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Partner with Husch BlackwellMr. Cranley is a partner with Husch Blackwell in Madison. He concentrates his practice in commercial litigation. Mr. Cranley’s extensive trial experience includes the defense of contractors in cases involving alleged construction defects, personal injury, and construction liens. Before entering private practice, Mr. Cranley worked in the insurance industry for nine years managing professional and general liability claims. As a lawyer, he frequently consults with construction clients regarding how to protect their businesses through insurance, and he has litigated numerous insurance disputes on behalf of contractors and owners. Mr. Cranley regularly lectures on insurance coverage and other construction law topics at the University of Wisconsin. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame (BA, 1988) and his law degree from DePaul University (1997).

Dr. Mark O. Federle, PhD, PE, CPC, is the associate dean for Academic Affairs and the McShane chair in Construction Engineering and Management at Marquette University. He had the responsibility to start what became the 13th ABET-accredited construction engineering program in the country. Previously he was chief information officer for the Weitz Company in Des Moines for nine years. Prior to The Weitz Company, Dr. Federle was the professor-in-charge of the Construction Engineering program at Iowa State University, where he taught for nine years. In 1998 he was recognized by the ISU engineering student council as the outstanding construction engineering faculty member. Dr. Federle began his career in the construction industry working as a foreman, superintendent and project manager for general contractors in Indiana and Michigan. He earned PhD and masters degrees in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of Michigan. Dr. Federle is a licensed professional engineer and a certified professional constructor. He was recognized by Associated General Contractors of America as Instructor of the Year in 2011. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Partner at Husch Blackwell
As the Co-Leader of Husch Blackwell’s Construction and Design Group, Mr. Levy specializes in all aspects of construction law. He regularly assists businesses from the onset of planning to the ribbon cutting ceremony. Mr. Levy has represented clients in more than 50 American Arbitration Association hearings, as well as numerous state and federal court and jury trials. He also has served as an arbitrator on the AAA construction industry panel of neutrals for over 10 years. Mr. Levy provides training to design and construction firms and helps his clients navigate the complexities of all types of projects.

Brian R. Zimmerman Shareholder at Hurtado Zimmerman
Mr. Zimmerman’s practice focuses in the areas of construction and real estate litigation, alternative dispute resolution, commercial and residential real property, including title and survey analysis, and construction contract preparation and negotiation. He often represents contractors, architects, engineers and project owners in disputes regarding construction defects, delay, warranty claims, theft by contractor claims, right to cure and home improvement practices claims, and construction lien foreclosure. A significant portion of Mr. Zimmerman’s practice involves drafting and negotiating construction contracts through custom and model form contracts (AIA, Consensus Docs, DBIA, and EJCDC). He has worked as an engineering technician for both private and public entities performing design and survey work on various large transportation, municipal and building construction projects throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Practice Leader with USI Southwest in HoustonMr. Pratt is a specialist in professional liability and risk management services to architects and engineers in a variety of disciplines. He is USI’s current Architects & Engineers Division Leader in Houston. In Texas alone USI currently represents more than 700 design firms. Mr. Pratt holds a degree in Business/Information Systems and has more than 16 years of project management and sales experience.

DuBois Bryant & Campbell, Austin
Mr. Stacy is a partner at DuBois Bryant & Campbell and has over 15 year of experience, and he brings an extensive construction background to his practice as an attorney. Before entering law school, he obtained a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas and spent several years working in the construction industry on interstate highway, oilfield, water, wastewater and corrections projects in Texas, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. Mr. Stacy’s practice is divided between drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts and litigating disputes that arise in the construction industry.

Mr. Stuckey practices primarily in corporate, real estate, and environmental law, including transactional work and litigation. He has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and J.D. and L.L.M. degrees from the University of Houston Law Center. Mr. Stuckey is admitted to the practice of law in all Texas courts, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the U.S. Claims Court. He is also licensed in Texas as a professional engineer and a registered public land surveyor.

Hon. AIA Partner, Milber Makris Plousadis & Seiden, LLP
Mr. Davies’ practice is focused on the representation of engineers, architects, and other design professionals, as well as scientists and designers/manufacturers of complex products. Mr. Davies regularly handles cases involving errors and omissions affecting façade, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and fire protection systems, as well as accessibility (claimed violations of ADA, FHA, state or local accessibility requirements) in industrial, commercial, and residential buildings. He also handles schedule impact (such as delay, acceleration, and inefficiency) and extras claims, licensing prosecutions, and serious personal injury/wrongful death claims arising from construction projects. He serves as a lecturer on Contracts at the Thomas Jefferson University College of Architecture and The Built Environment. Mr. Davies and his partners in Pennsylvania are the Contributing Authors of the Pennsylvania section of the Cumulative Supplement of the State-By-State Guide to Design and Construction Contracts and Claims (Second Edition) published by Wolters Kluwer. He serves as Counsel to the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and as Counsel to The Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. Mr. Davies is a Member of the Board of The Philadelphia Center for Architecture & Design (having served as its chairman for 5 years). He serves as a member of the Legal Reform Task Force for the Government Affairs Committee of AIA’s Pennsylvania Chapter working on legislative changes to positively affect the design community. He is a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Legal Counsel Forum, a member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), and a Charter Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA).

