Justin Allen Hodge

Justin Hodge is a Texas trial lawyer who represents landowners against the government and other condemning authorities in condemnation lawsuits. He teaches a course on eminent domain and land takings at the University of Houston School of Law (2016-24) and has testified before the Texas Legislature to promote eminent-domain reform. Mr. Hodge is recognized as a Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain by Thomson Reuters.    He has co-chaired the CLE International’s Houston Eminent Domain Conference (2016-2021) and has served on faculty at the national eminent-domain conferences at ALI-CLE (2015-16, 2020 and 2024), co-chaired the national eminent-domain ALI-CLE 101 conference (2022-24), and served as a board member and faculty at the Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference (2020-22, and 2024).Mr. Hodge represents landowners in condemnation proceedings, not the governmental authorities or private companies taking property. Mr. Hodge has won cases for landowners at every level: administrative hearings, jury trials, and appeals in state and federal courts. Mr. Hodge’s cases have involved takings of vacant land and ranches as well as highly improved properties with office buildings, shopping centers, restaurants, motels, banks, churches, c-stores, mines, quarries, and residential subdivisions. He has shown his skill both as a negotiator and as a courtroom advocate.Both Mr. Hodge’s father and grandfather were Texas cattlemen and ranchers. His family has lived in Texas for nearly two centuries and is listed amongst members of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, direct descendants of those that settled the Republic of Texas. Understandably, he is passionate about Texas property rights. He has testified on Texas condemnation and eminent-domain reform on behalf of Texas landowners in front of both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate.In 1999, Mr. Hodge received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Applied Economics from Texas Tech University. At Texas Tech, Mr. Hodge taught as a teaching assistant in Farm and Ranch Management. In 2002, he graduated from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the Texas Review of Law and Politics. During law school, he served as a law clerk in the General Counsel’s Office of then-Governor George W. Bush. From 2008 to 2010, 2013, and 2017 Super Lawyers Magazine: Thomas Reuters as publishers in Texas Monthly Magazine recognized Mr. Hodge as a “Rising Star” in eminent domain, an accolade awarded by Thomas Reuters. Mr. Hodge is also recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine: Thomas Reuters as published in Texas Monthly Magazine as a Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain (2018-2024).Mr. Hodge is involved in several professional organizations, including the Christian Legal Society (where he serves of the Board of Directors), Young Lawyer’s Steering Committee (chairing the U.S. Supreme Court Subcommittee from 2007 to 2008), the Defense Research Institute, the American Bar Association, and the Houston Bar Association. Mr. Hodge has been a licensed salesman and real estate broker since 1999.Mr. Hodge and his family live in Houston and are actively involved in their church. He and his wife Courtney are celebrating nineteen years of marriage and they have been blessed with four beautiful children