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Lawyer Profile

Image of Michael L. Burnett

Michael L. Burnett

Greenberg Traurig LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2014
  • Recognized in:
    Construction Law
    Litigation - Construction
  • Website:
    https://www.gtlaw.com
  • E-mail:
    burnettm@gtlaw.com
  • Location:
    1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 1700
    Houston, TX 77002

Michael L. Burnett focuses his practice on commercial litigation as well as all aspects of construction law. His has a concentration in the representation of owners, general contractors, subcontractors and others in the construction industry. He assists clients through all stages of construction projects, including preparing and negotiating construction contracts, advising owners and contractors during the project so as to avoid and resolve disputes during projects, and litigating disputes subsequent to project completion. Michael has tried lawsuits to verdict in state and federal courts, both in Texas and outside of the state. In addition, he has tried a number of domestic and international arbitrations.

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  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Lawyer Practice Areas
  • Firm Details
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

Michael L. Burnett focuses his practice on commercial litigation as well as all aspects of construction law. His has a concentration in the representation of owners, general contractors, subcontractors and others in the construction industry. He assists clients through all stages of construction projects, including preparing and negotiating construction contracts, advising owners and contractors during the project so as to avoid and resolve disputes during projects, and litigating disputes subsequent to project completion. Michael has tried lawsuits to verdict in state and federal courts, both in Texas and outside of the state. In addition, he has tried a number of domestic and international arbitrations.

Read more on firm website
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List

Bar Admissions:

  • Texas, State Bar of Texas

Affiliations:

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Houston Bar Association - Member
  • Institute of Transnational Arbitration - Advisory Board Member
  • London Court of International Arbitration - Member

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Construction Law
  • Litigation - Construction
 

Awards:

  • AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5
  • The Legal 500 United States, 2011-2012
  • Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers, 2013
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Lawyer Practice Areas

Key: Awarded in Best Lawyers Not Currently Awarded for this Area in Best Lawyers

Firm Details

Image for Greenberg Traurig LLP View Firm Profile
Greenberg Traurig LLP
https://www.gtlaw.com
 
Headquarters
MetLife Building
200 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10166
(212) 801.9200
40 Office Locations
in 11 Countries

China: Global Firms

China: Global Firms

Shanghai, China: Global Firms

Room 3125-3141

Central Plaza

381 Huaihai Zhong Road

Shanghai 200020

China: Global Firms

86 21 6391 6633

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Germany

Germany

Berlin, Germany

The Westlight

Budapester Str. 35

Berlin 10787

Germany

49 30 700 171 100

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Israel

Israel

Tel Aviv, Israel

One Azrieli Center, Round Tower, 30th floor

132 Menachem Begin

Tel Aviv 67021

Israel

972 3 636 6000

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Italy

Italy

Milan, Italy

Largo Toscanini 1

Milan 20122

Italy

39 02 771971

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Japan

Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Meiji Yasuda Seimei Building 14F

