product

Certified Value Specialist (CVS), Certified Professional Estimator (CPE) with Downey & Scott, LLC in Warrenton, Virginia
Mr. Daigle brings an invaluable perspective from his 42 years of construction management and engineering experience. He has worked as an estimator, project/construction manager and was the owner/operator of a firm for nationwide construction projects. Mr. Daigle led the successful completion of various public and private construction projects, ranging from college & university campuses to public safety facilities. He has a wide range of experience in value engineering, cost estimating and cost management, life cycle cost analysis, design, master planning, scheduling, quality control techniques, negotiation and administration of contracts. Mr. Daigle also has been trained in the MCACES 2^nd Generation (Mii) estimating software used in estimating projects for the U.S. Military. He maintains the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality while providing services on sensitive and classified projects. Mr. Daigle’s tenure as a construction engineer and project manager adds a valuable perspective to today’s dynamic market.

Project Manager with Downey & Scott, LLC
Mr. Van Dyke has 26 years of experience in the construction industry ranging from heavy equipment repair and excavation to all aspects of custom home building. Since 2007 he has worked with Downey & Scott as a civil estimator. He has a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business from Virginia Tech. Mr. Van Dyke also works with the Mii version of the U.S. Military’s MCASES cost estimating software.

Certified Value Specialist (CVS), Certified Professional Estimator (CPE) with Downey & Scott, LLC in Warrenton, Virginia
Mr. Daigle brings an invaluable perspective from his 42 years of construction management and engineering experience. He has worked as an estimator, project/construction manager and was the owner/operator of a firm for nationwide construction projects. Mr. Daigle led the successful completion of various public and private construction projects, ranging from college & university campuses to public safety facilities. He has a wide range of experience in value engineering, cost estimating and cost management, life cycle cost analysis, design, master planning, scheduling, quality control techniques, negotiation and administration of contracts. Mr. Daigle also has been trained in the MCACES 2^nd Generation (Mii) estimating software used in estimating projects for the U.S. Military. He maintains the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality while providing services on sensitive and classified projects. Mr. Daigle’s tenure as a construction engineer and project manager adds a valuable perspective to today’s dynamic market.

Shareholder, Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, P.C.
Mr. Kilday is a trial lawyer with more than 25 years of experience handling complex business-related cases in a wide variety of areas, including contracts, real estate, construction, wind energy, oil & gas, fiduciary duties, and professional liability. He has tried cases for both plaintiffs and defendants, and has represented clients in both state and federal court and in arbitration proceedings.

Attorney, Benjamin, Vana, Martinez & Biggs, LLP
Mr. McMillan’s broad interdisciplinary construction practice spans all major industry segments including civil, architectural, structural and MEP design, construction defects, contract and payment disputes, and schedule disputes for owners, contractors, suppliers and design professionals. Mr. McMillan holds a B.S. degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M. He went on to work as a project manager for a commercial general contractor in Austin before attending St. Mary’s University School of Law. He graduated from St. Mary’s cum laude and is a LEED AP. Mr. McMillan practices law in both San Antonio and Austin, is a member of the Construction Law Section of both the San Antonio Bar Association and Austin Bar Association, and is a member of the Austin Young Lawyers Association.

Partner, Birch, Becker & Moorman, LLP
Ms. Moorman has practiced environmental and administrative law for over 20 years, assisting municipal, commercial, and industrial clients with permitting, compliance, and enforcement issues related to water quality, stormwater, municipal solid waste, and air quality. She represents clients before state and federal agencies, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the State Office of Administrative Hearings, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and she has been a frequent participant in TCEQ stakeholder groups for the development of agency rules and general permits. Ms. Moorman holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, a law degree from the Indiana University–Bloomington School of Law, and an MS degree in Environmental Science from the Indiana University–Bloomington School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
 

Associate, Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr, P.C.
Mr. Talley represents owners (public and private), design professionals, general contractors, and subcon­tractors in construction-related transactional and litigation matters. His transactional practice focuses on drafting and negotiating complex construction contracts, professional service agreements, subcontracts, and purchase orders. In addition, he specializes in drafting and negotiating contractual insurance requirements for commercial real estate and construction projects. On the controversy side, Mr. Talley frequently works with his clients in the construction industry to develop strategies to resolve insurance coverage disputes and complex litigation matters in state court, as well as in arbitration.
 

