Construction & Real Estate
Stakeholders in construction projects face many obstacles: government regulation, numerous sources of liability, strict deadlines, financing hurdles, and complex partnership arrangements, to name a few. For more than a decade, we’ve helped local, regional and national clients – including general contractors, sub-contractors, engineers, architects, developers, and owners – navigate these challenges.
Clients benefit from our team’s experience at every phase of a construction project, from finance, development and design through implementation, construction and closing. Our attorneys’ ability to anticipate, address and prevent the many problems that can arise during a construction project have provided real value to our clients, both in keeping projects on track and protecting profitability. We appreciate the importance of strong cooperation and teamwork among stakeholders, and are dedicated to helping clients anticipate, avoid and minimize disputes to accomplish common project goals.
Some disputes rise to a level which require experienced advocacy in courts and at administrative proceedings. Our litigation team has a long track record of representation in construction litigation arising from projects related to energy, infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, and federal, state and local government initiatives. This work includes handling delay, impact, acceleration and defect claims, and payment and mechanic’s lien disputes.
Our service to clients also includes acting as outside general counsel to construction businesses on issues such as funding, land use restrictions, bidding, contract negotiations, and litigation avoidance techniques.
Members of our construction law practice maintain the firm’s Maryland Construction Law blog and have served in leadership roles with the Baltimore chapter of the American Association of Subcontractors and the construction law section of the Maryland State Bar Association.
Our attorneys advise clients on a wide range of matters related to construction projects and disputes, including the following:
- Acceleration claims
- Bid preparation and protests
- Breach of contract and warranty claims
- Construction contract negotiation
- Defect claims
- Delay claims
- Differing site conditions
- Federal, state and local government contract claims
- Impact claims
- Insurance coverage
- Mechanic's liens
- Payment and performance bond claims
- Termination claims
Our team provides experienced counsel to clients on all aspects of commercial real estate, focusing on acquisitions and sales, development and construction activities, entitlements, financings, leasing and work-outs.
With real estate interests in the region and beyond, our clients include property owners, investors, developers, lenders, public/private partnerships, leasing entities and contractors. We document and enforce transactions related to sophisticated real estate projects, such as commercial, industrial, retail, multi-family residential, nonprofit and mixed use developments. We have specific experience with shopping centers, technology and research parks, condominiums, planned communities, urban renewal projects, hotels, and office buildings.
In addition to representing a wide range of developers, real estate investors and lenders, we frequently counsel clients whose core businesses are in other areas, such as healthcare, education, intellectual property, manufacturing and construction. On behalf of these clients, we negotiate and close tax-exempt financings, 1031 like-kind exchanges, sale-leasebacks, and lease/ground lease transactions; and handle zoning, permitting, and eminent domain matters.
Successful handling of many real estate matters requires substantial knowledge of other disciplines. With extensive experience beyond real estate law - in corporate and tax law, mergers & acquisitions, and litigation – our team is well-equipped to structure tax-efficient transactions; evaluate financing options; resolve real-estate related disputes; and provide guidance on entity formation, including partnerships, limited liability companies and other real estate holding entities.
Our commercial real estate attorneys advise developers, investors, lenders, business owners, landlords, tenants and property owners in matters relating to:
- Acquisitions
- Condemnation
- Construction
- Dispositions
- Easements
- Financing
- Land use, zoning and entitlements
- Planned unit developments
- Public/private partnerships
- Development projects
- Leasing
- Work-outs and restructurings