Jones Walker LLP

When construction claims arise, our team members are experienced in all forms of traditional and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), enabling us to help resolve these disputes in an efficient and effective manner. We have handled construction matters before state and federal courts, as well as arbitration proceedings, across the United States.

Our construction team includes attorneys who are members of the American Arbitration Association's (AAA) National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators. We have participated in a wide range of ADR proceedings, including mediations, dispute review boards, mini-trials, summary jury trials, structured negotiations, and other vehicles for resolving disputes in an efficient manner. We have also provided clients with second opinions regarding liability, quantum and case strategy.

We have experience with all types of construction claims, including bonds and liens, change orders, contractor licensing, defective design, defective materials and equipment, defective or nonconforming work, delay and disruption, differing site conditions, equitable adjustment, extra work, payment, productivity, safety violations, scope of work, termination and warranty.

Our construction team includes attorneys with over 25 years of experience advising and representing contract sureties in the resolution of payment and performance bond claims and in the negotiation of takeover agreements.

Representative Matters

• Represented a contractor in consolidated class and individual actions claiming that the New Orleans area hurricane protection system failed during Hurricane Katrina due to design and construction defects.

• Represented a contractor in a defective workmanship claim arising out of a condominium project.

• Represented a contractor in its defense against claims that site work damaged the economic development potential of an owner's property.

• Represented a contractor in multiple contract disputes with subcontractors regarding Hurricane Katrina construction contracts.

• Represented a demolition contractor in a payment dispute with the purchaser of an industrial plant.

• Represented a design consultant relative to a contractor's claim for equitable adjustment for deletion and disruption of sewer rehabilitation work.

• Represented a general contractor and its surety against a public owner and its engineers arising out of the construction of a state-of-the-art control and data acquisition system.

• Represented a general contractor in subcontractor and sub-subcontractor disputes relative to the erection of two 4-LT container cranes for the Port of New Orleans.

• Represented a major university in a contract dispute with a contractor involving repairs to the university following Hurricane Katrina.

• Represented a mall owner in its defense against a general contractor's claim for equitable adjustment in connection with renovation work.

• Represented a marine contractor in a dispute with an engineering subcontractor regarding defective design of suction caissons for a deepwater oil and gas production platform

• Represented a national retailer in disputes with the Louisiana Contractor Licensing Board.

• Represented an airport program manager in multiple suits arising out of a contractor's termination.

• Represented an electrical contractor in a delay and disruption claim against the owner of a cogeneration facility.

• Represented an EPC contractor in a payment dispute with a refinery owner.

• Represented an equipment manufacturer in litigation alleging design, installation and equipment defects in the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system of a 10-story hospital addition, resulting in an award to our client of $4.2 million in business interruption damages.

• Represented an industrial contractor in a payment dispute with a petrochemical plant owner.

• Represented an owner in breach of warranty litigation relating to the failure of steel mill overhead cranes.

• Represented the lessee of a major hospital in an AAA arbitration with its lessor regarding allocation of $100 million in construction costs.

• Represented the low bidder on a large public project seeking injunctive relief in state and federal courts.

• Represented a national surety in a variety of payment and performance bond claims.

• Represented a steel fabricator in prosecution of and defense against actions in the power generating industry.

• Represented a manufacturer of complex water filtration systems in a dispute over performance specifications on a coal fired electric generation plant.

• Represented a contractor in its dispute with an international airport over runway rehabilitation.

Diversity Mission Statement

Jones Walker LLP strives to encourage, foster and increase diversity across the firm. To this end, the Diversity Committee has adopted the goal of fostering a work environment that welcomes different perspectives, backgrounds and life experiences and ensures that an individual’s professional growth, experience or advancement is not limited because of gender, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability or other similar factor.

Purposes of the Diversity Committee

• To increase awareness of the importance of diversity within the firm and of the means by which diversity enriches the firm;
• To encourage all lawyers and staff members to develop mutual respect and appreciation for different perspectives and backgrounds; and
• To develop and implement strategies to assist the firm in recruiting, retaining and advancing staff and lawyers from diverse backgrounds.
• Jones Walker values all employees who contribute positively to the firm’s practice, the firm’s environment, and the greater community we serve.

In 2009, Jones Walker was named to MultiCultural Law Magazine’s list of "Top 100 Law Firms for Women," part of a series of listings of the top 100 law firms for diversity. The listings are compiled based on diversity statistics derived from annual surveys that the publication sends to law firms with more than 100 attorneys.