Principal, TheACCESSpartnership, L.P.
Mr. Torkelson founded theACCESSpartnership, l.p. in 1997 to provide consulting services relating to accessibil­ity for the ADA, FHA and local building codes nationwide for architects, building owners and institutions. He is licensed with the State of Texas and California; is an Accessibility/Usability Specialist with the International Code Council; and is a recognized expert on Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Mr. Torkelson is both a founding member and past president of the Accessibility Profession­als Association and a member of the Certified Access Specialist Institute.

Partner, Duane Morris, LLP
Mr. Wheatley practices in the area of construction law with a focus on construction, design and engineering disputes and transactions. His practice has included: complex delay; impact; defective design; defective con­struction or differing site conditions claims involving mediation, litigation or arbitration; and problem project workouts, including negotiating with sureties and owners. He also has experience with the drafting and negotiation of complex construction, design and engineering contracts and environmental issues concerning construction projects. Mr. Wheatley is certified in Construction Law by the State Bar of Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Founding Partner of Sauro & Bergstrom, PLLC, a plaintiff’s firm located in Oakdale, Minnesota.
With a background in insurance claims and regulatory compliance, Ms. Bergstrom has decades of experience analyzing, resolving, and litigating insurance claim disputes and construction matters both as a plaintiff’s attorney and formerly as staff counsel for several large insurance companies. She regularly handles insurance appraisals, arbitrations, and litigation at both district and appellate courts in Minnesota and elsewhere. She serves as an AAA arbitrator, as well as an expert on insurance coverage and bad faith issues. Ms. Bergstrom is an active member of several national organizations, including the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters and the American Bar Association’s Tort and Insurance Practice Section, where she is the current chair of the Property Insurance Litigation Committee. Ms. Bergstrom was named by Minnesota Law and Politics as a Rising Star in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and as a Super Lawyer in 2014 – 2021.

Attorney with Goetz & Eckland P.A. in Minneapolis
Mr. Rowley primarily practices in commercial and residential construction defect litigation. He has extensive experience representing all types of parties, including cities and school districts, private owners, design professionals, contractors, and their insurance companies. He has drafted and defended numerous construction contracts for commercial and residential projects. His practice includes analysis and motions involving contractual indemnity and insurance coverage related to construction projects. He is a frequent speaker on construction defect topics to insurance industry groups and in continuing legal education seminars. Mr. Rowley is a board member of the Construction Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is named a Minnesota Super Lawyer by Minnesota Law & Politics.

Partner at Best & Flanagan LLP in Minneapolis
Mr. Short is a partner in the firm’s Construction, Real Estate and Litigation practice groups where he represents prime contractors, subcontractors and commercial landowners. He specializes in construction claims relating to highway and bridge projects, Department of Transportation claims, federal MATOC agreements, mechanic’s liens, surety and bond claims, bid protests, indemnity obligations, construction contract disputes and commercial and multi-family residential construction defects. He has represented contractors on these construction matters throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Mr. Short is recognized as a Rising Star by Minnesota Law & Politics and is a national lecturer on construction and real estate industry topics for the Minnesota State Bar Association, Thompson-West Corporation, and HalfMoon Education Inc., and at private seminars for contractors and commercial landowners throughout the United States.

Mr. Steckler’s practice is focused on commercial and business law and related litigation and appeals. Serving as general corporate counsel for companies in various industries, Mr. Steckler regularly advises clients on a broad range of issues facing businesses on a day-to-day basis. He advises on and prepares complex commercial contracts, franchise agreements, distribution contracts, construction contracts, non-compete agreements, commercial leases, and asset and stock purchase agreements. In addition to representing clients in general commercial, corporate and operational matters, Mr. Steckler represents companies and individuals in state and federal courts, licensing, and regulatory tribunals and in alternative dispute resolution in jurisdictions nationwide. Assessment and management of risk for clients on wide-ranging operational and strategic issues, timely issue spotting and front-end problem solving are among Mr. Steckler’s core strengths.

Attorney with Fisher Bren & Sheridan, LLP, in Minneapolis
Mr. Steffes practices civil litigation with a focus on representing developers, contractors, and businesses. He litigates high exposure claims and complex cases in a broad range of areas, including personal injury, construction defects, trucking liability, product liability, commercial litigation, and environmental claims. He is a successful trial attorney, who has obtained favorable jury verdicts and settlements. Mr. Steffes has litigated matters throughout the country and is licensed in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. He is also a member of the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Transportation Lawyers Association and the Twin Cities Claims Association.