Anthony Potter focuses his practice on representation of design professionals in all phases of the construction process including contracting, risk allocation, pre-claim resolution, mediation, arbitration, and construction litigation. He provides counsel and representation to architects, engineers, and others on administrative law questions including professional licensing matters. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the Civil Engineering and Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology Programs at Penn State Harrisburg. Mr. Potter is frequently called upon to provide seminars for design professionals and architectural and engineering students on loss prevention, standard form construction contract documents, construction litigation, professional licensing and professional ethics. He has represented clients before administrative agencies, the Commonwealth Court, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Previously, Mr. Potter was assistant general counsel to Governor Tom Ridge.

Partner at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston L.L.P. in Columbia, MD Mr. Carney’s practice focuses on construction contract drafting and negotiation, construction claims and dispute avoidance, mechanic’s liens, design and construction defects, and dispute resolution.  He regularly represents owners, developers, design professionals, contractors, and subcontractors. He is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Industry, The Associated General Contractors of Maryland, and The Maryland State Bar Association Construction Law Section.  He is a frequent speaker before several educational organizations.  He is a member of the bars of the Supreme Court, the Federal and state courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia, and the United States Federal Court of Claims.  Mr. Carney received his B.A. degree from Haverford College and his J.D. degree, Order of the Coif, from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Mr. Kelly joined Jackson & Campbell, P.C. from the Department of Justice in 1988. He became a Director in 1992 and a Shareholder in 1993, and is a member of the Firm’s General Litigation and Trial Practice Group. He has been appointed a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, is rated AV-Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell, and has received the coveted Super Lawyer designation for Washington, D.C. in the fields of professional liability, general litigation, and insurance coverage annually beginning in 2012. He is included on the Roster of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) for construction disputes, and serves as an arbitrator and mediator in disputes brought to the AAA for resolution.

He serves as a volunteer arbitrator with the D.C. Bar’s Attorney/Client Arbitration Board, is a Steering Committee member of the Litigation Community of the District of Columbia Bar, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Construction Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association. In 2015 he was elected a Fellow of the American College of Coverage and Extra-Contractual Counsel. Mr. Kelly’s practice has concentrated on the counseling and defense of clients in litigation arising out of construction defect and delay claims, professional liability claims (particularly those brought against architects, engineers and social services providers), environmental and toxic tort disputes (including asbestos, gasoline spills, and interior mold claims), pharmaceutical product liability claims and serious bodily injury and wrongful death claims. He also assists insurance companies in resolving coverage questions arising under general liability and professional liability policies in those and other areas of the law, and represents insurers in coverage litigation.

Like any litigator, he has had occasion to take on cases in other areas as far afield as those involving employment discrimination, public charity tax issues, and tort suits against adoption agencies. A member of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Florida bars, Mr. Kelly’s practice is centered in the regional D.C., Maryland, and Virginia state and federal courts, but he has been admitted pro hac vice to the courts of virtually all other east coast states, and in a good number of western states including Arizona, Montana, Texas, and Wyoming. In addition to his trial work, Bob has represented clients in appeals in several states, including briefing appeals to the Supreme Courts of Delaware, South Carolina, and Texas, and briefing and arguing appeals to the Supreme Courts of Virginia and West Virginia, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuits. Before coming to Jackson & Campbell, Mr. Kelly was a Senior Trial Attorney with DOJ’s Civil Division (Torts Branch) defending environmental and toxic tort (asbestos) claims brought against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

He also maintained a significant admiralty and maritime tort caseload. In 1987, he joined the Adjunct Faculty of the Washington College of Law at The American University, where he taught legal writing for seven years. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in civil engineering from Princeton University in 1974 and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1977. Mr. Kelly speaks and publishes frequently on litigation and insurance coverage topics, and currently is most active in the Construction Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association, and the Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar. He is a past Vice Chair of the Insurance Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS).

He authors and provides annual updates to the chapters on District of Columbia law in two highly regarded treatises, the “Tort Law Desk Reference” and the “Product Liability Desk Reference.” He wrote the chapter on Post-Evidentiary Actions and Relief from Judgments and Orders for inclusion in the D.C. Bar Association’s most recent (2014) update to its “Civil Trial Practice Manual,” as well as the post-trial (appellate) chapter in the recent reissuance of “Appleman’s on Insurance,” a nationally recognized treatise on insurance coverage law. He also has been principally responsible for updating the DC Bar’s Litigation Section’s chapter on Superior Court Civil Practice in “The District of Columbia Practice Manual.”

Semmes, BaltimoreMs. Lentini maintains a general litigation practice concentrating primarily in construction, insurance defense, and insurance coverage. She has represented owners, contractors and design professionals in a full range of disputes, including claims arising from delay, scheduling or changes in scope; construction or design defects; insurance and indemnity agreements; and payment and performance bonds. Her practice includes trial and appellate work at both the state and federal levels. Ms. Lentini was a founding member of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Construction Law Section and served as the Section’s chair. Ms. Lentini was selected as a Fellow in the ABA Forum on Construction Law and serves on the Steering Committee for Division 2, Contract Documents. She attended Rutgers University for her B.A and B.S. degrees, and she received her J.D. degree from Washington College of Law at American University.

