ACBA 61st Annual Bench-Bar Conference: What is a Construction Lawyer Anyway?

Lori Azzara will join two other leading construction attorneys, Chad Michaelson of Meyer Unkovic & Scott and Julian Neiser of Spilman Thomas & Battle, for a panel discussion on construction law at the Allegheny County Bar Association’s 61st Annual Bench-Bar Conference.  Together, they will explore the interdisciplinary nature of construction law, addressing both legal and practical issues across various areas, including:

Attorneys from other practice areas, as well as other civil litigators, often wonder: What exactly is a construction lawyer? How does construction law differ from “regular” civil litigation? In this program, three leading construction practitioners will outline the interdisciplinary nature of construction law, highlighting both legal and practical issues.

Panelists will discuss transactional services, including contract drafting and negotiations; review of insurance provisions; bonding issues; assisting clients seeking minority or women business enterprise status; and addressing intellectual property issues related to construction design documents. The panel will also discuss governmental compliance services, including assisting clients with projects involving public facilities or public financing, such as bid disputes, change order issues, and project close-out issues.

Additionally, the panel will discuss construction claims, dispute resolution and litigation services. This portion will cover assisting clients involved in claims related to a construction project, including counsel on disputes during the course of the project; change order claims; insurance coverage disputes; assisting clients with prosecuting or defending mechanics lien claims; advising clients related to disputes submitted at various stages in the dispute resolution process including negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation; and advising clients on the selection of appropriate dispute resolution forums, including ADR.