Senior Counsel, Ice Miller LLP
Mr. Devine is senior counsel and a construction attorney in the firm’s Litigation Group. His emphasis is public construction contracts, project delivery methods, competitive bidding issues, prevailing wage compliance, and DBE/MBE requirements. In addition, he litigates cases and administrative actions on behalf of contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Mr. Devine has authored numerous articles on construction and administrative law issues.

Mr. Holthus’ primary areas of focus are the defense of construction, governmental liability, and employment and general liability claims. He has tried, advocated and arbitrated nearly one hundred cases before civil juries, administrative licensing and other boards and arbitration panels throughout Ohio, as well as Illinois and California, in both state and federal courts. Among his other professional and civic positions, Mr. Holthus is past Chair of the Columbus Bar Association’s Professionalism Committee and is a member of the Professional Liability Defense Federation. 

Partner, Lane Alton
Mr. Pettit helps small and mid-sized businesses succeed through sound corporate planning and strategic advocacy. Over the past 18 years, he has negotiated and closed asset purchase transactions, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, and employment and other professional service contracts. Mr. Pettit has represented business owners and professionals in court or in arbitration in a variety of industries, including architecture and engineering, health care, insurance, securities and financial planning.

The Wilson Law Firm, LLC
Mr. Wilson is a central Ohio native and has been practicing law since 2014. He began his practice in the offices of Routte Law for which he is still Of Counsel. Mr. Wilson’s practice is focused primarily in the areas of construction law and ethics, real estate, and labor and employment law. He also has a general practice in which he handles various civil, domestic, and criminal matters. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts degree in History. He studied law at Capital University Law School where he was a Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Law Fellow, was on the Dean’s List, was a Cali Award Winner, and was a member of Phi Alpha Delta, the Black Law Student’s Association, and the Women’s Law Student Association, and he was treasurer of the Capital Branch of the ACLU. Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Wilson worked for over 15 years in construction as both a carpenter and a contractor. In that time, Mr. Wilson worked for many of the biggest contractors in Ohio and the country. When running his own contracting business, Mr. Wilson’s company remodeled the original Ohio Governor’s Mansion which is now home to the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at The Ohio State University. He also has extensive experience in residential construction. Now practicing law, Mr. Wilson is a member of the Construction Law and Ethics Forum for the American Bar Association, a member of the Construction Law and Ethics Committee for the Ohio Bar Association, and a member of the Builders Exchange of Central Ohio.

Law Offices of Todd Bakal, White Plains
Mr. Bakal has helped people with their business and personal legal needs for more than 20 years. During that time, he has focused his practice in the areas of construction, environmental, and general commercial litigation as well as insurance coverage disputes. Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Bakal helps individuals and business owners with real estate, business formation and succession, regulatory work, and trust and estate planning and administration issues. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he double-majored in Philosophy and Computer Science. Mr. Bakal then attended George Washington University Law School. Prior to practicing law, he founded RBI Software, Inc. which specialized in the development of commercial vertical market applications. Mr. Bakal is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Westchester County Bar Association, and the New York City Bar Association. He is admitted to the New York and New Jersey bars.

Shareholder, Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C.
Mr. DeHaut serves as co-chair of the Construction Law & Litigation departments at Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C. where he maintains a broad-based transactional and commercial litigation practice in New York City and New Jersey. He regularly represents real estate developers, owners, lenders, designers, contractors, subcontractors, and vendors throughout all stages of development – from acquisition, design, and financing to construction, occupancy, and sale. Mr. DeHaut’s transactional practice includes the drafting of construction and design contracts, purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, and related development documents. His practice also includes providing advice on sustainable development, energy efficiency, co-generation; solar facilities, and related incentives. In addition to transactional work, Mr. DeHaut represents clients in litigation, arbitration, and mediation. He advocates for clients in a wide variety of complex commercial disputes, with particular focus on troubled construction projects with the goal of helping clients achieve their objectives in the most efficient, practical, and cost-effective manner. He has assisted in the resolution of cases ranging from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of millions and has significant experience in troubleshooting issues with a hands-on, result-oriented approach.

Mr. Haftek prides himself on assisting a broad base of clients with a variety a business and legal needs. From years of handling development projects and contract drafting and negotiation to experience in complex commercial disputes, with a focus on construction law, he aims to be the attorney firm clients can rely on to efficiently and effectively address a wide range of concerns. Mr. Haftek handles all phases of commercial and construction law and litigation, including construction defects, construction/municipal mechanics’ liens, public bid protests, delays, extra work, collections, and contract negotiation and drafting. His work has been recognized with selection as a New Jersey Super Lawyers’ Rising Star and Super Lawyer in the area of Construction Litigation, and he is a frequent speaker for attorneys and business professionals on topics ranging from contract drafting to government procurement.

