Celebrating Over 75 Years of Serving Nevada’s Legal, Business, Government, and Civic Communities
Construction Law & Litigation
Practice Areas
Rated Tier 1, Band 1, and Best Lawyers in Construction Law & Litigation
McDonald Carano has been an active participant in shaping Nevada’s construction industry for decades. We serve the transaction and litigation needs of Nevada, regional, national, and international clients involved in private and public works projects throughout 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. Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business awards McDonald Carano the highest Band 1 ranking in Construction Law & Litigation. Clients provided the following comments to Chambers researchers during confidential surveys and interviews. “The attorneys at McDonald Carano combine strong technical legal expertise with practical real-world understanding, resulting in advice that is both legally sound and commercially workable.” “They break complex issues down to manageable pieces and methodically work through them.”
Scope of Expertise
Our comprehensive construction law experience includes:
- Dispute resolution (mechanic’s liens, arbitration, mediation, litigation, pre-litigation counseling)
- Project planning and advice (selection of project delivery method, bidding strategy and process)
- Contracts and contracting (plan, structure, draft, negotiate construction contract documents)
- Project execution (compliance, permitting, insurance, bonding, performance, payment)
Dispute Resolution
Our team has experience resolving every type of construction dispute and litigation matter, ranging from pre-construction counseling and negotiation to mediation, arbitration, litigation, trial, and appeal. We have handled construction cases before state and federal courts and state and federal administrative agencies encompassing all types of claims, including design and construction defects, work performance and quality, changed or unforeseen conditions, delays, disruptions, loss of productivity, acceleration, payment disputes, back charges, and bid protests and disputes. Our deep bench of experience allows us to ably navigate and overcome even the most problematic and potentially expensive construction challenges.
McDonald Carano understands the construction industry, construction companies and construction projects, including the unique aspects of building in Nevada. By identifying potential obstacles early on, our construction attorneys work with clients to assess and mitigate risk and potential claims. We have been known to favorably resolve even the most hotly contested disputes outside of court and with minimal delay and expense.
Resources for Clients
We also provide clients with resources, including educational seminars, to help train employees and maintain a knowledgeable workforce. For example, we regularly provide seminars for members of the Associated General Contractors of Nevada titled “Nevada Mechanic’s Lien Law Seminar,” “Key Contract Terms,” “Nevada Prompt Pay Act,” and “Legislative Recap: New Laws that May Impact Your Business.” We are the annual updates author for “Construction Laws and Customs: Nevada State Q&A,” a Thomson Reuters Practical Law publication.
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 sponsor and donate to the fundraising activities of the Construction Leadership Council.
Awards, Recognitions and Rankings
- 12 Construction Lawyer of the Year Awards
Our Reno lawyers and Las Vegas lawyers are recognized among the best construction attorneys in The Best Lawyers in America 2026. Best Lawyers recognizes only the top 5% of practicing lawyers. In the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers, McDonald Carano celebrates our 12th Lawyer of the Year award in Construction Law and Construction Litigation. - Tier 1 Construction Law Firm
Our Construction Law & Litigation Practice is ranked in the highest Tier 1 category in Best Law Firms in America 2026. As Best Law Firms 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. - Highest Band 1 Ranking in Construction Law & Litigation
George Ogilvie has annually received the highest Band 1 ranking in Construction Law & Litigation from Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business since 2013. In addition to ranking individual attorneys, in 2026 Chambers began ranking law firm Construction Practice Groups. McDonald Carano’s Construction Law & Litigation Practice Group proudly received the highest Band 1 ranking. - Construction Lawyers Society of America
The Construction Lawyers Society of America is an invitation-only association of construction industry lawyers limited to 1,200 practicing Fellows. Two McDonald Carano attorneys are members – George Ogilvie is a Charter Fellow and Phil Mannelly is an Associate Fellow.
Special Qualifications of Our Construction Law & Litigation Team
- George Ogilvie, Firm Managing Partner of McDonald Carano and Managing Partner of our Las Vegas office, is ranked in the highest Band 1 category in Construction Law & Litigation in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2013-2026). He has received three Lawyer of the Year awards in Construction Law (2026, 2024, 2020) and two Lawyer of the Year awards in Construction Litigation (2026, 2019) from The Best Lawyers in America. George is a Charter Fellow member of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. On March 29, 2026, George was interviewed on Nevada Newsmakers to share his insights regarding McDonald Carano’s successful representation of Tutor Perini Building Corp. in the prosecution and defense of $1 Billion in affirmative claims and counterclaims relating to the construction of the $8+ Billion CityCenter. George’s interview is available at https://www.nevadanewsmakers.com/video/default.asp?showID=4744.I
- Phil Mannelly, a Partner in our Reno office and Chair of our Construction Law & Litigation Practice, serves as outside general counsel to the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors. He also is a gubernatorial appointee to the Public Works Board for the State of Nevada. Phil is an Associate Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. Phil is the annual updates author for “Construction Laws and Customs: Nevada State Q&A,” a Thomson Reuters Practical Law publication. Phil is recognized in Construction Law and Administrative & Regulatory Law in The Best Lawyers in America (2026). He is also named among “Rising Stars” by Mountain States Super Lawyers (2023-2026) and is the only attorney in Nevada recognized in Construction by Lawdragon 500 X: The Next Generation – “The Future Leaders of the Law” (2026).
- 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).
Our Comprehensive Scope of Services
Our team has advised on and resolved issues pertaining to the full array of construction transactions and construction disputes.
- Bid protests and disputes
- Changed or unforeseen conditions claims
- Change orders and extra work claims
- Contract drafting and negotiation
- Construction contract disputes
- Construction management issues
- Construction manager at risk (CMAR) projects
- Delays and disruption damage claims
- Design-build projects
- Design and construction defect claims
- Loss of productivity and impact damage claims
- Mechanic’s liens and bond claims
- Payment disputes and back charges
- Prompt payment claims
- Stop work procedures
- Termination of contracts
- Unforeseen circumstances and differing site condition claims
- Work performance and quality claims
Practice Area News
Nevada Newsmakers Interviews George Ogilvie: $1B CityCenter Construction Litigation
George F. Ogilvie III, Firm Managing Partner of McDonald Carano, was interviewed on Nevada Newsmakers to share his insights regarding McDonald Carano’s successful representation of Tutor Perini Building Corp. in…
Q&A Guide to Construction Laws in Nevada 2026
Nevada Construction Laws and Customs is a Practical Law publication from Thomson Reuters that is updated annually by Phil Mannelly, Chair of our Construction Law & Litigation Practice Group. It…
Phil Mannelly Recognized in Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation 2026
McDonald Carano congratulates Phil Mannelly on his recognition in Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation, a guide that features “the next generation of legal leaders in America … making…
Our Construction Law & Litigation Group
You have chosen to send an email to McDonald Carano. The sending or receipt of this email and the information in it does not in itself create an attorney-client relationship. If you are not already a client, you should not provide us with information that you wish to have treated as privileged or confidential without first speaking to one of our lawyers. If you provide information before we confirm that you are a client and that we are willing and able to represent you, we may not be required to treat that information as privileged, confidential, or protected information, and we may be able to represent a party adverse to you.
I have read this and want to send an email.