Anne Duvoisin retired from Henson Fuerst after a distinguished legal career that began in 1978. Throughout her time as a litigator, she tried numerous cases in both state and federal courts across North Carolina, making a significant impact before countless juries and judges. In addition to her trial work, Anne handled appellate cases and served as a mediator and arbitrator since 1996, earning a place in the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals as a panel member.
Throughout her career, Anne was known for her extensive lectures and writings on legal topics at both the national and state levels. She actively contributed to the legal community in North Carolina, chairing various sections and committees within the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and the North Carolina Bar Association. Anne also taught at UNC Law School, focusing on legal writing and appellate advocacy.
In 2011, Henson Fuerst founded its Land Condemnation Division under Anne Duvoisin’s leadership. Anne has been fascinated by constitutional issues from the start of her career. This has served her well in land condemnation, which finds its roots in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution, and Article I, Section 19 of the North Carolina Constitution.
In 2014, Anne Duvoisin took on a pivotal role in challenging the controversial Transportation Corridor Official Map Act in North Carolina. This Act imposed a perpetual moratorium on land development, significantly impacting hundreds of property owners whose land was in potential future bypass areas designated by the Department of Transportation. The law was a “just in case” measure that ultimately proved devastating for many.
Partnering with David Henson, Anne faced the daunting challenge of litigating more than one hundred Map Act cases, many of which other condemnation lawyers avoided due to their complexity and uncertain outcomes. Together, they and a dedicated team of litigators fought tirelessly against the existing law, making significant strides in a difficult arena.
Their relentless efforts have yielded remarkable results, securing over $36 million in awards for property owners in Pender, New Hanover, Pitt, Cleveland, and Wake Counties. Their work not only provided much-needed relief to affected homeowners but also marked a historic moment in the fight for property rights in North Carolina.
Anne Duvoisin – “I’ve always been interested in protecting the average citizen from either the powerful corporations or the powers of government so that their rights are protected.”
Anne’s litigation work over the decades has been wide-ranging. She has represented people from all walks of life in all kinds of cases: From capital punishment cases to civil rights cases, to medical malpractice and nursing home abuse cases, to personal injury cases, to contract disputes involving professional athletes and more – the defining characteristic of her litigation has been its focus on protecting citizens from overreach by government, government funded entities and powerful organizations. Her focus has always been on individual rights.
I recently taught a course on condemnation to engineers and surveyors. In my presentation, I invoked Woodie Guthry’s anthem, “This Land is My Land, this Land is your Land,” which captures the philosophical underpinning of our democracy – that a person’s home is their castle, and cannot be searched or seized by the sovereign with impunity. Constitutional safeguards protect the sanctity of property ownership in our nation. It is also central to my professional credo. – a dedication to protecting the individual from the tyranny of the government. In the context of condemnation law, the U.S. Supreme Court has phrased this principle as follows:
“The Fifth Amendment's guarantee that private property shall not be taken for a public use without just compensation was designed to bar Government from forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by the public as a whole.” Justice Black, writing for the Court in Armstrong v. United States, 364 U.S. 40 (1960)
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree – Duke University
- Juris Doctorate – University of North Carolina School of Law
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina State Bar
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
Main Practice Areas
- Eminent Domain
- Constitutional Law
- Complex Litigation
- Mediation and Arbitration
Of note to her current practice area, she has served as Chair, Vice Chair, Education Chair and Legal Affairs Liaison for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice’s Condemnation Section. She also served as the Co-Chair of the ABA Litigation Committee’s Eminent Domain Subcommittee., ABA State and Local Government Section, and its Eminent Domain Committee. She was Co-Chair of the Litigation Committee’s Sound Advice Sub-Committee, responsible for assisting in the production short educational presentations by condemnation experts across the country. She has been published and lectured on fracking and inverse condemnation both locally and national and has been published nationally on the Sabal Pipeline from a condemnation perspective.
Anne moved to the mountains ten years ago and now lives in Boone, North Carolina. Since moving to Boone, she has served as the President of the Watauga County Bar Association, a voluntary bar association, where she established free CLE for High Country lawyers as a membership benefit. She also served as the President of the 24th Judicial District Bar (the mandatory bar for Watauga, Yancey, Avery, Mitchell and Madison Counties).
Professional Associations
- Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- North Carolina Bar Association - Zoning and Real Estate and Dispute Resolution Sections
- North Carolina Advocates for Justice - Land Condemnation Section
- Watauga County Bar Association
Awards
- Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite, 2022
- Selected to Super Lawyers®, 2020-2024
- North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Order of Service
Recent Notables
- National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- Mediator Panel, Eastern District Federal Court
- Mediator Panel, Middle District Federal Court
- DRC Certification as Mediator in Superior Courts statewide
- District Court Arbitrator, 24th Judicial District
Raleigh Office
Raleigh, NC 27612 P (919) 781-1107
F (919) 781-8048
Rocky Mount Office
Rocky Mount, NC 27804 P (252) 443-2111
F (252) 443-9429