Industry Contacts
Attorneys
- Beverly Alfon
- Mark Broderick
- Michael Cocciemiglio
- Margaret Firnstein
- Brad Goss
- Kimberly Herring
- Michael Hughes
- David Johnson
- Patrick Lubenow
- Elizabeth Lum
- Thomas Lyman, III
- Mike McGowan
- W. Jeffrey Muskopf
- David Nani
- Suzanne Newcomb
- Ken Perry
- Patrick Richel
- Jeffrey Risch
- Jack Sanker
- Michael Schlechtweg
- Andrew Seiber
- David Sethi
- Joe Trevino
- Hillary Weigle
Related Practices
SmithAmundsen is the construction industry’s premier comprehensive legal services provider. We know the industry in a way that no other law firm does. Many of our attorneys having worked in the industry and regularly provide the following legal services to the following industry partners:
Corporate/Construction
- Analyzing, drafting, and negotiating construction contracts
- Providing outside general counsel services, offering legal and business advice on issues as encountered
- Providing emergency response services during OSHA investigations and other catastrophic events
- Managing OSHA inspections
- Evaluating existing and necessary insurance coverage, including commercial general liability, professional liability, builders’ risk, contractor-controlled, and owner-controlled (wrap-up) policies
- Evaluating and developing alternatives to traditional coverage schemes
Litigation/Construction
- Defending catastrophic personal injury, property damage, environmental and toxic exposure claims arising in the construction setting
- Litigating commercial and contract claims
- Perfecting and litigating mechanics lien and bond claims
- Defending complex construction defect claims
- Contesting and litigating OSHA citations
- Identifying, evaluating, tendering, and enforcing coverage on behalf of design professionals, owners, and contractors
Labor & Employment /Construction
- Human Resources – Counsel as to all aspects of hiring, discipline and termination process, develop workplace policies, conduct investigations, guide through complexities of the ADA and FMLA, VESSA and workers’ compensation leave, assess employee classification, and manage wage and hour matters.
- Union Relations – Develop union avoidance strategy, negotiate and administer collective bargaining agreements, steer through NLRB election/deauthorization/decertification process, and plan for strike/picket activity
- Government Regulation, Audit and Compliance (USDOL, OFCCP, EEOC, NLRB, OSHA and state equivalent agencies, including Prevailing Wage) – Develop compliance strategies, education and compliance training, representation in government agency audit and investigations, assessment and conciliation.
- Employee Benefits & Compensation – Navigate ERISA and ACA requirements, union fringe benefit fund audits, and withdrawal liability issues
- Staffing agency, independent contractor & contingent workforce – Develop strategy for avoidance of employer liability
- Workers’ Compensation – Analyze risk, coverage and loss prevention, and evaluate safety policies.
- Litigation – Defend against the full spectrum of employment-related claims including matters pending before federal and state government agencies (EEOC, NLRB, USDOL, IDOL, IDHR), federal and state court and labor arbitration.
REPRESENTATIVE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CLIENTS
- General and Specialty Contractors
- General Contractors
- Design-Build Contractors
- Construction Managers
- Home builders
- Material and Equipment Suppliers
- Material Suppliers
- Material Manufacturers and Processors
- Equipment Manufacturers
- Equipment Sales and Rental Companies
- Owners and Developers
- Commercial and Residential
- Condominium Associations
- Design Professionals
- Architects
- Engineers
- Surveyors
- Insurers
- Builders’ Risk
- Commercial General Liability
- Excess Insurers
- OCIPs and CCIPs (“wrap-ups”)
- Professional Liability
- Railroad Protective Liability
News & Press Releases
- January 4, 2021
- November 30, 2020
- SmithAmundsen, November 17, 2020
- January 29, 2020
- Law360, May 28, 2019
- January 24, 2019
- Crain's Chicago Business, October 25, 2018
- Law360, May 28, 2018
- USLAW, May 2018
- March 15, 2018
- SmithAmundsen, February 20, 2018
- November 21, 2017
- October 27, 2017
- Crain's Chicago Business, September 15, 2017
- Equality Illinois, August 1, 2017
- USLAW, May 2017
- SmithAmundsen, January 13, 2017
- Crain's Chicago Business, September 10, 2016
- The American Lawyer, August 2016
- Equality Illinois, July 8, 2016
- USLAW, April 2016
- Above the Law, April 18, 2016
- Above the Law, April 13, 2016
- USLAW, April 2015
Alerts
- December 4, 2020
- November 18, 2020
- November 18, 2020
- November 18, 2020
- November 18, 2020
- November 18, 2020
- October 26, 2020
- October 22, 2020
- September 14, 2020
- September 10, 2020
- August 31, 2020
- July 1, 2020
- June 5, 2020
- May 27, 2020
- May 26, 2020
- May 18, 2020
- May 15, 2020
- May 14, 2020
- May 14, 2020
- May 11, 2020
- May 8, 2020
- May 5, 2020
- May 5, 2020
- April 30, 2020
- April 28, 2020
- April 24, 2020
- April 23, 2020
- April 22, 2020
- April 17, 2020
- April 17, 2020
- April 17, 2020
- April 13, 2020
- April 13, 2020
- April 10, 2020
- April 8, 2020
- April 7, 2020
- April 6, 2020
- April 4, 2020
- April 3, 2020
- April 1, 2020
- April 1, 2020
- March 31, 2020
- March 31, 2020
- March 30, 2020
- March 30, 2020
- March 27, 2020
- March 27, 2020
- March 27, 2020
- March 27, 2020
- March 27, 2020
- March 26, 2020
- March 26, 2020
- March 26, 2020
- March 26, 2020
- March 25, 2020
- March 24, 2020
- March 24, 2020
- March 24, 2020
- March 24, 2020
- March 23, 2020
- March 22, 2020
- March 20, 2020
- March 20, 2020
- March 19, 2020
- September 5, 2019
- November 8, 2018
- July 20, 2018
Publications
- The CLM Magazine, May 21, 2020
Presentations & Events
- SmithAmundsen; Webcast, January 21, 2021
- Associated Builders and Contractors’ Legal and Policy Forecast Conference; Webcast, December 3, 2020
- USLAW Network, Webcast, September 30, 2020 - October 9, 2020
- USLAW, October 7, 2020
- SmithAmundsen, Webcast, September 23, 2020
- SmithAmundsen, Webcast, April 9, 2020
- SmithAmundsen; Oak Brook, IL, January 23, 2020
- Drone Safety in Construction Seminar; Woodridge, IL 60517, September 26, 2019
- SmithAmundsen, Webinar, August 21, 2019
- Finishing Contractors Association of Illinois; Webinar, August 8, 2019
- Construction Expo & Safety Conference; Oakbrook, IL, March 19, 2019
- Finishing Contractors Association of Illinois (FCAI), Webinar, March 6, 2019
- Construction Expo & Safety Conference; Oakbrook, IL, March 5, 2019
- Mid America Regional Bargaining Association, Seminar; Lombard, IL, February 7, 2017
- SmithAmundsen, Lombard, IL, January 24, 2017
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Webinar, April 28, 2016
- SmithAmundsen, Lombard, IL, February 11, 2016
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Webinar, January 21, 2016