Most Highly Regarded Firms: Texas 2008 - Construction
Although the construction industry in the US is experiencing difficult times, the legal market continues to offer a wealth of high quality practitioners with expertise in construction law.
The 24 lawyers picked out from 14 firms specialise in the representation of owners, contractors and subcontractors in contentious and non-contentious matters.
Construction boutique Ford Nassen & Baldwin PC is among the leaders; we feature three partners from the firm. Founding shareholder Jeffrey Ford is a "leading light", and there are "few better" in the eyes of our sources. Recognised for his work for clients throughout the industry, he is well known as former chairman of the Dallas Bar Association construction law section. Alongside him, George Baldwin is a former chair of State Bar's construction law section, and a "guru for contractor and owner work". His dispute resolution skills both in the courtroom and in arbitration and mediation "are of the highest order". Robert Meyers is of counsel to the firm and a "hugely eminent figure"; he was described as the "godfather of Texas construction law" by one respondent. A former president of the American College of Construction Lawyers (ACCL) and like Baldwin a past chair of the State Bar's construction section, he has also served on the AAA National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators for commercial and construction disputes.
Coats Rose Yale Ryman Lee PC joins Ford Nassen & Baldwin at the top of the research with three featured lawyers (one being William Short, who recently moved between the two firms). One of the most highly regarded disputes lawyers in this field, he is on the AAA national roster and "one of the leading authorities in the state". He joins William Coats, head of the firm's construction and surety section and one of the most highly nominated individuals in the research overall. Along with Short, Coats is also renowned as a past chairman of the State Bar of Texas construction law section and he was also the initial chairman of the Houston Bar Association construction law section, "it is difficult to think of many better", according to our sources. Thomas Barber in League City is also well regarded. A registered professional engineer, his "in depth knowledge is a real asset to clients" and he was repeatedly recommended for his surety work.
Canterbury Stuber Elder Gooch & Surratt PC sits close behind with a couple of lawyers listed, both in Dallas. Joseph Canterbury has served on the board of governors of the ACCL, and the AAA board of directors, and is another former chair of the Texas bar's construction section to earn inclusion in this chapter. A "legend in the field", his track record includes representing Connell Construction Company before the Supreme Court, and he is also well regarded for his arbitration and mediation practice in this area. Alongside him is Kyle Gooch, a "lawyer from the first tier" who is locally recognised for the quality of his construction and arbitration practice, and as former chair of the state bar's construction law section.
Similarly, both nominees from Porter & Hedges LLP also chaired the Texas State Bar's construction law section. David Peden is an "absolutely fantastic lawyer"; his disputes practice is said to be "outstanding". Allison Snyder is similarly well regarded; she is a "phenomenally effective litigator" for construction contract, delay and defect disputes.
Pratt & Yungblut PC is another firm with multiple representatives in this chapter. Donald Pratt is another of the listed lawyers to have chaired the state bar's construction section, and this "distinguished practitioner" is also a member of the AAA's construction and complex case panels, as well as a former chair of the private disputes resolution committee of the ACCL. He appears alongside his colleague Stephen Yungblut, a "fantastically talented individual" also picked out for his arbitration and mediation expertise.
Andrews Myers Coulter & Cohen PC is "one of the best construction shops in the state", and gains two nominees in this chapter. William Andrews in Houston was fêted for his disputes practice and was recently approved by the AAA's national construction dispute resolution committee as a member of its construction arbitration master panel. William Westcott joined the firm in early 2008 and "further strengthened an already impressive team". Commended for his transactional and disputes practice, he is recognised for his work on behalf of contractors in particular; he represented one in connection with the recovery of completion costs on downtown Houston construction contracts valued over $30 million each, and another in connection with the recovery of completion costs, delays and impacts on a state-of-the-art fighter jet component finish facility in Fort Worth with a construction cost of over $300 million.
Gregory Cokinos at Cokinos Bosien & Young PC is "one of the best in the business", according to our sources. "Outstanding" for commercial and industrial construction, he is also an AAA arbitrator on both the commercial and construction panels. Patrick Wielinski is a new addition in this chapter, and appears thanks to his "first rate" construction insurance practice. Former chair of the insurance law section of the state bar, he is regarded as the "leading authority in the state" for coverage issues in this area.
Winstead PC makes its first appearance in this chapter and is represented by two of its team. Michelle Reiger is a "top drawer practitioner", recognised for her contract, disputes and transactional work in this sector. She is the current chair of the State Bar's construction law section, and she succeeded her colleague Robert Bass in the role. Bass was picked out both for his "superlative" legal skills and also for his lobbying work.
William Allensworth of Allensworth & Porter LLP is a veteran of approximately 60 cases in state and federal courts, and a Fellow of the ACCL. Described as a "legend in his own lifetime", he once again appears among the leaders in Texas.
In San Antonio, Stanley Curry of Curry McSwain & McKendrick PC was picked out as an "extremely effective operator". Curry is a former chair of the construction law section of the San Antonio Bar Association, as is William Sommers of The Gardner Law Firm who is an "undeniably effective litigator" in multi-party disputes relating to non-performance, delay and impact claims and design omissions or defects. In the same city, Lewin Plunkett of Plunkett & Gibson is seen as a "formidable litigator" and is another previous chair of the State Bar's construction law section to feature.
Paul Underkofler of Goins Underkofler Crawford & Langdon LLP is former chair of the construction section of the Dallas Bar Association and picked up high numbers of nominations during our research, while Hollye Fisk of Fisk & Fielder PC stood out for his representation of architects and engineers in malpractice claims. With a track record that includes over 160 cases in state and federal court, he is a registered architect and an "incredibly knowledgeable individual".