Crowe Dunlevy Secures Full Jury Verdict in Lease and Condemnation Dispute

Crowe Dunlevy successfully represented property owners in a breach of contract dispute arising from the assumption of a commercial lease involving property later acquired for development of the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa. The case centered on whether the defendants’ actions in prior condemnation proceedings improperly deprived the Firm’s clients of compensation for valuable leasehold improvements made to a gas station and convenience store operated on the property. The Firm pursued damages equal to the condemnation proceeds that had been awarded to another entity after a dispute regarding the identity of the proper lessee. Following a three-day jury trial in Tulsa County, the jury returned a verdict awarding the Firm’s clients the full amount sought—$330,000. The result restored the compensation associated with the clients’ leasehold interests and improvements and fully vindicated their contractual rights.