(Image via Getty)
The construction industry is one of the largest and most lucrative in the country. Construction lawyers assist with every aspect of a building project, from the initial land selection and development, to any disputes or insurance issues that may arise after construction is complete. Construction clients run the gamut from contractors and subcontractors, to architects and engineers, to land developers and insurance companies. The broader field of construction law encompasses countless nuanced practice areas, including contract negotiation, regulatory work, insurance law, and litigation, just to name a few.
As a guide to the complex ecosystem of law firms servicing the industry, our friends at Lake Whillans Litigation Finance present the Go-to Firms of the Construction Industry. Among them, these firms can handle every transactional and litigation need.
Lake Whillans is there to partner with the full spectrum of construction industry players, including financial institutions and major law firms. Engaging these Go-to Firms can help companies avoid or contain problems down the road. Should legal issues arise, Lake Whillans can step in and help resolve them.
When you need an expert in your corner on your next construction project, these are the firms to call.
1. Best Global Powerhouse for Construction Law: Duane Morris LLP
When it comes to depth of talent, it’s difficult to compete with Duane Morris in the construction law arena. With over 800 attorneys practicing across the United States and in offices around the globe, chances are they can handle anything you need, anywhere you need it. Consistently recognized as one of the leaders in the construction industry, Duane Morris has experts in all facets of construction law, from design and funding through to final construction and workplace safety issues. When you need lawyers by your side from start to finish, Duane Morris is your full-service contractor.
2. Best Firm to Handle Complex Litigation Disputes: Pepper Hamilton
With so many phases and moving parts, litigation and disputes are an inevitable reality of any complex construction project. When the future of your project is on the line, you want a firm that knows its way around a courtroom and a construction lawsuit. Pepper Hamilton is that firm. Named the “Construction Law Firm of the Year 2018” by Chambers USA, the firm has handled more than a dozen complex construction litigations worth more than $50 million in the last five years alone. The firm’s lawyers have the skills necessary to get you the favorable outcome you need.
3. Best Firm For When Your Growing Startup Needs More Room to Expand: Perkins Coie LLP
Since it opened its doors in Silicon Valley and San Francisco in 1998, Perkins Coie has been the go-to firm for innovators and emerging tech companies. Their role as a trusted advisor for startups has expanded as the firm has grown. Today, the firm has a nationally recognized construction law practice, bringing a depth of expertise in all facets of construction law to large and small businesses alike. When you’ve invented the next great thing and have outgrown your garage, Perkins Coie will help you take the next step.
4. Best Law Firm for Land Development Projects: Greenberg Traurig
Much like its competitors, Greenberg Traurig is more than capable of handling the most complex of construction matters, on both the transactional and litigation sides. Where the firm really stands out, though, is in its more nuanced niche specialties, like its Land Development Group. Greenberg Traurig’s experienced attorneys have guided numerous entrepreneurs, landowners, and joint venture partners through the development process, from financing, to permitting, to occupancy. If your next construction project involves a land development component, these are the folks you want on speed dial.
5. Best Firm for Building That New Power Plant: Alston & Bird LLP
Now a recognized powerhouse in construction law, Alston & Bird rose from humble Georgia beginnings in 1893 to become a major international player in the industry. While the firm’s construction lawyers are adept at handling all aspects of major projects, they particularly excel when it comes to the energy sector. Alston & Bird has handled some of the most complex power plant and infrastructure projects around the globe, from China to South America and everywhere in between. When the worlds of construction and energy law collide, you want Alston & Bird in your corner.
6. Best Firm When You Have Lots of Work Coming Down the Pipeline (Literally): Holland & Knight LLP
With over 1,200 lawyers around the world, the sheer size of Holland & Knight allows them the flexibility to develop extremely nuanced specialties within the common practice areas you’ll see at most firms, and their construction law group is certainly no exception. A perfect example is its expertise in pipeline projects. The firm’s construction lawyers have handled countless complex pipeline matters from transactional, compliance, regulatory, and litigation perspectives. If you’re in any way involved in one of the estimated 94,000 pipeline projects currently happening around the world, you’ll want to give Holland & Knight a call.
7. Best Firm to Handle Your Construction Insurance Claims: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Insurance is a critical part of any construction project. While many law firms across the country can boast about their roster of insurance company clients, far fewer have a proven track record for representing policyholders. Pillsbury is one of the notable exceptions to the rule. The firm brings its vast experience in the construction industry to the insurance arena, successfully representing countless owners, contractors, and developers in faulty construction claims and insurance coverage disputes. Pillsbury is the firm to call when you need your important risk management and coverage questions answered.
8. Best Firm to Handle the Construction Project of the Future: K&L Gates
The construction industry has been around for centuries, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t adapted to the changing times. The Construction and Infrastructure Group at K&L Gates draws from vast past experience to focus on ensuring that construction projects are sustainable for the next generation. The firm’s lawyers specialize in niche areas like integrating technology and IP into construction projects and incorporating clean energy and green initiatives. When you’re planning a construction project for a better tomorrow, K&L Gates is thinking ahead.
9. Best Firm for Your Construction Project South of the Mason-Dixon Line: Bradley
Named “Law Firm of the Year” in Construction Law for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report, the construction lawyers at Bradley intimately know the ins and outs of every aspect of a construction project, from beginning to end. Founded in Elyton, Alabama, in 1870, the firm now has eight additional offices scattered throughout the South, and offers expert counsel on regional, national, and international constructions projects. The firm’s Construction Practice Group has worked on nearly every type of construction project imaginable, from embassies and government contracts, to hospitals and power plants, to resorts and casinos. No matter what side of a construction deal you’re on, this is the firm that can get you where you need to be.
10. Best Jack-of-All-Trades Construction Firm: Seyfarth Shaw
When it comes to construction law, Seyfarth Shaw offers a little bit of everything. Their team of construction experts has represented every possible kind of party to a construction project in every possible stage of the project. From negotiating contracts, to installing clean technologies, to engaging in alternative dispute resolution, the firm has you covered around the world. You can’t go wrong with one of the country’s largest and most experienced construction law practices.