Beiramee & Saboura, BethesdaMr. Saboura-Polkovotsy is a practicing litigation and trial attorney. He litigates complex commercial, business, malpractice and professional regulatory matters throughout Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Over the past 15 years, Mr. Saboura-Polkovotsy has defended professionals in all types of professional liability matters arising out of alleged errors and omissions related to professional services in a wide range of professions including, attorneys, architects, engineers, design professionals, real estate professionals and healthcare professionals. He has also represented professionals with respect to peer review and other disciplinary matters and advised them in various other regulatory compliance matters. Prior to Beiramee and Saboura, P.C., Mr. Saboura-Polkovotsy was a shareholder at a 30+ attorney civil litigation and insurance defense firm in the Washington Metropolitan area. Prior to law school, he served as the director of International Sales and Marketing for a primary contractor to the US Department of Defense.

Mr. Smith is co-chair of the Washington, D.C. Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on the representation of owners, design-builders, design professionals, construction managers, and general contractors in all phases of the construction process. Mr. Smith’s pre-construction experience includes drafting and negotiating construction, construction management, and design agreements. Mr. Smith assists clients with pursing their rights through litigation and alternative dispute resolution. His litigation experience includes all manner of construction and design disputes, including impact and delay claims, construction and design defects, differing site conditions, design negligence, terminations for default, change order and extra work disputes, requests for equitable adjustments, payment and performance bond claims, mechanics’ liens, prompt payment and conditional payment disputes, and bid protests. Mr. Smith has substantial experience arbitrating and litigating design and construction claims, with a proven track record of success. He is an advocate for early case assessment and mediation, and he has successfully resolved numerous claims through mediation. Mr. Smith has represented clients in state courts throughout the United States, federal courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the American Arbitration Association, and in several non-administered arbitrations.

Pascale Stevens, BaltimoreMr. Stevens represents a broad range of clients primarily in Maryland and the District of Columbia’s construction industry. His clients include general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors and suppliers, architects, engineers, and other design professionals. Mr. Stevens is approved counsel for many insurers of design professionals under their professional liability insurance policies,and he handles many construction law and construction-related claims such as mechanic’s lien actions, delay claims, construction defect claims, surety claims, and other related matters. His practice also includes working with clients to protect their intellectual property rights, such as their architectural designs and trademarks. Mr. Stevens has been recognized in Super Lawyers ® magazine for construction litigation practice from 2010 to 2017 and has been listed as a Top 100 Lawyer in Maryland in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Donovan Hatem LLP, Boston, MA
Ms. Brogna is a partner in Donovan Hatem’s Professional Practices, Business Litigation, Insurance and Tort Litigation group. She has extensive experience as a trial and appellate lawyer with both large and small firms, including first chair appellate, jury and bench trial experience in both state and federal courts. Ms. Brogna reviews and resolves claims for design professionals throughout the United States where her fact-finding skills are helpful in effectively resolving disputes or liability issues. In addition to defending design professionals, she has also represented officers and directors, real estate agents and brokers, developers, general contractors, and lenders in the areas of construction defect, business litigation, corporate law, real estate, employment law, land use, and tax abatement. Ms. Brogna ran a solo practice for years in addition time spent practicing within law firms.

Mr. Dennehy’s practice areas include business litigation, civil litigation, design and construction law, corporate law, employment law, and insurance law. He represents professionals including architects, business owners, engineers, surveyors, attorneys, and real estate brokers in litigation matters. Mr. Dennehy has handled a wide range of disputes involving high-rise buildings, hospitals and laboratories, office buildings, college and university buildings, preparatory and public school buildings, museums, churches, manufacturing plants and processing facilities, water treatment facilities, and roads and bridges. He has also handled tax issues and real estate transfers. He engages in high-exposure personal injury matters including wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, quadriplegia, amputation, and disfigurement. Mr. Dennehy has represented clients in complex business disputes, involving self-directed IRAs, hedge funds, copyright and trademark violations, and partnership disputes, as well as trade secret and commercial contract disputes. He also represents individuals and families in a variety of litigation matters requiring strong advocacy. Mr. Dennehy frequently appears in state and federal courts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and has obtained successful results as solo and first chair counsel in bench and jury trials in District and Superior Courts. He frequently represents clients in complex matters at mediation and speaks at seminars.

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.

Partner at Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C. in Boston, MAMr. O’Neill is a partner in the firm who focuses his practice on business litigation, insurance coverage disputes and professional liability litigation. He represents individuals and businesses in a wide range of commercial disputes, including claims for breach of contract, commercial fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and violation of consumer protection statutes. He has also defended clients in connection with class action lawsuits. Mr. O’Neill has extensive experience representing insurers and policyholders in complex insurance coverage disputes. He advises and represents clients on a wide variety of coverage issues arising under professional liability, directors and officers liability, general liability, aviation, and property insurance policies. He also advises and represents clients in connection with claims for bad faith and extra-contractual liability.

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.

