Jim Butler is a partner with the Atlanta construction law firm of Smith, Currie & Hancock. He is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Kentucky College of Law. He is admitted to practice in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Arkansas and Washington.
His practice is concentrated in the negotiation, arbitration and litigation of construction contracts, government contracts and environmental issues. He has experience with a variety of projects, including power plants, water and wastewater systems, process plants, NGL facilities, methanol plants, tunnels, dams, stadiums, arenas, airports, casinos, semiconductor facilities, office buildings, schools, hospitals, prisons, condominiums, communications and cable facilities, food processing plants, highways, manufacturing and industrial plants, asbestos abatement projects, superfund sites and government facilities. Jim has represented contractors, owners, engineers, architects, subcontractors and sureties on a wide variety of projects, domestically and internationally.
Mr. Butler has a sub-specialty which focuses on EPC and design-build projects. He has been particularly active in promoting, putting together and resolving disputes on design-build projects since the mid-80's. He was awarded the Rich Allen Meritorious Service Award by the Professional Engineers in Construction Division of the National Society of Professional Engineers for his efforts in assisting professional engineers and other participants in the design-build process to avoid liability and claims on design-build projects.
He has conducted seminars and training programs for the American Bar Association, Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders and Contractors, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Consulting Engineers Council, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, the Florida Bar, the Construction Industry Forum Committee, the Design Build Institute of America, the Construction Superconference, the National Asbestos Council, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Texas, the Texas State Department of Transportation, the National Solid Waste Management Association, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He is also an adjunct professor at the College of Architecture of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
He has completed the American Arbitration Association's mediator training and Harvard University College of Law's Advanced Mediation Program. He is a mediator for the American Arbitration Association and a member of its Construction Industry National Panel of Arbitrators. He is also a member of the American Bar Association's Forum on the Construction Industry and on the steering committee for the International Construction Projects Division. He also co-chairs the construction defects litigation subcommittee of the ABA Section of Litigation. He is a contributing author to Design-Build Contracting Handbook, Alternative Clauses to Standard Construction Contracts, and The AGC Environmental Risk Management Procedures Manual.
Experience
· Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Facility in California
Represented engineer and contractor on delay, impact and change order claims.
· Telecommunications Bandwidth Upgrade Projects in Several Mid-West States
Represented EPC contractor on major bandwidth cable upgrade projects involving claims for delay, impact and extra work.
· Water and Wastewater Projects
Representation of contractors in several states in the successful prosecution of claims arising from defective specifications, delay, owner interference, differing site conditions and lost productivity.
· Wall Board Plant in West Virginia
Obtained settlement on behalf of mechanical contractor involving delay disruption and interference claims against international manufacturer of wall board.
· Tunneling and HDD Projects
Represented contractors on tunneling and horizontal directional projects, ranging in value from $5 million to $150 million.
· Methanol Plants in the Caribbean and South America
Successfully defended owner of methanol plants involving claims by the EPC contractor.
· Poultry Processing Plan
Successfully represented owner in defending against design-builders $20 million dollar claim.
· Liquid Natural Gas Facility in Venezuela
Successful representation of EPC contractor against a foreign public owner involving delay, extra work and inefficiency claims.
· Hydroelectric Projects
Represented contractors on hydroelectric projects in West Virginia and Arkansas, resulting in settlements exceeding $10 million.
· Hurricane Protection Work
Representation of contractor in multimillion dollar settlement of differing site conditions and defective specifications claim against Corps of Engineers.
· Gas Fired Power Plant in California
Obtained a multi-million dollar arbitration award on behalf of client involving lost productivity and delay claims.
· Fossil Fuel Plants
Represented contractors on multiple settlements exceeding $1 million on fossil fuel plants in multiple states.
· Florida Dreding Projects
Represented dredging contractors in successfully recovering on claims arising from defective specifications, differing site conditions and owner interference.
· Environmental Remediation
Sucessful representation of multiple contractors on the remediation of hazardous materials, including asbestos, PCBs and plutonium.
· Design-Build in Nevada
· Bridges and Roads
Represented contractors in successfully recovering on claims arising from defective specifications, delays, disruption, lost productivity and differing site conditions.
· Power Plant and Refinery
Represented EPC contractor in defending a $40 million claim for delays and performance deficiencies.
Honors & Awards
Rich Allen Meritorious Service Award, National Society of Professional Engineers
One of America's Leading Lawyers for Business in the Construction Law Area by Chambers and Partners
Georgia Super Lawyer by Law & Politics and Atlanta magazine
Identified as a leading international construction lawyer by Who's Who Legal
Classes & Seminars Taught
Adjunct Professor, College of Architecture of the Georgia Institute of Technology
Professional Affiliations
Arkansas Bar Association, Member
Atlanta Bar Association, Member
Florida Bar Association, Member
Kentucky Bar Association, Member
New York State Bar Association, Member
State Bar of Texas, Member
North Carolina Bar Association, Member
American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry, International Construction Contracting Steering Committee, Member
State Bar of Georgia, Member
American Bar Association, Construction Litigation Section, Construction Defects Subcommittee, Co-Chairman
Washington Bar Association, Member
Dispute Review Board Foundation, Member
Other Experience
· Mediation
· Contracts
· Litigation and Appeals