Construction Litigation Law Firm

In construction, having a solid foundation is crucial. At the law firm of Michelman & Bricker, P.C., our extensive legal knowledge and experience serve as a base for our aggressive and strategic construction litigation practice.

Our Construction Litigation Law Firm represent a wide variety of building owners and construction contractors, both directly and through bonding and insurance companies, in connection with litigation over design and construction defects.

Clients rely on our construction litigation lawyers for seasoned legal advice and representation for their business, financial and personal legal needs. Our proactive practice includes counsel for issues involving:

• Contract drafting
• Contract review
• Contract litigation
• Design defects litigation
• Construction defects litigation
• Regulatory compliance
• Environmental law

With offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Longmeadow (Springfield), Massachusetts; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, we primarily serve clients along the Eastern Seaboard and within the Caribbean Basin.

A Record of Success

Many of the construction litigation matters we handle require an advanced understanding of the technical issues related to construction combined with legal acumen and experience. Some of the construction litigation matters we have handled include:

Construction Defect Litigation

• Represented stucco installation subcontractor in construction defect litigation, and obtained dismissal of all claims involving 42 of 43 houses through summary judgment motions based upon the statute of repose
• Representation of building owner in design and construction defect action against roof truss designer, truss manufacturer and builder after warehouse roof collapsed under snow load
• Representation of homeowner against builder over construction defects in residential home built on unstable fill

Construction Claims Litigation

• Represented rebar installation subcontractor in American Arbitration Association (AAA) arbitration proceeding against contractor and obtained $450,000 award for non-payment for work performed, interest, and attorney’s fees
• Representation of contractor against subcontractor for breach of contract for failure to properly perform contract to clean sewage treatment plant sludge digester
• Representation of developer of subdivision against landowner for breach of contract in canceling project after extensive zoning approval process
• Representation of roofing contractor in defense of antitrust suit regarding bidding practices for major public contracts

Surety Litigation and Bad Faith Litigation

• Obtained landmark decision from a Pennsylvania State Court, holding that a surety payment bond was “insurance” subject to Pennsylvania’s Bad Faith Statute, so that a subcontractor could seek punitive damages against a surety company for failing to pay its claims after the principal contractor’s default on its payment obligations — Eastern Steel Constructors, Inc. v. International Fidelity Insurance Company, Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County, No. 2011-3233 (February 15, 2012)
• Represented subcontractor in Bankruptcy Court proceedings to prevent payment of owner’s remaining funds from the construction project from being paid either into bankrupt contractor’s estate or directly to its surety company