By: Lizzy McLellan
Cohen Seglias Partner Ed Seglias was quoted in The Legal Intelligencer article, “Predicting Boom, Pa. Firms Build Up Construction Practices,” in regards to the recent growth of the firm’s construction practice.
Pennsylvania law firms have been beefing up their construction practices, as the construction industry experiences an uptick and industry observers predict more activity on the horizon.
Several Pennsylvania firms have made lateral hires in their construction law departments in recent months. At the beginning of the month, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney added a new leader to its construction practice, Thomas Madigan, who joined from Pepper Hamilton. Madigan will aim to grow a full-service construction group focused on the Pennsylvania and Florida markets.
In February, Post & Schell announced that it added principals Mason Avrigian Jr. and Jeffrey Wallack to its construction, government contract and surety law group. Avrigian and Wallack, who came from Wisler Pearlstine, focus on public works and institutional projects.
Pittsburgh-based Weiss Burkardt Kramer, which represents public-sector entities, added of counsel Jessica Quinn-Horgan earlier this month. Quinn-Horgan will maintain her solo practice, firm founder Ira Weiss said, but will counsel his firm’s clients on construction litigation and related issues.
And in late December, Offit Kurman opened a suburban Philadelphia location, adding partner Joshua Quinter and associate Karin Corbett, who represent contractors in construction law matters and commercial litigation. The two lawyers came from Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein in Blue Bell.
If You Build It…
Legal recruiter Jason Mandel of Alevistar said the Offit Kurman hires were “a sign of things to come” in construction law. He said construction practices are active and hiring, and at the firms he works with, construction litigation is especially busy.
Edward Seglias, vice president of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman, said his firm, which started with three construction lawyers, has never stopped growing its construction practice. But he said the firm has increased hiring in response to a growing client need over the past 12 to 18 months.