2026 Spring Litigation Conference
On May 8, 2026, Robin Thornton and Jillian Friess Leivas participated in the Appraisal Institute’s 2026 Spring Litigation Conference, hosted by the Northern California Chapter.
Jillian presented “Temporary Construction Easements: Drafting, Valuation and Unique Issues.” During this session, Jillian discussed temporary construction easements, or TCEs, from both a drafting and valuation perspective. Her presentation was designed to give appraisers and right-of-way professionals a practical understanding of how TCE terms are created, why those terms matter and how they can affect valuation in condemnation and acquisition assignments.
This session focused on the drafting process and the core provisions that should be addressed in a well-prepared temporary construction easement. She then moved on to discuss the valuation of temporary construction easements, including common pitfalls and the ways poorly drafted or overly broad terms can affect value conclusions.
Robin presented “Eminent Domain: Year in Review.” During this session, attendees gained an overview of the most important 2025 court decisions and new legislation affecting eminent domain and closely related right-of-way issues. This session was designed to help appraisers stay current on the legal developments that shape condemnation practice, valuation issues, procedure and the broader framework within which public acquisitions occur. Robin began with a practical review of where legal updates come from, including the legislative, judicial and administrative branches of government. She then outlined the general structure of eminent domain law and the litigation path through which significant cases develop and reach published decisions.
Appraisal Institute’s 2026 Spring Litigation Conference offered advanced legal and valuation education designed for both residential and commercial appraisers.
