Overview
Ben Schneider is an experienced eminent domain attorney within the firm’s Eminent Domain and Litigation practice groups.
Since joining Miller, Miller & Canby, Ben has represented dozens of clients whose property has been targeted for condemnation, including property owners in nine Maryland counties facing takings by state agencies, local governments, and utility companies. He has assisted homeowners, businesses, and institutions navigate the condemnation process and receive full just compensation. Ben’s achievements for clients earned him the designation of “Ones to Watch” by Best Lawyers.
Prior to joining the firm, Ben served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, where he litigated eminent domain cases in U.S. District Courts across the country on behalf of various federal agencies. His cases ranged in size from .2 acres to 538 acres and in value from $20,000 to $100 million.
Before working at the DOJ, Ben obtained broad legal experience at the D.C. firm of Levy Firestone Muse, where he represented plaintiffs in civil litigations, defended government employees and corporate clients in white collar investigations, and assisted clients facing subpoenas as part of congressional committee investigations.
Ben served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Peter J. Messitte of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. He obtained his Juris Doctor cum laude from Georgetown University and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude.
Ben also holds a Masters of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. Before law school, Ben was a practicing city planner at the U.S. Department of the Navy overseeing planning, infrastructure, and design projects around the D.C. region.
Ben is a native of Montgomery County and lives in Chevy Chase with his wife and two daughters.
Testimonials
Practice Areas
Professional Affiliations
- Bar Association of Montgomery County
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Owners’ Counsel of America, Affiliate Member
- Montgomery County Inns of Court
- Faculty Member/Presenter, 2026 American Law Institute (ALI) Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Conference
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2017
- University of Pennsylvania, Masters of City and Regional Planning, 2009
- University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 2008
Clerkships
The Honorable Peter J. Messitte, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 2019-2020
Honors and Awards
Best Lawyers “One to Watch,” 2027
Representative Cases
Road Widening
Montgomery County, MD
- Initial Offer:
- $970,000
- Final Award:
- $1,168,000
State Highway acquired 5,349 SF in fee, 6,386 SF in perpetual aerial easements, and 5,269 SF temporary construction easement of Church property along Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Successfully negotiated a settlement after convincing the State the aerial easement would substantially diminish the Church’s ability to redevelop the property after the taking.
Airport Expansion
Carroll County, MD
- Initial Offer:
- $425,000
- Final Award:
- $3,500,000
Carroll County acquired an aerial easement over an 80-acre farm and house for expansion of the regional airport. With co-counsel, successfully argued during four-day jury trial that the airport project – with bigger planes, flying lower, directly over the house – made the custom-built family home nearly worthless. Trial success due to frequent client meetings, detailed document review, qualified expert witnesses, meritorious legal motions, and thorough trial preparation.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) & Pedestrian / Bike
Montgomery County, MD
- Initial Offer:
- $52,500
- Final Award:
- $210,000
Montgomery County acquired temporary and perpetual easements over rental home for construction of the Veirs Mill Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Successfully negotiated the four-fold increase in compensation after convincing the County to value the property based upon a pending upzoning and persuading the County to compensate for the project’s imposition of a slope in the side yard.
Road Widening
Cecil County, MD
- Initial Offer:
- $13,100
- Final Award:
- $66,500 plus landscaping
Cecil County acquired temporary and perpetual easements for a road widening project to support increased truck traffic. Successfully negotiated a five-fold increase in compensation, including obtaining payments for impact to the property’s driveway and water well, as well as a robust landscaping plan to screen the road from the family home.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) & Pedestrian / Bike Path
Montgomery County, MD
- Initial Offer:
- $37,000
- Final Award:
- $73,000
Montgomery County acquired temporary and perpetual easements over a residential property for the construction of the Veirs Mill Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Successfully negotiated a two-fold increase in compensation by persuading the County to pay for the loss of an off-street parking space and to fairly compensate for front yard landscape features.
Urban Renewal / Blight Remediation
Baltimore City, MD
- Initial Offer:
- $18,000
- Final Award:
- $37,500
Baltimore City acquired a vacant rowhouse that the owner planned to renovate into rental units. The City refused to negotiate despite the owner having purchased the property for more than the City’s appraised value. Prepared property owner for deposition and articulation of a credible property valuation. Successfully argued during three-day jury trial that the property was worth more than twice the City’s appraisal without hiring an expert witness. Argued post-trial for the reduction of City liens on the property.
DISCLAIMER: THE CASES AND RESULTS DESCRIBED HEREIN ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST RESULTS OBTAINED BY MILLER, MILLER & CANBY, AND ITS ATTORNEYS. PAST CASE RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS. ALL CASES ARE DISTINCT AND HAVE UNIQUE FACTS, CIRCUMSTANCES AND LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED AND EVALUATED ON THEIR OWN MERIT.