Wojciech “Voytek” Jackowski is chair of the Commercial Litigation North practice at Offit Kurman. He focuses on commercial and corporate dispute resolution, emphasizing rational and cost-effective business solutions. His diverse practice includes international facets of litigation and dispute resolution, and criminal and civil facets of various international income reporting obligations. He has represented entities and individuals in cases involving trade and contract disputes, property loss claims, bankruptcy proceedings, construction issues, commodities and derivatives matters, white-collar crime, personal injury, and claims raising questions under federal labor law. Before joining Offit Kurman, Mr. Jackowski was a partner in the New York law firm of Menaker & Herrmann LLP. He began his career as a prosecutor and later became a Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, where he was part of the Money Laundering and Revenue Crimes Bureau and the Rackets Division, investigating and prosecuting business and securities fraud, money laundering, and corporate and individual income and sales tax evasion. Mr. Jackowski frequently lectures and publishes articles on construction law and litigation topics. He is active in numerous bar and industry associations, including the Construction Law Committee of the New York Building Congress, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Professional Development Committee, the International Section of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law, the Law Firm Sustainability Network, A/E ProNet, and the European American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Construction Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association.

Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, ColumbusMr. Buzby is a trial attorney with more than 40 years of experience representing clients in court, arbitration, and mediation on a wide range of business disputes. His trial practice emphasizes construction, representing project owners, contractors, and design and engineering professionals on construction projects. Mr. Buzby counsels clients in the areas of real estate, energy, and general business counseling and litigation. He has experience throughout the construction industry in the negotiation and preparation of construction contracts, project performance and the resolution of construction claims and disputes.

Director, Kegler Brown Hill & Ritter, LPAMr. Doran is a director of the firm. He assists individuals, small businesses and industry clients in managing federal, state and local environmental issues, facility siting and natural resource utilization. This experience provides a strong foundation for offering effective short-term and long-term strategic advice and perspective. He has assisted clients with the resolution of federal and state environmental enforcement actions, governmental and private-party cost recovery actions, toxic tort claims and citizen suits. Mr. Doran has facilitated state and federal permitting associated with industrial, commercial and residential site development, oil and gas production and transmission, and natural resource mitigation banking. He is active in a number of industry associations.

Partner, Lane AltonMr. Hutson has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He is the past chair of the Construction Law Committee of the Columbus Bar Association and a member of its ADR Committee. He serves by assignment as a referee in the Ohio Court of Claims. Mr. Hutson is a member of the American Bar Association and its Forum Committee on the Construction Industry. He is a member of the Commercial and Construction panels of the American Arbitration Association. Mr. Hutson has been named an Ohio Super Lawyer in Construction Law by Law & Politics Media Inc. (current) and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in personal injury litigation.

Partner, Calfee Halter & Griswold LLPMr. Mendoza is an experienced business litigation attorney anda partner in the firm’s litigation group. His practice is focused in the areas of construction law, insurance coverage, productsliability, toxic tort litigation, and general business litigation.He has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, and herepresents clients regularly in state and federal courts, as well asin negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations. In addition to hisdispute resolution work, Mr. Mendoza also counsels clients inconnection with matters and transactions involving constructionand/or insurance-coverage issues. He also speaks regularly atseminars and other public forums concerning construction,insurance, and product liability issues. Mr. Mendoza is a 2016 Super Lawyer and he has previously been listed among the Top 50 Cleveland Attorneys and Top 100 Ohio Attorneys by SuperLawyers.

Mr. Sherman is a partner in Porter Wright’s litigation department and co-chairs the firm’s construction practice group. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial disputes, with a particular focus on construction matters. Mr. Sherman regularly represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and architects/engineers in contract matters, disputes, and litigation. He has been recognized by Chambers USA as a “Leader in the Field” for general commercial litigation, which described him as “one of the next generation of leading Ohio litigators.” Mr. Sherman has also been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2009. He received a B.A. degree from The Ohio State University and a J.D. degree from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law. Mr. Sherman is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law, the Columbus Bar Association’s Construction Law Committee, and the Builders Exchange of Central Ohio.

Partner, Brickler & Eckler, LLPMr. Shevelow is a partner practicing in the firm’s Construction group and the Energy, Public Utilities & Environmental group. His practice focuses on litigation and transactional law pertaining to heavy/highway and other construction issues for owners and contractors such as differing site conditions, implied warranty of plans and specifications and underground utility protection and bid disputes. He has prepared and negotiated numerous design/bid/build and design/build construction contracts for contractors and public and private owners for projects ranging from $400,000 skate park construction to $28 million wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation.

