From
project conception to completion, Jones Walker’s team of over 30 construction
attorneys delivers comprehensive legal services to clients throughout the
construction industry. Our national footprint, the depth and breadth of our
team, and the scale of the projects on which we have worked enable us to
provide effective counsel on virtually every issue our clients may face, at
every step in the process.
Our
representation is as geographically broad as it is diverse. Members of our
construction team regularly represent clients across the United States, Europe,
Asia, South America, and Africa, and excel at handling large-scale construction
and infrastructure projects across industries such as energy, natural
resources, healthcare, retail, and education. Among recent engagements, our
attorneys have represented international and domestic owners, contractors,
architects, and builders in the design and construction of hotels, resorts,
hospitals, high-rise office towers, power plants (coal-fired and nuclear),
clean-energy facilities, refineries, pipelines, transportation-related
manufacturing (including aircraft, locomotive and ship building and
maintenance), and universities, as well as environmental remediation and
closure projects.
Major
construction projects often have a significant governmental component. We have
deep familiarity with the full scope of U.S. and international procurement and
government contracting regulations, and regularly help negotiate and close
agreements that involve economic development funding, tax incentives, and
public-private partnerships. Drawing on the resources of the firm’s key
practices, we also advise on environmental regulation and permitting, real
estate, finance, government relations, labor and employment, and other areas of
law that come into play when planning and executing projects.
Our
construction litigation team helps clients identify potential risks and
minimize the likelihood of disputes with vendors, providers and government
agencies. When conflicts do arise, our construction litigation team offers
trial lawyers with many years of experience litigating billions of dollars in
construction disputes in state and federal courts, in arbitration, and before administrative
and industry panels worldwide. We have won numerous court victories and have
successfully prepared and presented government claims. Members of our team are
themselves highly trained, registered mediators and arbitrators, and several
serve as neutrals for the American Arbitration Association.
The
foundation of our practice is strong and straightforward: we consider our work
to be part of our clients’ overall business strategy, and act as key members of
project teams to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. We have experience
negotiating and drafting design and construction contracts that appropriately
allocate risks and help clients avoid costly disputes as projects progress, and
are committed to providing cost-effective fee structures and billing
arrangements.
As
boots-on-the-ground lawyers, we are well-known, highly regarded participants in
the construction industry. Members of our team have been trained in and
practiced in construction- and design-related disciplines prior to entering the
practice of law. We actively support and participate in legal and trade
organizations such as Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders and
Contractors, American Institute of Architects, the American Bar Association
(ABA) Forum on the Construction Industry, the Fidelity and Surety Law Section
of the ABA, the ABA Litigation Section Construction Law Committee, the
International Bar Association, the Surety and Fidelity Association of America,
the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers,
and the Construction Specifications Institute. A number of our attorneys have
been recognized among the top legal providers by Chambers USA, The
Best Lawyers in America, The Legal 500, Super Lawyers, The
International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, and The International Who’s
Who of Construction Lawyers.
As industry thought leaders, our attorneys have
authored papers and articles in journals such as Transportation Builder
Magazine, Construction Law Update, The Construction Lawyer, World
Arbitration, and Mediation Report and more. We have presented
programs at the local and national level on a variety of construction law
issues, including claims, claim avoidance, commissioning, damages, indoor air
quality, public and private works acts, and public bid law.
