Marjorie Stern Jacobs, Esq. 
Philadelphia Office
Partner, Real Estate Department

Marjorie is a partner in the Real Estate Department of the Philadelphia Office of Fox Rothschild LLP. She is a co-chair of the firm's Condemnation Group as well as its Tax Appeal Practice Group.

For over 25 years, Marjorie has specialized in the area of eminent domain (condemnation), representing both condemning authorities (condemnors) and owners of property interests that have been condemned, injured or destroyed (condemnees) throughout Pennsylvania. She handles pre-condemnation as well as post-condemnation matters, working regularly with a wide range of experts, including real estate and personal property appraisers, architects, engineers and relocation specialists. Marjorie has been involved with partial and total takings of residential, commercial, industrial and special use properties and is experienced in addressing the gamut of valuation and appraisal issues that arise in the course of litigating condemnation damage claims.

After graduating from law school, Marjorie clerked for the late Honorable Jacob Kalish, then of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County and later Senior Judge of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, a highly regarded jurist in the area of eminent domain. Before joining Fox Rothschild in 1992, Marjorie served as an attorney for 17 years in the Law Department of the City of Philadelphia (City Solicitor's Office). As a Divisional Deputy City Solicitor, she had both personal caseload and supervisory responsibilities in the areas of eminent domain, real estate taxation and zoning. Marjorie was in charge of condemning properties for all operating departments of the City of Philadelphia. She supervised and handled condemnations for such important municipal projects as the Center City Commuter Tunnel and the Criminal Justice Center.

Marjorie has written and lectured extensively on eminent domain matters throughout her career and is a recognized authority on this subject. During her tenure with the City Solicitor's Office, Marjorie co-authored the 1980 and 1985 Cumulative Supplements to Snitzer on Eminent Domain, the widely quoted treatise on Pennsylvania eminent domain law. She was also the editor as well as a co-author of the 2002-2006 Cumulative Supplements. In addition, in 2002, Marjorie updated the “Eminent Domain” Chapter of Pennsylvania Standard Jury Instructions.

In 1995, Marjorie served as chair of the 700-member Real Property Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association. For several years, she has chaired the Real Property Section's Eminent Domain and Appraisals Committee. Under her leadership, the Court of Common Pleas adopted the first local court rule for the adjudication of challenges to de jure and de facto takings.

In 2005, Marjorie was named a “Pennsylvania Super Lawyer”, placing her among the top 5% of all lawyers in the Commonwealth. This highly publicized recognition was based on a state-wide vote of her peers in connection with a joint project of Law & Politics Magazine and Philadelphia Magazine.

Marjorie received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She received her J.D. from Temple University School of Law.