Peckar & Abramson, P.C., Austin
Mr. Baldwin represents clients in construction law and litigation. He has experience in all phases of the public contracting process, including bid and proposal preparation, and resolution of contract award controversies, performance-related disputes and claims. Mr. Baldwin has experience in litigation and dispute resolution before arbitration panels, administrative agencies, and boards of contract appeals. He has litigation experience in state and federal courts. His construction clients include both public and private owners, commercial general contractors engaged in both public and private work, specialty subcontractors and suppliers.

Partner with Allensworth Porter, L.L.P., Austin, TXMr. Brown is board certified in construction law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His construction law practice includes construction litigation, lien and bond claims, project closeout, and professional liability. He regularly represents owners, engineers, architects, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Mr. Brown also assists commercial owners and contractors in project closeout disputes, by resolving lien claims and defective work at the end of a project, so that owners can move into permanent financing and all parties can obtain closure on the project in question. In addition, he defends design professionals in commercial design errors and omissions disputes.

Partner at Allensworth & Porter, L.L.P.Ms. Emerson specializes in governmental immunity issues, and she has represented clients in complicated contract disputes, constitutional suits, bond-validation suits and construction matters. Among other accomplishments, she recently defended a city’s zoning authority—winning both at trial and on appeal to the Supreme Court of Texas—and assisted in obtaining the first reservoir permit issued by the State of Texas in almost 30 years. A sought after speaker on topics ranging from contract suits to liability against design professionals, Ms. Emerson has spoken to a range of professional groups, including the Construction Law Section of the Austin Bar Association and the Texas City Attorneys Association, among others. A west Texas native, Ms. Emerson received her J.D. degree with honors from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Southwestern University. She is the Austin Young Lawyer representative for the Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

Attorney at The Chapman Firm, PLLCMr. Erwin’s practice focuses on the transactional and dispute resolution aspects of construction law. His experience includes working with clients in all phases of the construction process with an emphasis on contract drafting and negotiation, prevention and resolution of claims, close-out, and dispute resolution. He spent the first decade of his career as a commercial architect, where his practice encompassed all aspects of project design and construction on large-scale private real estate developments, as well as municipal and institutional projects. His regulatory and procurement expertise has proven invaluable on complex mixed-use and sustainably master-planned projects. His background in design and project management provides him a unique understanding of the complex technical issues involved in construction disputes and allows him to better serve clients before, during and post construction. Mr. Erwin earned his J.D. degree from the University of Texas School of Law, his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, and his B.S. degree from Texas A&M University.

Attorney at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr in Austin
Mr. Richie is an attorney in the construction and construction litigation sections of Munsch Hardt. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Richie worked as a mechanical engineer and project manager at a prominent consulting engineering firm in Houston, Texas, and then after obtaining his law degree, as general counsel. He is also one of a handful of attorneys in Texas credentialed as a licensed professional engineer and a LEED-accredited professional (AP). He has experience in drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts for all types of commercial projects. Mr. Richie has also successfully represented owners (public and private), general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in numerous lawsuits and disputes.

Butler Snow, RidgelandMr. Caples is an attorney with Butler Snow in Ridgeland. His practice areas include environmental counseling and government relations. Mr. Caples has represented a variety of owners and developers in stormwater and wetland permitting, compliance and enforcement issues. He has also written and negotiated operating, construction, PSD and Title V air permits, including BACT and BART determinations as well as operating and construction permits for NPDES permits, including TMDL mixing zone study. Mr. Caples has also drafted regulations for various municipalities and utility authorities in association with water, sewer and stormwater programs.

Founding Partner of The Carson Law Group
Mr. Carson is the owner of Carson Law Group, listed as one of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms.” He has over 22 years of experience working on behalf of numerous governmental entities, public and private owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, lenders, sureties, architects and engineers. Mr. Carson’s practice focuses on government contracts, construction law, government relations, commercial litigation, and economic development.

