Construction

Perkins Coie is a nationally recognized leader in construction law.  Our team of construction attorneys practices all types of construction law on behalf of owners, contractors, architects, engineers, consultants and governmental entities and in addressing procurement and technical issues of every kind.  We draft and negotiate a wide variety of contracts on a broad spectrum of projects nationally and internationally; we counsel clients on construction, design and procurement issues; and we work to resolve construction-related disputes.  We deal on a daily basis with the issues faced by participants in the construction process.  This experience allows us to prevent problems from arising and to resolve problems efficiently when they do arise. 

We are proud to have contributed to the success of many important and complicated projects, as well as hundreds of other projects, large and small.  An important benefit of this depth of experience is that we know the participants, we know the trends, and we know the construction business.  Our expertise and extensive use of technology allow us to offer world-class construction and design excellence and efficiency.

Clients

Our clients include public and private owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, architects, engineers and consultants.  They typically are involved in complex, multi-stage construction projects in the United States and abroad.  We also advise dozens of public clients, such as school districts, institutions of higher education, fire districts, public facility districts, cities, counties and other public entities on construction and procurement issues.

Transactions

• At the outset of a project, we advise on site acquisition issues, including finance, real estate, zoning, and environmental regulations.
• We advise on procurement options, including design-bid-build, GC/CM, design-build, design-build-operate-maintain, EPC and job order contracting.
• We assist in the selection and engagement of design professionals and construction managers.
• We prepare and negotiate project management, design, construction, supply and other construction-related contracts.  Our contracts are widely emulated and have become the "industry standard" in some regions.  In recent years, the combined annual value of contracts we prepare has been well in excess of $1 billion.
• We help prepare pre-qualification, bidding and other "front-end" documents and otherwise assist in the selection and engagement of the project team.

Counseling

• Throughout a project, we work with clients to avoid problems.
• We assist in addressing issues that arise and assist in resolving disputes as quickly and informally as possible.

Dispute Resolution

• We have pioneered the use of alternative dispute resolution techniques in construction law.  To resolve disputes, our attorneys have successfully participated in mediation, mini-trials, dispute resolution boards and arbitration through the American Arbitration Association, the International Chamber of Commerce and other bodies.  Moreover, we have been at the forefront of partnering and intervention efforts to address issues during the course of construction.
• Litigation should be a last resort that is required only when rational, businesslike efforts to resolve construction disputes have been unsuccessful.  We have long-term relationships with our clients because we strive to keep them out of trouble.  But when disputes cannot be resolved, we have broad experience in state and federal trial and appellate courts.  We have successfully helped clients pursue and defend claims of all sizes involving contract delays, cost-overruns, breaches of contract, design and architectural errors, construction defects, and just about every other kind of construction dispute.