Luke R. Conrad-Hinckley Allen
Mr. Conrad’s practice is focused on the representation of general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, suppliers, owners/developers, architects and engineers in construction-related matters. Mr. Conrad advises clients regarding all aspects of the construction process and has experience as a general contractor and as an attorney in the mediation, arbitration and litigation of construction disputes.

Di Gioia Berger
Ms. Di Gioia focuses her practice on complex civil litigation and in particular within the construction industry, she represents owners, designers and contractors in all stages of their construction projects. She has experience negotiating and drafting construction contracts for all participants in the construction industry and also counsels her clients regarding effective risk management and insurance coverage. Ms. Di Gioia also handles construction claim resolution, whether through alternative dispute resolution or litigation. Ms. Di Gioia is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the New Haven County Inn of Court. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Louisiana and New York. She obtained her under graduate degree, magna cum laude, from Siena College, and her law degree, magna cum laude, from the Tulane University School of Law.

Hinckley Allen
Mr. Leone’s practice includes construction litigation, contract drafting and negotiation. He represents public and private owners, developers, designers, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and other construction industry clients in vertical building construction projects as well as in road, highway and bridge projects. He has handled a wide range of matters relating to the various issues that face construction projects including bidding, payment, delays, performance, termination, surety bond claims and mechanic’s liens.
Mr. Leone regularly represents and counsels clients in diverse business and commercial matters including corporate formation and financing, contract drafting and negotiation, and employment issues. He advises and represents clients with respect to tort and contract claims and litigation. He has litigated cases before state and federal courts, and in arbitration.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Leone worked as a licensed professional structural engineer responsible for the design and analysis of structural systems and components, and the preparation of contract plans and specifications for the structural design of highway bridges, and of commercial, industrial, and residential building projects ranging from $1 Million to $350 Million. He currently maintains his registration as a professional engineer in the state of Connecticut.

Hinckley Allen
Ms. Manson’s practice is focused on the representation of general contractors and owners in claims and disputes arising out of construction-related matters. Ms. Manson has cases pending before state courts and arbitrators alike. As an experienced litigator, Ms. Manson has experience representing insurers, corporate entities, and individuals on a broad array of cases involving design and construction defects, environmental conditions, employment discrimination, breach of contract, and professional negligence. Ms. Manson is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.

Catherine A. Bednar is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s Boston office. She is a litigation attorney with extensive experience in both state and federal courts. Ms. Bednar has an active professional liability practice representing architects, engineers, OPMs, accountants, attorneys and other professionals in the defense of malpractice claims. She has defended design professionals against negligence claims arising from property damage; personal injury; alleged building code, zoning or other regulatory violations; and project cost overruns. She also represents clients in lawsuits involving contract disputes, state and federal environmental claims, premises liability actions and construction litigation.

Ben N. Dunlap is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s, Boston office. He focuses his practice on complex civil litigation. Mr. Dunlap represents design and construction firms, lawyers, accountants, insurance companies, and other businesses in a wide variety of matters, including professional liability claims, commercial disputes, and insurance coverage matters. Mr. Dunlap has represented design and construction professionals in the defense of negligence and malpractice claims arising from property damage, personal injury, and alleged regulatory violations. He also advises clients on contract negotiations, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Fine represents and counsels clients in the construction industry, including owners and developers, general contractors and construction managers, specialty trade contractors, suppliers and manufacturers. He represents clients in adverse proceedings such as litigation and arbitration, and he consults regarding risk management, contract preparation and negotiation, and general business advice. Mr. Fine is the chair of his firm’s Construction Law Group and the past president of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Central Massachusetts. He holds several leadership positions in local, regional, and national construction trade and bar organizations. Mr. Fine was named a Massachusetts “Super Lawyer” by Boston Magazine every year since 2017.

Thomas K. McCraw is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s, Boston office. He represents clients in federal and state courts, in both jury and nonjury cases; before arbitration panels; and in mediations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Mr. McCraw has extensive experience in the evaluation, analysis, and implementation of defenses to claims made against architects, engineers, and surveyors concerning construction projects that range from property boundary line determinations to large public and private construction projects.

Mr. Sherman is a member of Prince Lobel’s Construction and Business Transactions practice groups. He is an experienced construction attorney with significant construction transactional, consulting, and litigation experience. In this capacity, Mr. Sherman assists construction project owners, developers, general contractors, construction management firms, subcontractors, and material suppliers with realtime project consulting, drafting and negotiating all manner of construction agreements and forms, and with prosecuting and defending construction disputes. Mr. Sherman advises clients during the construction delivery process, assisting with the drafting and review of all forms of design, construction, and consultant agreements. He has experience preparing, negotiating, and amending the standard suite of industry form agreements (e.g., AIA, DBIA, and ConsensusDocs) and preparing other forms of agreement like EPC agreements, construction management agreements, surety forms, guaranteed maximum price contracts, purchase orders, master service agreements, and other ancillary documents used for, by, and with construction project owners and developers, construction management firms, subcontractors, design professionals, and material suppliers.