Jones Walker, JacksonMr. Herbert is a member of the firm’s Business and Commercial Litigation Group and Construction Practice Group. He received a B.A. degree, cum laude, from Millsaps College and a J.D. degree from The University of Mississippi School of Law. Mr. Herbert’s practice is nationwide, and he has tried over 200 cases involving construction disputes. He has represented sureties in both payment and performance bond claims, and he is an active panel counsel for a major carrier representing architects and engineers in errors and omissions actions. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2006, in Chambers USA-America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in litigation: construction since 2011, and in the 2011 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers in construction/surety. Mr. Herbert is a member of the American Bar Association, the Capital Area Bar Association, the American Arbitration Association (Member, National Panel of Commercial and Construction Arbitrators and Mediators), the Associated Builders and Contractors of Mississippi, the Associated General Contractors of Mississippi, the International Association of Defense Counsel, and the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Biggs, Ingram & Solop, JacksonChristopher Solop is the chairperson of the Construction Litigation and Government Contracts sections at Biggs, Ingram & Solop, PLLC. Mr. Solop has extensive experience representing clients in all areas of state, federal and private construction and surety law. He has pursued successful bid protests before federal, state, and local authorities. His construction claims and litigation experience includes payment and performance bond disputes; defective plans and specifications claims; scheduling, acceleration, and delay claims; constructive change claims; site access and differing site conditions disputes; terminations for default and convenience; and productivity and loss of efficiency claims. Mr. Solop represents owners, prime contractors, and subcontractors. He has arbitrated, mediated, and tried numerous large complex construction and commercial disputes. Mr. Solop is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and general counsel for the Associated General Contractors of Mississippi. He is also a frequent contributing author to the firm’s construction law blog found at www.constructionlawtoolbox.com.

Partner at Shipman & Goodwin LLPMs. Asklof practices in the area of Construction Litigation where she represents owners, contractors and subcontractors in all forums of litigation including alternative dispute resolution processes, and state and federal courts, and in cases involving complex, multi-faceted issues and millions of dollars. With the goal of avoiding unnecessary and/or expensive litigation, Ms. Asklof works closely with clients during the course of a construction project to achieve optimal resolution of claims as they arise. In addition, she assists clients in drafting and negotiating construction contracts and provides guidance to clients engaged in the bid process. Ms. Asklof has been the principal litigator for the University of Connecticut’s (UCONN) Infrastructure Program for the past 12 years, a multi-billion dollar undertaking for the University. She is the vice president of the Connecticut Chapter of Professional Women in Construction, chair of its Mentor Committee and past member of its Board of Directors. She is on the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association, Construction Law Section. Ms. Asklof received her J.D. from Albany Law School, Union University. She is licensed to practice law in the states of Connecticut and New York.

Di Gioia Berger
Mr. Berger’s practice areas have included construction law, business law, professional defense and intellectual property litigation. Representative clients include architects, engineers, small businesses and manufacturers in an array of litigation, contract and general business and employment matters. Mr. Berger is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Executive Committee of the Construction Law Section of the CBA. He is a former co-chair of the Construction Section of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers’ Committee, and he has been a participant in the Hartford College Construction Institute. Mr. Berger obtained his J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law.

Managing Partner of Ciulla & Donofrio, LLP
Mr. Donofrio has been practicing construction law, municipal law and commercial litigation in Connecticut since 1990. Mr. Donofrio and his firm represent a variety of public and private entities, including municipalities, utilities, financial institutions, contractors, trade contractors, developers, financial institutions and project owners. He regularly presents construction law seminars to a variety of audiences on topics including construction contracts, claims, litigation, ADR, and collection techniques.

Attorney at Pender & Coward
Mr. Gordon’s practice focuses on construction law, government contracts, and banking/financial institutions. He has represented contractors, subcontractors, owners, and design professionals before courts, at arbitration, in mediation, and before contracting boards. Mr. Gordon has a worked on cases concerning Dulles Airport, the Pentagon, Tysons Corner Center Mall, and Princess Anne Hospital. He is a graduate of the Columbus School of Law.

Pender & Coward, P.C., Virginia BeachJim Lang is a firm shareholder focusing his practice in the areas of environmental law. He has extensive experience representing residential and commercial waterfront property owners in environmental law issues, as well as business clients in a broad range of corporate matters. A published author whose numerous articles cover a variety of environmental law topics, he is also a frequent guest speaker at legal and business conferences and seminars on environmental law issues. Before joining the firm in 2005, Mr. Lang completed a 25-year career in the U.S. Navy starting as an E-1 fireman recruit and finishing as an O-5 commander, including 16 years as a U.S. Navy JAG attorney. Recent cases include representing a family-owned business that owns a seven acre parcel (value $6M) on the Elizabeth River. A neighbor clogged the waterway with 26 ships. Mr. Lang prosecuted a citizen’s environmental lawsuit in federal court that caused removal of the ships and eliminated all interference with client’s riparian property rights. He also represented a family owned business that owns athree-acre parcel which had been heavily polluted by its Fortune 500 corporate tenant who disposed of metals and hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater over the 30-year occupancy. The tenant was forced to clean up the environmental contamination and to compensate landlord for reduced property value due to stigma (2015).

