Construction Law & Litigation

Rated Tier 1 in Construction Litigation & Law by Best Law Firms

McDonald Carano has been an active participant in defining Nevada’s construction industry for decades. Our Reno and Las Vegas lawyers are rated among the best construction attorneys by Best Lawyers In America for protecting the rights of local, regional, national, and international clients involved in both private and public works projects and in disputes throughout the state of Nevada. Owners, developers, investors, design professionals, general contractors, engineering professionals, subcontractors and suppliers all turn to us to ensure that their construction projects remain viable and successful. Our team resolves every type of construction dispute and litigation matter. Our experience ranges from pre-construction counseling and negotiation to mediation, arbitration and litigation through trial and, when necessary, on appeal. That deep bench of experience allows us to ably navigate and overcome even the most problematic and potentially expensive construction challenges.

We understand the construction industry, construction companies and construction projects, including the unique aspects of building in Nevada. By identifying potential obstacles early on, our construction lawsuit attorneys work with clients to assess and mitigate risk and potential claims. In fact, we have been known to favorably resolve even the most hotly contested disputes outside of court and with minimal delay and expense. We provide our clients with the proper resources, such as in-house seminars, to educate their employees in order to maintain a knowledgeable workforce. Project-level decision making can avoid a lawsuit. We work with our transactional, financing, employment, planning, and zoning team as a foundational risk management asset. Our combined practices give us unique insights into construction contracts and construction litigation. When the stakes are high, litigation is sometimes the only option, and we efficiently and tenaciously advocate our client’s position. We have handled countless construction cases before state and federal courts and state and federal administrative agencies.

Our Construction Law & Construction Litigation Practice is ranked in the highest Tier 1 category in the “Best Law Firms” 2023 report published by U.S. News–Best Lawyers. As the “Best Law Firms” report explains, “achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.” Firms that receive the Tier 1 designation reflect the highest level of respect a firm can earn among other leading lawyers and clients from the same communities and practice areas. Construction Litigation attorney George Ogilvie is ranked in the highest Band 1 category in Construction Law by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. McDonald Carano is an annual premier level sponsor of the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors (for which we serve as outside general counsel) and we both sponsor and donate to the fundraising activities of the Construction Leadership Council.

Highlights and special qualifications of our Construction Law & Litigation team include:

Matt Addison, Managing Partner of our Reno office and Chair of our Construction Law & Litigation Practice, currently serves as an Administrative Law Judge for the Nevada State Contractors’ Board and has earned two “Lawyer of the Year” awards in Construction Litigation from The Best Lawyers in America (2016, 2024).
George Ogilvie, Managing Partner of McDonald Carano and Managing Partner of our Las Vegas office, is ranked in the highest Band 1 category in Construction Litigation in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, received two “Lawyer of the Year” awards in Construction Law from The Best Lawyers in America (2020, 2024) and a “Lawyer of the Year” award in Construction Litigation (2019).
Phil Mannelly, an Associate in our Reno office, currently serves as outside general counsel to the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors and is a gubernatorial appointee to the Public Works Board for the State of Nevada. Phil is also the annual updates author for “Construction Laws and Customs: Nevada State Q&A,” a Thomson Reuters Practical Law publication.
William Magrath, a Partner and co-chair of our Complex & Commercial Litigation Practice, received four “Lawyer of the Year” awards in Construction Litigation (2023, 2019, 2015, 2012) from The Best Lawyers in America, two “Lawyer of the Year” awards in Construction Law (2023, 2021), and five “Lawyer of the Year” awards in Bet-the-Company Litigation (2023, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2013).
Rob McPeak, a Partner in our Las Vegas office, is one of only 25 lawyers from across the U.S. and the only lawyer in Nevada selected for the National Law Journal’s “Real Estate/Construction Law Trailblazers” special issue (2022). He is also recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV Preeminent Peer Review rating since 2013.
Leo Bergin, a Partner in our Reno office and former Managing Partner of McDonald Carano, received an SIR (Skill, Integrity, Responsibility) Award from the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors and has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV Preeminent Peer Review rating since 2003.
James Bradshaw, a Partner in our Reno office, received a “Lawyer of the Year” award in Construction Litigation (2021) from The Best Lawyers in America and has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV Preeminent Peer Review rating since 2006.

Our team has advised on and resolved issues pertaining to the full array of construction law and construction litigation matters and claims:

Bid protests and disputes
Change orders and extra work claims
Contract drafting and negotiation
Construction contract disputes
Construction management issues
Construction manager at risk (CMAR) projects
Defective construction claims
Delay damage claims
Design-build projects
Loss of productivity and impact damage claims
Payment disputes, including mechanic’s lien and bond claims
Prompt pay claims
Stop work procedures
Termination of contracts
Unforeseen circumstances, or differing site condition claims

Construction Law & Litigation

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