David A. Slocum is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s, Boston office. He represents individual and institutional clients in a variety of civil litigation matters including primarily professional liability, commercial construction, insurance coverage, partnership disputes, and various contract, tort, fiduciary duty, and misrepresentation-based claims. Mr. Slocum has an active professional liability practice representing engineers, architects, attorneys, accountants, real estate agents and other professionals in the defense of claims for alleged professional negligence, breach of contract, and extra-contractual liability.

Christopher K. Sweeney, a partner at Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal Peisch & Ford LLP, joined the firm’s litigation department in 2012. Licensed to practice in MA, RI, and NH, Chris represents engineers, architects, owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in construction defect, delay, and personal injury cases. He also advises owners and property managers in commercial real estate disputes and defends professionals accused of malpractice. He was selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers from 2015-2022 and was designated as a Top Lawyer by Boston Magazine in 2021. During law school, Mr. Sweeney was an editor of the Suffolk University Law Review and won the Justice Tom C. Clark Appellate Advocacy Competition. He currently serves as co-chair of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association’s Construction Law Committee and as Chair of the Professional Liability Defense Federation’s Architects and Design Professionals Committee. Mr. Sweeney also is an active member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute.

J. Kent Holland, J.D. is a construction lawyer located in Tysons Corner, Virginia. He represents design professionals, contractors and project owners. He is also founder and president of a risk management consulting firm, ConstructionRisk, LLC, providing risk management consulting services to owners, design professionals, contractors and attorneys on construction projects. This includes assistance with contract drafting, review and negotiation; change order and claims analysis (preparation or defense); risk management advice concerning insurance coverage – including assistance with negotiating and drafting the terms and conditions of policies and endorsements; advice to insurance underwriters; and guidance to those procuring insurance.

Mr. Kelly joined Jackson & Campbell, P.C. from the Department of Justice in 1988. He became a Director in 1992 and a Shareholder in 1993, and is a member of the Firm’s General Litigation and Trial Practice Group. He has been appointed a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, is rated AV-Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell, and has received the coveted Super Lawyer designation for Washington, D.C. in the fields of professional liability, general litigation, and insurance coverage annually beginning in 2012. He is included on the Roster of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) for construction disputes, and serves as an arbitrator and mediator in disputes brought to the AAA for resolution.

He serves as a volunteer arbitrator with the D.C. Bar’s Attorney/Client Arbitration Board, is a Steering Committee member of the Litigation Community of the District of Columbia Bar, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Construction Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association. In 2015 he was elected a Fellow of the American College of Coverage and Extra-Contractual Counsel. Mr. Kelly’s practice has concentrated on the counseling and defense of clients in litigation arising out of construction defect and delay claims, professional liability claims (particularly those brought against architects, engineers and social services providers), environmental and toxic tort disputes (including asbestos, gasoline spills, and interior mold claims), pharmaceutical product liability claims and serious bodily injury and wrongful death claims. He also assists insurance companies in resolving coverage questions arising under general liability and professional liability policies in those and other areas of the law, and represents insurers in coverage litigation.

Like any litigator, he has had occasion to take on cases in other areas as far afield as those involving employment discrimination, public charity tax issues, and tort suits against adoption agencies. A member of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Florida bars, Mr. Kelly’s practice is centered in the regional D.C., Maryland, and Virginia state and federal courts, but he has been admitted pro hac vice to the courts of virtually all other east coast states, and in a good number of western states including Arizona, Montana, Texas, and Wyoming. In addition to his trial work, Bob has represented clients in appeals in several states, including briefing appeals to the Supreme Courts of Delaware, South Carolina, and Texas, and briefing and arguing appeals to the Supreme Courts of Virginia and West Virginia, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuits. Before coming to Jackson & Campbell, Mr. Kelly was a Senior Trial Attorney with DOJ’s Civil Division (Torts Branch) defending environmental and toxic tort (asbestos) claims brought against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

He also maintained a significant admiralty and maritime tort caseload. In 1987, he joined the Adjunct Faculty of the Washington College of Law at The American University, where he taught legal writing for seven years. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in civil engineering from Princeton University in 1974 and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1977. Mr. Kelly speaks and publishes frequently on litigation and insurance coverage topics, and currently is most active in the Construction Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association, and the Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar. He is a past Vice Chair of the Insurance Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS).

He authors and provides annual updates to the chapters on District of Columbia law in two highly regarded treatises, the “Tort Law Desk Reference” and the “Product Liability Desk Reference.” He wrote the chapter on Post-Evidentiary Actions and Relief from Judgments and Orders for inclusion in the D.C. Bar Association’s most recent (2014) update to its “Civil Trial Practice Manual,” as well as the post-trial (appellate) chapter in the recent reissuance of “Appleman’s on Insurance,” a nationally recognized treatise on insurance coverage law. He also has been principally responsible for updating the DC Bar’s Litigation Section’s chapter on Superior Court Civil Practice in “The District of Columbia Practice Manual.”

