As Co-Chair and a Partner in the Firm’s Construction & Public Contracts Group, Jim brings over 25 years of public and private construction experience. He represents design-build contractors, construction managers, general contractors, public and private owners and specialty contractors on a variety of matters. Jim is frequently called on to advise clients on claims, contract rights, public bidding, government investigations, labor law, insurance, indemnity and complex construction and design disputes. He also counsels clients on techniques and strategies to avoid or resolve disputes, if possible, and pursues claims and defenses when disputes cannot be avoided in court proceedings and arbitrations.
Jim is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer. His experience includes serving as lead counsel in the prosecution and defense of substantial claims on multiple large public works and private projects in Boston, New York City, Miami and California; the successful defense of hundreds of millions in claims on a substantial industrial nuclear storage facility; serving as lead counsel in the prosecution of design defect and construction claims on a variety of projects; serving as a panel construction arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association; successfully appealing cases with state-wide implications to the highest court in New York State for state-wide industry associations; and numerous successful federal and state bench trials, jury trials and arbitrations.
Jim’s experience also includes drafting and negotiating EPC contracts for a state-wide public owner and multi-billion dollar microchip manufacturing facility owner; negotiating construction contracts for clients throughout the United States; international construction experience in Mexico and Saudi Arabia; the defense of contractors facing government investigations under the False Claims Act, DBE regulations and Federal Acquisition Regulations; and prosecuting tax assessment cases resulting in tens of millions in tax savings to power plant owners.