Alan A. Sozio is a partner in Burke, Williams & Sorensen’s Los Angeles office. A skilled litigator and trial lawyer, Mr. Sozio was named a Rising Star and Super Lawyer in the areas of Public Law and Eminent Domain by the Southern California edition of Super Lawyers, and has received the highest Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.
As an expert on eminent domain issues, Mr. Sozio counsels public clients on early considerations and pre-acquisition activities necessary to the condemnation process. He litigates eminent domain and inverse condemnation actions on behalf of both public agencies and landowners, where he drafts pleadings and dispositive motions, conducts discovery, negotiates settlements and, when necessary, takes the matters through trial. Mr. Sozio also drafts transactional documents related to the acquisition of property through eminent domain, including purchase and sale agreements, right-of-entry agreements and leases.
In addition to eminent domain actions, Mr. Sozio litigates matters involving physical and regulatory takings, as well as land use and real estate issues. Mr. Sozio litigates contractual disputes, business torts, unfair business practices, and commercial matters for the firm’s private clients. He has also arbitrated labor disputes for the firm’s public and education clients.
On a pro bono basis, Mr. Sozio prosecuted cases for the Cities of Anaheim and Inglewood. In that regard, Mr. Sozio has successfully taken a number of criminal jury trials to “guilty” verdicts, and has obtained favorable bench rulings in criminal evidentiary trial proceedings. Mr. Sozio also acts as a volunteer arbitrator for the Los Angeles Superior Court Alternative Dispute Resolution program.