Alison R. Mullins, Partner at Shannon, Mullins & Wright, LLP, in Alexandria, VA 

Ms. Mullins focuses her practice on all aspects of commercial dispute resolution. In particular, she often represents architects, engineers, and others involved in the construction industry. Ms. Mullins received her J.D. degree from Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island. Before entering the private practice of law, she started her legal career as a contracts manager and in-house counsel at a large architectural firm in Northern Virginia. Ms. Mullins is admitted to practice in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. She is on the Board of Governors and Membership Chairperson of the Virginia State Bar Construction and Public Contracts Law Section, an Allied Professional member of the American Institute of Architects, Northern Virginia and District of Columbia Chapters. Ms. Mullins is an author/co-author of several industry periodicals, as well as a frequent presenter. 

Senior Broker, Ames & Gough, Washington, D.C.Ms. Sinks is a senior broker in Ames & Gough’s McLean, Virginia office. She joined the firm in 2016 and is responsible for evaluating clients’ risks, as well as all aspects of their insurance renewal process. She is directly involved in the placement of all commercial coverage lines, including property/casualty, professional liability, and management liability. Before joining Ames & Gough, Ms. Sinks was a director in Clark Construction Group, LLC’s Risk Management program from 2013 to 2016. Earlier, she was with Victor O. Schinnerer from 2004 to 2013, where she held positions of increasing responsibility during her tenure. She began as an associate account executive and ultimately became associate vice president and program manager. Ms. Sinks earned B.A. degrees in Economics and English from The University of Virginia, where she was a GEICO Jack & Dorothy Byrne Academic Scholarship winner. She also earned an M.S. degree in Insurance Management from Boston University.

Mr. Smith is co-chair of the Washington, D.C. Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on the representation of owners, design-builders, design professionals, construction managers, and general contractors in all phases of the construction process. Mr. Smith’s pre-construction experience includes drafting and negotiating construction, construction management, and design agreements. Mr. Smith assists clients with pursing their rights through litigation and alternative dispute resolution. His litigation experience includes all manner of construction and design disputes, including impact and delay claims, construction and design defects, differing site conditions, design negligence, terminations for default, change order and extra work disputes, requests for equitable adjustments, payment and performance bond claims, mechanics’ liens, prompt payment and conditional payment disputes, and bid protests. Mr. Smith has substantial experience arbitrating and litigating design and construction claims, with a proven track record of success. He is an advocate for early case assessment and mediation, and he has successfully resolved numerous claims through mediation. Mr. Smith has represented clients in state courts throughout the United States, federal courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the American Arbitration Association, and in several non-administered arbitrations.

Nicolas Y. Gavrizi is an associate attorney in the Austin office of Cokinos | Young. His practice is focused on construction law — representing general contractors, subcontractors, owners, and design professionals in lawsuits involving allegations of construction/design defects and other matters related to dispute management and avoidance, enforcement of lien rights, and contract negotiation/drafting. During law school, Mr. Gavrizi was president of UT Real Law (a real estate law organization), a publishing member of the Texas Environmental Law Journal, and a judicial intern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Austin.

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.

DuBois Bryant & Campbell, Austin
Mr. Stacy is a partner at DuBois Bryant & Campbell and has over 15 year of experience, and he brings an extensive construction background to his practice as an attorney. Before entering law school, he obtained a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas and spent several years working in the construction industry on interstate highway, oilfield, water, wastewater and corrections projects in Texas, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. Mr. Stacy’s practice is divided between drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts and litigating disputes that arise in the construction industry.

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.
 

Shareholder with Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & AughtryMr. Williams is a practicing litigation attorney specializing in construction/engineering/corporate law, oil and gas transactions, and maritime and international law. He is also a licensed professional engineer (civil). Mr. Williams received a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University, an M.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of West Florida, an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California – Berkeley, and a J.D. degree, with honors, from the University of Maryland. Bar admissions include Texas, Colorado, Maryland, and various federal courts. Mr. Williams is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, and the Houston, Texas, American Bar Associations.

Catherine A. Bednar is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s Boston office. She is a litigation attorney with extensive experience in both state and federal courts. Ms. Bednar has an active professional liability practice representing architects, engineers, OPMs, accountants, attorneys and other professionals in the defense of malpractice claims. She has defended design professionals against negligence claims arising from property damage; personal injury; alleged building code, zoning or other regulatory violations; and project cost overruns. She also represents clients in lawsuits involving contract disputes, state and federal environmental claims, premises liability actions and construction litigation.

Ben N. Dunlap is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s, Boston office. He focuses his practice on complex civil litigation. Mr. Dunlap represents design and construction firms, lawyers, accountants, insurance companies, and other businesses in a wide variety of matters, including professional liability claims, commercial disputes, and insurance coverage matters. Mr. Dunlap has represented design and construction professionals in the defense of negligence and malpractice claims arising from property damage, personal injury, and alleged regulatory violations. He also advises clients on contract negotiations, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Fine represents and counsels clients in the construction industry, including owners and developers, general contractors and construction managers, specialty trade contractors, suppliers and manufacturers. He represents clients in adverse proceedings such as litigation and arbitration, and he consults regarding risk management, contract preparation and negotiation, and general business advice. Mr. Fine is the chair of his firm’s Construction Law Group and the past president of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Central Massachusetts. He holds several leadership positions in local, regional, and national construction trade and bar organizations. Mr. Fine was named a Massachusetts “Super Lawyer” by Boston Magazine every year since 2017.