William A. Lascara is managing shareholder of Pender & Coward, P.C., in Virginia Beach, and he is the firm’s chief financial officer. He practices in business and commercial law. He received a J.D. degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. Mr. Lascara is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Virginia, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association, and the Virginia Beach Bar Association. He also serves on the Council of the Construction and Public Contract Law Section of the Virginia Bar Association. He has frequently lectured on construction and public contracts law. Mr. Lascara was voted as one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite” for Construction Law in Virginia Business Magazine.

Jack Rephan is a shareholder in the Virginia Beach law firm of Pender & Coward, P.C. in Virginia Beach. His legal career has covered a broad range of areas of the law although his current practice is primarily devoted to construction law, government contract law, and alternate dispute resolution. He has represented contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and owners in a host of construction disputes on federal, state, and local construction projects. Mr. Rephan regularly represents parties to construction disputes in arbitration and mediation. He also is an arbitrator and mediator on the construction law panel of the National Panel of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association. Mr. Rephan has been a lecturer on construction law subjects in seminars sponsored by the Construction and Public Contract Law Section, the Virginia State Bar, the Forum on Construction Law of the American Bar Association, the American Institute of Architects, Associated Builders and Contractors, The Associated General Contractors of Virginia, and other organizations. He is also the author of the chapter on differing site conditions in the Virginia Construction Law Deskbook and the chapter on the same subject in Construction Subcontracting, published by the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law. Mr. Rephan has served two terms as the chair and as a member of the Board of Governors of the Construction and Public Contract Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. He has been named by Virginia Business Magazine as one of the best lawyers in Virginia in the fields of construction law and alternate dispute resolution. Mr. Rephan received a Juris Doctor degree in 1959 from the University of Virginia Law School.

Attorney at Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher, LLPMs. Berger has been involved in the construction industry for over 25 years as both an engineer and an attorney. She has extensive experience providing legal advice and support for highly technical and complex projects in the construction and engineering fields. By combining her legal and engineering education and experience, Ms. Berger provides clients solutions which are theoretically sound, yet practical to implement. Her areas of expertise include construction law, real estate, zoning, land use, regulatory compliance, and government contracting. Ms. Berger received her bachelors of science degree in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver.

Partner in Cardi, Schulte & Ford, LLCMr. Ford’s civil litigation practice emphasizes the representation of design professionals including the drafting and negotiation of contracts, the resolution of disputes involving improvements to real property, and the resolution of matters involving the Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. He graduated from Lewis and Clark Northwestern School of Law in Portland, Oregon, with a certification in Environmental and Natural Resources Law.

Associate at Faegre Baker DanielsMr. Petre is a litigator and counselor in construction and general commercial matters. He focuses on construction law, representing contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, and owners in complex construction litigation, risk assessment, and contract drafting and negotiation. He also handles commercial litigation and dispute resolution for various commercial entities. Mr. Petre is a trusted business advisor to his clients and is dedicated to understanding and helping them advance their business interests. He is an active member within the Associated General Contractors of Colorado, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Colorado Bar Association, and the Denver Bar Association. He earned his law degree from the University of Denver College of Law. Mr. Petre was named a Colorado Rising Star in the area of construction law for 2013-16 by Super Lawyers.

Founding Partner at Robinson Hungate, PCMr. Robinson has been a practicing lawyer in the Denver/Boulder area for more than 30 years, focusing his law practice on land access, construction law, mechanic’s liens, real estate and collections cases. His practice as an attorney emphasizes design and construction litigation, construction contracts and documentation, mechanic’s liens, real estate litigation, and real property boundary and access disputes. An author and lecturer on the subject of construction law, Mr. Robinson also handles construction law arbitrations under the auspices of the American Arbitration Association. He is a member of the Colorado Bar, the American Bar Association, and the National Society of Professional Engineers, and he is a registered professional engineer (inactive) in the State of Colorado.

Associate at Cardi, Schulte & Ford, LLCAfter graduating high school in Billings, Montana, Mr. Woodward attended Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, on a full scholarship. He graduated from Tulane in 2006, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Political Science. In 2010, Mr. Woodward graduated from University of Denver Sturm College of Law in Denver, Colorado. While in law school, Mr. Woodward gained experience by working in several law offices, working primarily in the practice areas of personal injury, legal malpractice, and medical malpractice. He also had the opportunity to intern for the Honorable Philip J. McNulty of the First Judicial District Court of Colorado. Mr. Woodward became an associate of Cardi, Schulte & Ford, LLC in 2010.

