Construction

The Construction Practice Group is comprised of seasoned trial lawyers with the depth and breadth of experience necessary for resolving the simplest to the most complex construction legal problem. The Group represents construction clients of all sizes and types including general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, construction managers, owners, sureties and design professionals. Our lawyers are involved in sophisticated dispute resolution/avoidance on a daily basis.

RJO’s Construction Practice Group brings together an unusual and valuable mix of experience in both the public and private construction arenas. The Group includes lawyers with years of experience in addressing construction contract disputes with public entities, including bid protests, claims, administrative hearings and trials related to federal, state and local entity construction projects. In addition, RJO has lawyers with particular insight into the special issues related to private construction projects, including financing and lender issues, mechanic’s liens, and land use. Our Group’s lawyers also include a licensed architect with actual project experience. Together, RJO’s Construction Practice Group can effectively handle any combination of legal challenges facing construction projects, such as extra work and delay claims, liens and stop notices, surety relationships, disputes between general contractors and their subcontractors, and terminations for convenience and default. Further, teaming with RJO’s Environmental Law and Labor and Employment Practice Groups, RJO can respond to construction related environmental as well as labor and employment issues before or during a project.

The Construction Practice Group’s lawyers have extensive trial experience in state and federal courts and a variety of administrative and arbitration forums and are ready to go to trial when necessary. Our all-litigation firm has the support structure of a much larger office, including the latest in litigation technology and electronic document management, to handle trials or arbitrations of any size. We are also committed to seeking expeditious and economical resolution of construction disputes, including the use of alternative dispute resolution whenever appropriate.

Representative Cases and Issue

• RJO represents one of the country’s largest construction contractors, Kiewit Construction Co., in a variety of matters both in California and elsewhere. Matters have included disputes with owners and subcontractors on projects throughout California as well as a number of bid protests and advice on a series of contracts, totaling well over a billion dollars, which Kiewit is performing in the New Orleans area as part of the construction of the post-Katrina hurricane protection system
• On behalf of B&C Transit Consultants, Inc., RJO pursued a $5.6 million claim related to signaling and electrical communications equipment installed for commuter train line in San Diego County, California
• RJO represents ACCO Engineered Systems, Inc., a major mechanical contractor, in a variety of litigation matters in Northern California involving tens of millions of dollars in claims arising from public and private sector construction projects, including claims for nonpayment, delay, disruption, extra work, mechanic’s liens, and bond claims
• RJO represented an architectural metal panel contractor in a lawsuit related to the construction of a toll booth and administration building project for the California Department of Transportation. After a two week trial the court returned a judgment for a full recovery of our client’s claim
• RJO represented Lurgi PSI, a major national EPC contractor for industrial process plants, in several lawsuits, arbitrations, and a mediation involving tens of millions of dollars in delay, disruption and lien claims by and against the project owner, general construction contractor and subcontractors related to the construction of a large ethanol plant project in California
• RJO represented Stanford University in multi-million dollar litigation with the construction manager for the new LCLS Experimental Facility at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Facility
• RJO has represented general contractors, subcontractors and major equipment suppliers on power plant and water treatment plant projects throughout the country

References available upon request.