Thomas K. McCraw is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s, Boston office. He represents clients in federal and state courts, in both jury and nonjury cases; before arbitration panels; and in mediations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Mr. McCraw has extensive experience in the evaluation, analysis, and implementation of defenses to claims made against architects, engineers, and surveyors concerning construction projects that range from property boundary line determinations to large public and private construction projects.

Mr. Sherman is a member of Prince Lobel’s Construction and Business Transactions practice groups. He is an experienced construction attorney with significant construction transactional, consulting, and litigation experience. In this capacity, Mr. Sherman assists construction project owners, developers, general contractors, construction management firms, subcontractors, and material suppliers with realtime project consulting, drafting and negotiating all manner of construction agreements and forms, and with prosecuting and defending construction disputes. Mr. Sherman advises clients during the construction delivery process, assisting with the drafting and review of all forms of design, construction, and consultant agreements. He has experience preparing, negotiating, and amending the standard suite of industry form agreements (e.g., AIA, DBIA, and ConsensusDocs) and preparing other forms of agreement like EPC agreements, construction management agreements, surety forms, guaranteed maximum price contracts, purchase orders, master service agreements, and other ancillary documents used for, by, and with construction project owners and developers, construction management firms, subcontractors, design professionals, and material suppliers.

David A. Slocum is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s, Boston office. He represents individual and institutional clients in a variety of civil litigation matters including primarily professional liability, commercial construction, insurance coverage, partnership disputes, and various contract, tort, fiduciary duty, and misrepresentation-based claims. Mr. Slocum has an active professional liability practice representing engineers, architects, attorneys, accountants, real estate agents and other professionals in the defense of claims for alleged professional negligence, breach of contract, and extra-contractual liability.

Christopher K. Sweeney, a partner at Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal Peisch & Ford LLP, joined the firm’s litigation department in 2012. Licensed to practice in MA, RI, and NH, Chris represents engineers, architects, owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in construction defect, delay, and personal injury cases. He also advises owners and property managers in commercial real estate disputes and defends professionals accused of malpractice. He was selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers from 2015-2022 and was designated as a Top Lawyer by Boston Magazine in 2021. During law school, Mr. Sweeney was an editor of the Suffolk University Law Review and won the Justice Tom C. Clark Appellate Advocacy Competition. He currently serves as co-chair of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association’s Construction Law Committee and as Chair of the Professional Liability Defense Federation’s Architects and Design Professionals Committee. Mr. Sweeney also is an active member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute.

Reminger Co., L.P.A.Mr. Cavasinni serves as chair of Reminger Co., L.P.A.’s Construction Design and Liability Group. He is a degreed civil engineer with eight years of practical work experience in the road and bridge construction industry, including work as a project superintendent for a heavy highway general contractor, and owner of a consulting company specializing in polymer restoration materials. Since he began practicing law in 1995, Mr. Cavasinni’s practice has been devoted nearly exclusively to construction law, with a particular emphasis in construction litigation. He has represented owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, and material suppliers in a variety of construction-related matters, including tort claims involving personal injury and property damage, architect and engineer error and omissions claims, construction defect claims, and mechanics’ lien, bond, and contract claims. Mr. Cavasinni has handled litigation matters in most state courts in Ohio, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District and Southern District of Ohio, and the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its Construction Industry Arbitration Rules. He is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cleveland Bar Association, and he is a presenter for continuing education seminars on such topics as tort liability in the construction context and Ohio’s Mechanics’ Lien Statute.

Professional Concepts Insurance AgencyMr. Cosgrove serves as PCIA’s president and CEO. He has established a reputation as a “hands-on” problem-solver for his clients’ insurance programs and assists in training their staff in reducing their firms’ professional services risks. His services include risk evaluation and insurance placement, contract reviews and negotiations, assistance with mergers and acquisitions and international project pursuits. Mr. Cosgrove’s client services include in-house risk management seminars and risk consultation. He is very active in the professional associations of PCIA’s clients serving on numerous committees, chairing committees and donating personal time for the betterment of PCIA’s clients’ industries. He also serves as a trustee of the Michigan Architectural Foundation (MAF). Mr. Cosgrove frequently contributes editorials on risk management issues and regularly presents at professional development events. He is a past president of PLAN, the Professional Liability Agents’ Network consisting of national and international insurance professionals serving the AEC industry.

Mann Dulaney, LLC, Powell
Mr. Dulaney has maintained a private construction law and real estate practice for over 25 years in the greater Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton area. During this time he has represented design professionals, owners and contractors in the areas of construction, safety, labor, employment and government/agency regulation. He has represented clients before the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors and has spoken before American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Sections statewide regarding legal issues for design professionals. Mr. Dulaney received his B.S. degree in Construction Management from the University of Cincinnati, his M.B.A. degree from Xavier University and his J.D. degree from the University of Dayton. He is admitted to practice law before all state and federal courts in Ohio. He represents other professionals including physicians, pharmacists and nurses regarding licensure issues before their respective state regulating authorities.

