Significant Lawyer Group for "Vital Industry" Now Part of Firm's Full-Service
New York Office
NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Duane Morris LLP announced today
that it is adding a 20-lawyer Construction practice to its New York office.
The arrival of the group of construction and real estate lawyers from Thelen
LLP further strengthens Duane Morris' Construction Group and expands its New
York office to nearly 100 lawyers. With the addition of nine partners and 11
special counsel and associates, the firm, which has 650 lawyers firmwide, now
has 60 lawyers serving the construction industry.
"We are very pleased to welcome such a renowned and impressive team of
construction and real estate lawyers," said John Soroko, Chairman and CEO of
Duane Morris. "They possess considerable experience and knowledge of the
complex issues facing owners, developers, investors, lenders and the
construction industry as a whole. With this group of lawyers, Duane Morris
further strengthens its position as one of the leading firms in the country in
construction litigation, alternative dispute resolution and construction
transactional law. Our expanded capabilities will allow us to play an
increasing role in a vital industry for New York and the nation."
The new team is led by partners Allen Ross, Frederick Cohen, Arthur Silverman
and Richard Dyer, each of whom has decades of experience as a lawyer in the
construction industry, with established national reputations in the field. The
group has garnered recognition in the highly respected Chambers USA: America's
Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the leading construction practices in
New York. Chambers ranked the group as the top construction practice among
general practice law firms in New York, and cited four members of the group
for individual excellence in construction law. The group and its leaders are
authors of well-known texts on construction law, and have received numerous
national accolades.
"The benefit of joining a firm with Duane Morris' diversity of practice and
strong reputation in the business world is self-evident," said Ross. "Our
clients are very pleased with our move to this powerful player in the
construction world, and in the general business scene."
"We could not be happier to have found a new home in Duane Morris," said
Cohen. "The accomplished construction lawyers throughout the firm's
international offices, and the astonishing breadth of experience of our new
colleagues in New York made it crystal clear to Allen, the rest of the group
and me that this is where we belong."
The new lawyers represent clients throughout the construction industry,
including important developers involved in the rebuilding of the financial
center in Lower Manhattan. Other clients include some of the "brand-name"
large entities around the city, including academic and healthcare centers,
institutional public entities, private developers, owners, contractors,
subcontractors, design and engineering firms and sureties. The lawyers focus
on litigation, including alternative dispute resolution and mediation, as well
as transactional matters involving the negotiation of both complex
construction agreements and complex real estate financing, workout structures
and documentation.
Attorneys in the group have handled all types of disputes, including breach of
contract, construction delays, so-called extra work disputes, incomplete or
defective design, inadequate and uncoordinated project management, excessive
changes, impossibility and commercial impracticability, differing site
conditions, denial of site access, defective materials and equipment, improper
inspection, structural failures, safety violations, environmental hazards,
terminations, mechanic's liens, stop notices, payment and performance bonds
and post-completion warranty issues, among others.
The team also has extensive transactional experience, negotiating
design/build, construction and program management agreements; general
conditions and trade contracts; joint venture contracts; consortium and
partnering agreements; and design, build, operate and turn-over (DBOT)
agreements. It has handled EEO and OSHA; surety bonding, mechanic's lien and
insurance issues. In addition, the group offers experience addressing real
estate matters, including transactions, corporate transactions, leasing and
financing.
Duane Morris' New York office, founded in 1994, has grown rapidly into a
full-service office, with nearly 100 lawyers practicing in numerous and varied
areas of law. The firm's New York lawyers handle matters including
transactional and corporate matters such as mergers and acquisitions;
securities compliance and corporate governance; public, project and structured
finance; real estate transactions, including real estate acquisitions and
dispositions, financings, workouts and restructurings, development and
leasing; tax; estates and asset planning; healthcare transactions and
international law, including trade regulation and other regulatory and
commercial matters. They are also involved in complex litigation; including
patent, trademark and copyright litigation and prosecution; employment
disputes; securities and commercial disputes; white-collar criminal defense;
products liability; real estate controversies; healthcare regulation and
litigation and bankruptcy matters.
The newly expanded construction law group includes the following attorneys.
Partners:
Mark Canizio, Construction
Michael Chartan, Construction
Frederick Cohen, Construction
Richard Dyer, Construction
Dennis Konner, Real Estate
Kenneth Lazaruk, Construction
Allen Ross, Construction
Arthur Silverman, Construction
John Wojak, Jr., Construction
Special Counsel/Associates:
Jose Aquino, Construction
Lawrence Chiarelli, Construction
Michael Davis, Construction
Meghan DiPerna, Construction
Charles Fastenberg, Construction
Michael Hogan, Construction
James Lotito, Construction
Brian Markowitz, Construction
Joseph Mascia, Real Estate
Jon Popin, Real Estate
Jessica Singh, Construction
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP, a full-service law firm of more than 650 attorneys, offers
innovative solutions across diverse industries in the United States and
internationally to address the legal and business challenges of today's
evolving global markets.
SOURCE Duane Morris LLP
Joshua M. Peck of Duane Morris LLP, +1-215-979-7300, jpeck@duanemorris.com
