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Jim joined Reed Smith following a stint in the construction industry, where he served as a project manager and corporate officer for a commercial contractor that included overseeing corporate headquarters projects for U.S. Steel and H.J. Heinz. Since joining Reed Smith, Jim has developed a diverse practice involving a broad range of commercial, industrial, and energy-related litigation and transactional matters. His practice regularly involves all aspects of project counsel work for private and public commercial and industrial construction projects.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Defense of global multi-national wind farm Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor on delay claims arising of various wind farm projects throughout the U.S. in AAA and ICC arbitration forums.
Obtained eight-figure JAMS arbitration verdict for developer and EPC contractor of grid-based battery storage facilities against Chinese multi-national design and manufacturing entity supplying modular energy storage systems.
Obtained $95 million settlement in fraud and breach of contract action against First Energy and affiliates in Tunnel Ridge v. Allegheny Energy Supply Co., LLC, Allegheny Civ. No. GD-15-000772.
Construction and Facilities - Litigation
Defense of global multi-national wind farm Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor on delay claims arising of various wind farm projects throughout the U.S. in AAA and ICC arbitration forums.
Obtained eight-figure JAMS arbitration verdict for developer and EPC contractor of grid-based battery storage facilities against Chinese multi-national design and manufacturing entity supplying modular energy storage systems.
Obtained $95 million settlement in fraud and breach of contract action against First Energy and affiliates in Tunnel Ridge v. Allegheny Energy Supply Co., LLC, Allegheny Civ. No. GD-15-000772.
Represented electrical contractor on construction delay claims on public-private-partnership transportation project in Maryland outside of Washington D.C.
Defense of construction delay claims for major public University in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the construction of a health-related facility.
Provided litigation and claims-related advice to national hospital and medical office building developer on termination of contractor agreement, negligence claims against design professionals and contract change order disputes.
Developed mechanics lien and lien release documents for large scale projects, such as wind farms and pipeline projects
Pleasant Hills Construction Co. v. The Public Auditorium Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (Pa. Supreme Court): Successfully defended Sports and Exhibition Authority in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to legal challenge made to streamlined bidding/contracting procedures used to construction PNC Park (home of the Pittsburgh Pirates)
Raytheon v. Exelon (ICC Arbitration): Defended owner of gas-fired combined cycle power plant against construction delay claims in ICC Arbitration
Pharmaceutical Intermediates Plant Arbitration (AAA Pittsburgh): Prosecuted delay damage claim on behalf of owner of pharmaceutical intermediates manufacturing facility against engineering firm for cost overruns due to design integration problems.
Hendrickson USA L.L.C. v. SKF USA Inc. (Stark County Ohio): Defended leading international bearing manufacturer against product defect claims and Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act claims
E-Corp v. Elias/Savion Advertising, Inc. (Pa. State Court): Leading case on Pennsylvania's "gist of the action" doctrine
Construction and Facilities - Transactional
Owner-Contractor Design/Build Agreement and Owner-Program Manager Agreement for new greenfield automotive factory for European manufacturer in Southeastern US
Owner-Construction Manager (as Constructor) Agreement for construction of new commercial building in Downtown Pittsburgh
Drafted construction contract templates for large publicly-funded University’s new 5-year capital project plan.
Project counsel to National University on major stadium renovation project.
Project counsel to large publicly-funded University on COVID delay claims.
Developed new construction, design, construction management, and design-build templates for national rail company for major capital projects.
Drafted Owner-Architect, Owner-Contractor, Owner-Program Manager contract templates for multiple national developers on projects nationwide, including in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, South Carolina and Oregon.
Recognitions
Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® (Construction Law), 2020–2027
- Selected through peer review for inclusion in the Construction Lawyers Society of America as a Fellow, 2020-2024
Credentials
Education
Education
- Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 1992, J.D., Order of the Coif
- University of Notre Dame, 1989, B.A., Economics, magna cum laude
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- Pennsylvania
- Ohio
Court admissions
Court admissions
- U.S. District Court - Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court - Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court - Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Sixth Circuit
Professional affiliations
Professional affiliations
- ABA Forum on Construction Law – Publications Committee
- Allegheny County Bar Association – Construction Law Section, Past Section Chair
- Construction Lawyers Society of America – Fellow
- Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera – Corporate Counsel
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