venice and has volunteered at and has served on the board of Mote Marine.

Experience:

Ms. Starrett began her work in the legal field in 1989 when she became a secretary and legal researcher for an eminent domain litigation firm. Since becoming an attorney, she has resolved hundreds of eminent domain matters, on her own and working with senior attorneys. She has represented various clients in cases against condemning authorities including: the Florida Department of Transportation, the Turnpike Authority, the State of Florida (CARL), Southwest Florida Water Management District, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Power & Light Company, Siesta Key Utilities, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, the City of St. Petersburg, Polk County, Orange County, Manatee County, Sarasota County, the City of Sarasota, the City of North Port, Charlotte County, DeSoto County, Lee County, Collier County, and numerous other public and private condemning authorities in Florida. Ms. Starrett has also been involved in eminent domain matters outside of the State of Florida. Over the last several years, as part of the eminent domain practice, Ms. Starrett has assisted many property owners in real estate transactional matters. Recently, the firm has expanded its practice to include more real estate closings and transactions.

Ms. Starrett has represented owners of both large and small properties, tenants, and businesses in both direct condemnation and inverse condemnation matters, as well as in several state and federal appeals. Representative clients include: developers, railroads, shopping centers, hotels/motels, retail stores, utility companies, vacant land holdings, residential owners, condominiums, small business owners/tenants, automobile dealerships, fast food restaurants, restaurants, lounges, convenience stores, gas stations, manufacturing/industrial operations, and professional offices.