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Barriere_Jim

James J. Barriere

PartnerBoston, New York, Albany

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.

Work Experience

  • Hinckley Allen
    • Co-Chair, Construction & Public Contracts Law Group
    • Partner (2014-Present)
  • Couch White, LLP
    • Partner (1999-2014)
    • Associate (1992-1999)

Honors & Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America® (2010-2026)
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Litigation – Construction
  • Super Lawyers, Upstate New York (2010-2025)
    • Construction Litigation
  • Martindale-Hubbell® 2022 AV Preeminent Attorney - Judicial Edition
  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating, Recipient
  • The Lawyer Network, Construction Lawyer of the Year in New York – 2022
  • Who's Who in Construction Lawyers 2019

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law
  • Associated General Contractors of America
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America
  • Eastern Contractors Association
  • General Contractors Association of New York
  • New York State Bar Association

Bar Memberships

  • Massachusetts
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Western District of New York
  • United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Publication

Video: What to Know About Entering Public Sector Construction

With the passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), there will continue to be a significant influx of federal money in the infrastructure market in New England. There is a lot of work to be done repairing roads and bridges, as well as ci…

Publication

Prevent Your Work Site From Becoming a White Collar Crime Scene

Public construction projects are the backbone of any community, paid for and overseen by the state or local government.   They provide infrastructure and jobs, boosting local economies. These kinds of projects are also subject to a slew of regulations that…

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Firm News

Hinckley Allen Earns Wide Recognition Across Six States in 2025 Super Lawyers® and Rising Star Listings

More than 60 Hinckley Allen attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists across our Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Upstate New York offices. The honorees include both newly selecte…

Firm News

Hinckley Allen Recognized for Excellence: 75% Attorneys Honored in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026

Hinckley Allen is proud to announce that 127 of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, representing 75% of the firm’s legal team.

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Case Study

Hinckley Allen Secures Landmark Summary Judgment Decision for a Construction Client in $100M+ Litigation Battle

In September 2023, Hinckley Allen achieved a monumental victory in securing summary judgment on behalf of a national privately-held construction client (“Contractor”). This triumph was secured on a complex infrastructure project (“Project”) in Miam…

Case Study

Hinckley Allen Secures $30m Settlement for NY Wastewater Treatment Plant

Retained by the City of Binghamton, NY, the Village of Johnson City, NY, and the parties’ Joint Sewage Treatment Board, Hinckley Allen settled a complex lawsuit stemming from the dramatic collapse of part of the Binghamton-Johnson City Joint Sewage Treat…

Past Event

WEBINAR: Navigating Public Construction Minefields

May 13, 2021

Hinckley Allen construction, environmental and government enforcement & white collar defense attorneys have teamed up to address important developments and legal issues relating to government investigations of public contractors.   This webinar, sponso…

Past Event

How Modular Builders & Prefabricators Can Minimize or Eliminate COVID-19's Impact

June 4, 2020

Hinckley Allen construction partners/attorneys, Ron Ciotti and Jim Barriere, will assist members with methods to help minimize and possibly eliminate COVID-19 impacts and allow you to perform your services in the way you know best. Complying with workers�…

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Practices

Industries

Education

Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1992

  • cum laude

State University of New York at Stony Brook, B.A., 1988