Insights: Alerts KT is...Construction · Alternative Dispute Resolution
A trillion-plus dollar industry, the U.S. construction business often involves legal disputes primarily caused by choosing the wrong partner; ambiguous, incomplete, or uncoordinated contract documents — at least two-thirds of disputes result from conflicts, omissions, ambiguities, and/or broad generalities; unrealistic risk allocation; lack of trust; and/or failure to resolve problems in real time. With an estimated total cost of $12 billion per year, 80 to 90 percent of construction disputes settle before trial or arbitration, but often very late in the process. These delays increase costs, disrupt business relationships and workflow, create uncertainty, and give less time to resolve the dispute. Thus, resolving disputes early benefits all involved.
Recognized as industry leaders in the prevention and resolution of complex construction disputes, Kilpatrick Townsend’s Construction & Infrastructure Practice focuses on real-time dispute mitigation and resolution, and has the resources and experience to bring large, complex matters through litigation or arbitration. Our multitiered dispute resolution approach includes externally contracted non-binding (mediation/facilitated negotiations, DRBs, neutral or expert evaluations, mini-trials) and binding (arbitration, private judges, DRBs, litigation) solutions. With 25 attorneys focused on construction and government contracts law, our team bring decades of ADR experience when representing public and private owners, contractors, OEMs and construction managers, EPC contractors, and design professionals on long-term, multimillion and billion-dollar major industrial and infrastructure projects.
Illustrating the advantage of real-time dispute resolution, the firm recently represented a consortium of international contractors, designers, and OEMs in a ICC arbitration involving the collapse of a hydroelectric tunnel our clients built in Panama two years previously. After the collapse, the power plant owner filed for immediate ICC arbitration, claiming $400 million damages for tunnel repairs and shutdown costs. To help our clients avoid significant litigation costs and substantial risks, our team quickly developed a sound defense. Specifically, we hired the best global experts in tunneling and underground rock behavior, focused on contract provisions limiting damages, and engaged a top construction mediator, who demonstrated each side’s strengths and weakness. Consequently, we settled the case at a fraction of the original damage request — our clients’ insurance carrier covered all other costs, including attorney’s fees — thereby avoiding full arbitration proceedings and saving time, money, and good will.
Disclaimer
While we are pleased to have you contact us by telephone, surface mail, electronic mail, or by facsimile transmission, contacting Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP or any of its attorneys does not create an attorney-client relationship. The formation of an attorney-client relationship requires consideration of multiple factors, including possible conflicts of interest. An attorney-client relationship is formed only when both you and the Firm have agreed to proceed with a defined engagement.
DO NOT CONVEY TO US ANY INFORMATION YOU REGARD AS CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL A FORMAL CLIENT-ATTORNEY RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
If you do convey information, you recognize that we may review and disclose the information, and you agree that even if you regard the information as highly confidential and even if it is transmitted in a good faith effort to retain us, such a review does not preclude us from representing another client directly adverse to you, even in a matter where that information could be used against you.