Of Counsel, Devine Millimet & Branch, P.A.
In his role as a counselor, Mr. Hawkins has advised design professionals and technology businesses on contracts, risk management, policy development, and regulatory matters. His practice has been diverse over his 23-year career, including First Amendment issues, environmental, white collar criminal defense, personal injury, employment, premises liability, and a host of other issues. Mr. Hawkins is admitted to practice in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut, and has litigated cases in each of these states. He has been fortunate to litigate cases in Vermont, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, and the United Kingdom.

Shareholder at Devine Millimet & Branch, P.A.Mr. Holmes is a shareholder of the law firm of Devine, Millimet & Branch, PA, with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire. His practice is devoted primarily to construction litigation, representing engineers, architects, and contractors in the litigation and arbitration of disputes in venues across the United States and abroad. Mr. Holmes is the Chair of Division 1 of the ABA Forum on Construction Law (Litigation and Dispute Resolution), and a member of the American Arbitration Association’s Panel of Construction Arbitrators. He received a B.A. degree in History from Cornell University (1981) and a J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin (1984).

Shareholder at Devine Millimet & Branch, P.A.Mr. Johnson’s work is with clients in all phases of real estate projects. He helps negotiate construction contracts and resolve disputes when they arise. Once the building construction is complete, he represents real estate agents, buyers, and sellers in the purchase, sale, and leasing of residential and commercial properties. Individuals, businesses, and organizations of all sizes come to Mr. Johnson for legal help with real estate matters. Those clients include public and private owners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. He is counsel to the New Hampshire Association of Realtors and advises the organization and its members on risk management issues and current legal issues. His experience also involves loan workouts, foreclosures, and bankruptcies.

Shareholder at Devine Millimet & Branch, P.A.Mr. Moore has been practicing for more than 35 years, mostly in corporate and business litigation. Much of his experience is in real estate, eminent domain, and construction matters. Independently, he spends time mediating cases and sitting as an arbitrator. He is a past president of the New Hampshire Bar Association and the New England Bar Association. The clients Mr. Moore works with are large and small businesses, as well as individuals. Many of his clients are organizations with corporate control and organizational problems, as well as companies and individuals involved in the breakup or merger of their businesses.

Shareholder at Devine Millimet & Branch, P.A.Mr. Nelson started doing construction litigation in the early 1980s. In the 1990s, he started representing engineers and general contractors who were constructing generating facilities for the electric power industry. As a result,Mr. Nelson has been involved in construction claims arising out of nuclear power plants, coal plants, oil-powered plants, combined cycle gas plants and hydro facilities in the United States as well as in Africa and Asia. More recently, he has represented contractors and engineers in disputes arising out of municipal waste water facilities, water treatment plants and environmental remediation projects. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Boston University School of Law.

Pepper Hamilton LLP, DetroitSean P. McNally is a partner in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group of Pepper Hamilton LLP, resident in the Detroit office. Mr. McNally focuses his practice on the construction, manufacturing and real estate industries, and he advises clients on mitigating and reducing risk related to overall business planning or individual transactions. As a commercial trial and appellate litigator, he has experience in both state and federal court, and he represents businesses in structuring and negotiating complicated or high-risk transactions. In construction and real estate litigation matters, Mr. McNally’s clients have included owners, real estate developers, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. He also has experience handling transactional matters in the automotive, construction and real estate areas, including supply agreements, commercial transactions, accommodation agreements, construction contracting, risk mitigation, real estate development, project financing and commercial leasing. Prior to joining Pepper, Mr. McNally was leader of the Construction Practice Group and Automotive Industry Group at Kotz Sangster. He served on Kotz Sangster’s board of directors and was general counsel to the firm.

Kotz Sangster Wysocki P.C., Grand RapidsMr. Vitale is an attorney in the Grand Rapids office of Kotz Sangster. Mr. Vitale works primarily with business owners in the construction, real estate, and manufacturing industries on reducing risk related to business planning as well as business transactions. As a commercial trial lawyer, Mr. Vitale has extensive commercial trial and appellate experience. Kotz Sangster’s clients run fast-paced businesses. When they encounter legal challenges, the firm is ready. Mr. Vitale responds with sound legal advice and works with his clients to develop a winning strategy, keeping them on track.