Partner at Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton, P.C. in SouthfieldMs. Meldrum focuses her practice in the areas of engineering and construction law and related transactional matters. Having worked as an engineer for over 10 years, she brings her knowledge and experience in civil design and project management to the practice of law. She has litigated and arbitrated contract, building construction, engineering design (structural, environmental, coastal, civil, mechanical, geotechnical), asbestos and building material, and project management claims related to industrial and commercial facilities. She has also assisted in litigation related to legal malpractice claims. Ms. Meldrum is a member of the American Arbitration Association Construction Panel and serves as an arbitrator on both small and complex matters. She is admitted to the bars in Michigan, California, and Arizona. She maintains her engineering licenses in California, Arizona, and Michigan.

Attorney with Hilger HammondA significant portion of Mr. Hammond’s practice concerns construction law, where he is routinely engaged in complex litigation. His clients are representative of all parties involved in construction, including owners, design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. The remainder of Mr. Hammond’s practice involves commercial and residential real estate transactions, business law, and commercial litigation.

Mr. Quesada has been practicing law since 1993 and is admitted to all Michigan Courts and the U.S. District Courts of Michigan. His practice has been concentrated in the design and construction industries. He has represented architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers, private construction owners, and public entities in business and construction law matters, contract, construction and property disputes, construction lien and bond claims and defense, professional malpractice, copyright, insurance claims and defense and government affairs. Mr. Quesada has been named an honorary affiliate member of the AIA, and he was named one of Metro Detroit’s Top Lawyers by DBusiness Magazine. He is also an arbitrator on the AAA panel.

Mr. Smith is a full-service construction attorney handling a large portfolio of suppliers, subcontractors, developers, engineers and general contractors in a variety of construction and commercial litigation matters. A seasoned attorney, He handles matters involving construction liens, bonding and surety claims, contracts, bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, labor, real estate, and design and construction defect litigation. Mr. Smith is experienced in business, bankruptcy, construction, creditors’ rights, real estate, and civil litigation.

Mr. Stoner has successfully defended claims against design professionals for design defects, tortious interference, failure to inspect, and damages for delay, and he has handled contractor claims and surety and lien claims. In addition, he frequently represents shareholders in various business disputes, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and usurpation of corporate opportunity. Mr. Stoner has successfully tried cases in both state and federal courts. His contributions to the legal profession are not limited to the courtroom. He has lectured extensively on various risk management issues for design professionals on areas such as contract drafting, project documentation, claims handling, and other issues that typically arise during a construction project. Mr. Stoner earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. 

Insurance Management Consultants, Inc.
Mr. Agnew is a native of Charlotte who comes from a family of engineers and who’s father is still practicing today. He received his B.S.B.A degree in Finance/Risk Management & Insurance with a minor in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In 2002, he also studied International Business at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. He is a licensed property & liability insurance agent and is currently working on his Certified Risk Management and Register Professional Liability Underwriter designations. In his free time he enjoys reading, intramural sports and fishing.

Brooks Pierce
Mr. Bolick represents and advises owners, lenders, developers, design professionals, construction managers, general contractors and subcontractors in drafting and negotiating contracts for all types of commercial and institutional projects. Mr. Bolick is equally comfortable helping a small contractor perfect its agreements as he is representing owners, developers and lenders in multi-million dollar construction projects. Over the last decade, he has negotiated nearly a billion dollars in construction and design contracts, from small commercial buildings and apartment complexes, to larger office buildings and public high schools where eight figure budgets are common. Mr. Bolick has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for construction law (2012-2016).

Pharr Law, PLLC
Mr. Pharr was admitted to the North Carolina bar in 1985, following his graduation from the University Of Virginia School Of Law. He was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2008. Mr. Pharr has also been admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First and Fourth Circuits and the U.S. Supreme Court. After 15 years in the litigation section of Kilpatrick Stockton, Mr. Pharr founded the firm of Pharr Law, PLLC, in January 2000. He handles general commercial litigation, construction law, real estate litigation, professional liability and products liability. Mr. Pharr is also a certified superior court mediator.

Allen West, Attorney – Hamilton Stephens Steele & Martin, PLLC 
Mr. West is licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and South Carolina, and he practices primarily in the areas of construction, business litigation, real estate litigation, and bankruptcy. He regularly negotiates and drafts contracts for construction industry clients and provides practical counsel regarding risk assessment and claims avoidance. Mr. West also has substantial experience representing borrowers and guarantors in loan workouts and foreclosures, including the negotiation of loan modifications and forbearance agreements. Before joining HSSM, Mr. West was with the firm Kilpatrick Stockton. Prior to law school, Mr. West worked as a television reporter covering politics and government for WIS News in Columbia, South Carolina, and prior to that served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a noncommissioned officer. Mr. West also has experience as a senior executive for a leading lighting manufacturing company located in Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. West is a frequent lecturer on various construction related topics including lien law, construction contracts, claims avoidance and public contracting issues, and he has been invited to speak to the UNCC School of Architecture, North Carolina Bar Construction Section, AIA, and design professionals. Mr. West was selected by fellow bar members for inclusion in Business North Carolina Magazine’s Legal Elite in construction law.