About Paul

Mr. Terpak is one of the premier Eminent Domain Lawyers in Virginia. He is editor of ”Eminent Domain Law in Virginia“ (2017), and is listed in BEST LAWYERS in the area of Eminent Domain. He has three times been named Best Lawyers LAWYER OF THE YEAR in the DC Metro area in the area of Eminent Domain, most recently for 2018. He has handled many hundreds of eminent domain (or condemnation) cases, including over 40 trials before juries and commissioners in every jurisdiction in Northern Virginia. With his mentor, Hugo Blankingship, Paul has obtained many of the largest condemnation awards in Virginia, including numerous multi-million dollar verdicts. Paul has handled many of the largest cases caused by the construction of the Hot Lanes project on the Beltway, the new Metro line to Dulles Airport and the Route 66 expansion. He has developed a special expertise in power line, billboard sign, and homeowner association condemnation cases. Despite his experience in very large cases, he regularly handles cases of all sizes, including homeowners and small business condemnations. He has also handled a wide variety of commercial real estate litigation including specific performance claims, rescission suits, brokers’ commission claims, partition suits, breach of warranty claims and other matters. One landmark case is his victory at the Virginia Supreme Court for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority regarding control of telecommunications rights on the W&OD bike trail. Paul has spoken at numerous continuing legal education courses, and was selected by the Virginia State Bar Professionalism Committee to lecture its faculty of judges and senior lawyers on how to deliver effective speeches.

Practice Areas

Education

• University of Virginia, graduated 1977
• University of Virginia, graduated 1980

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia, 1981
• Virginia, 1980

Languages