Construction

With decades of experience in every facet of construction law, Downey Brand’s Construction Law Practice Group represents all players in the construction process, including owners, general contractors, architects, engineers, subcontractors of every tier, materials suppliers, and sureties. Our experience spans both public and private works, and includes the entire construction spectrum from heavy civil, roadway, water, power plant, and other infrastructure projects, to steel high-rise structures, to site improvement and development projects.

We help our clients devise practical solutions to problems that may arise during the earliest phases of project conception and design, through contract drafting, bidding procedures and protests, and dispute management during design and construction. Where disputes cannot be avoided, our group has extensive experience with litigating virtually every category and subcategory of construction disputes. Scope-of-work disputes, change order battles, critical path delay claims, design conflicts, project close-out, warranty and defective work claims, payment and performance bond issues, and prompt-payment disputes are frequent subjects of our practice. After construction is complete, we are equally well-versed in indemnity and insurance coverage issues associated with construction defect claims.

In addition to the construction-specific attorneys in the group, we can tap into Downey Brand’s numerous other practice-area practitioners, including those from our corporate, tax, water, environmental, land use, real estate, and employment law practice groups. The attorneys in these groups work seamlessly to bring the right expertise to bear on any problem our clients may encounter.

Downey Brand has the largest litigation practice of any firm in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley.  Consequently, our group can easily buttress its own considerable litigation experience in cases with larger staffing demands. Our experience in virtually every state and federal court in California means that Downey Brand’s practice is well-suited to handle cases located throughout the state.

Through participation in community affairs and representation of clients, we have a wealth of practical knowledge and contacts to help facilitate any transaction.

Additionally, members of the Construction Group not only keep current with evolving changes in the law but often take the lead by making presentations and speeches to interested groups and writing papers for publication in leading law and industry journals. Beyond keeping abreast of the legal side of the construction industry, our attorneys participate in several trade organizations to appreciate our clients’ viewpoints and concerns.