2-1-1 Marunouchi

Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo 100-0005

Japan

81 3 4510 2200

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Mexico

Mexico

México, D.F., Mexico

Paseo de la Reforma No. 265 PH1

Colonia Cuauhtémoc

México, D.F. 06500

Mexico

52 55 5029 0000

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Netherlands

Netherlands

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hirsch Building

Leidseplein 29

P.O. Box 75306

Amsterdam 1070 AH

Netherlands

31 20 301 7300

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Poland

Poland

Warsaw, Poland

Stock Exchange Building

ul. Książęca 4

Warsaw 00-498

Poland

48 22 690 6100

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South Korea

South Korea

Jung-gu

Jung-gu

Seoul, Jung-gu

Seoul Finance Center, 23F

84 Taepyeongno 1-ga

Seoul, Jung-gu 100-768

South Korea

82 (0) 2 369 1000

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United Kingdom

United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

The Shard, Level 8

32 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9SG

United Kingdom

44 203 349 8700

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United States

United States

Arizona

Arizona

Phoenix, AZ

2375 East Camelback Road, Suite 700

Phoenix, AZ 85016

United States

(602) 445.8000

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California

California

East Palo Alto, CA

1900 University Avenue, Fifth Floor

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

United States

(650) 328.8500

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Irvine, CA

18565 Jamboree Road, Suite 500

Irvine, CA 92612

United States

(949) 732.6500

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Los Angeles, CA

1840 Century Park East, Suite 1900

Los Angeles, CA 90067

United States

(310) 586.7700

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Sacramento, CA

1201 K Street, Suite 1100

Sacramento, CA 95814

United States

(916) 442.1111

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San Francisco, CA

Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 3000

San Francisco, CA 94111

United States

(415) 665.1300

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Colorado

Colorado

Denver, CO

1144 Fifteenth Street, Suite 3300

Denver, CO 80202

United States

(303) 572.6500

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Delaware

Delaware

Wilmington, DE

The Nemours Building, Suite 1200

1007 North Orange Street

Wilmington, DE 19801

United States

(302) 661.7000

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District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Washington, DC

2101 L Street, NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20037

United States

(202) 331.3100

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Florida

Florida

Boca Raton, FL

5100 Town Center Circle, Suite 400

Boca Raton, FL 33486

United States

(561) 955.7600

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Fort Lauderdale, FL

401 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 2000

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

United States

(954) 765.0500

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Miami, FL

333 Southeast Second Avenue, Suite 4400

Miami, FL 33131

United States

(305) 579.0500

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Orlando, FL

450 South Orange Avenue, Suite 650

Orlando, FL 32801

United States

(407) 420.1000

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Tallahassee, FL

101 East College Avenue

Tallahassee, FL 32301

United States

(850) 222.6891

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Tampa, FL

101 East Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1900

Tampa, FL 33602

United States

(813) 318.5700

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West Palm Beach, FL

777 South Flagler Drive, Suite 300 East

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

United States

(561) 650.7900

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Georgia

Georgia

Atlanta, GA

Terminus 200, Suite 2500

3333 Piedmont Road, NE

Atlanta, GA 30305

United States

(678) 553.2100

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Boston, MA

One International Place, Suite 2000

Boston, MA 02110

United States

(617) 310.6000

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Minnesota

Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN

90 South Seventh Street, Suite 3500

Minneapolis, MN 55402

United States

(612) 259.9700

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Nevada

Nevada

Las Vegas, NV

10845 Griffith Peak Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89135

United States

(702) 792.3773

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New Jersey

New Jersey

Florham Park, NJ

500 Campus Drive, Suite 400

Florham Park, NJ 07932

United States

(973) 360.7900

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New York

New York

Albany, NY

54 State Street, Sixth Floor

Albany, NY 12207

United States

(518) 689.1400

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White Plains, NY

445 Hamilton Avenue, Ninth Floor

White Plains, NY 10601

United States

(914) 286.2900

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

1717 Arch Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19103

United States

(215) 988.7800

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Texas

Texas

Austin, TX

300 West Sixth Street, Suite 2050

Austin, TX 78701

United States

(512) 320.7200

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Dallas, TX

2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 5200

Dallas, TX 75201

United States

(214) 665.3600

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Houston, TX

1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 1700

Houston, TX 77002

United States

(713) 374.3500

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Utah

Utah

Salt Lake City, UT

222 South Main Street, 5th Floor

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

United States

(801) 478.6900

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Virginia

Virginia

McLean, VA

1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1000

McLean, VA 22102

United States

(703) 749.1300

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Lawyer Case History

Areas of Concentration

  • Commercial litigation
  • Construction litigation


Other Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims

International Arbitrations:

  • Represented EPC contractor in dispute with owner regarding delay and extra work claims regarding two power plants located in former Soviet Union. The contract in dispute involved a contract price in excess of €250 million. After five weeks of arbitration hearings, obtained a net damages award for client in excess of €11 million. Following a hearing on costs, obtained an award in favor of client for approximately €3.83 million plus £189,000.
  • Represented a US company against Spanish company in ICC arbitration involving the construction and application of a number of agreements related to a large EPC project in Latin America.  The arbitration was tried in 2011. Obtained an award voiding an agreement that otherwise would have divested the client of its interest in a company and its interest in a large EPC project in Latin America, while still exposing the client to very large contingent liabilities. The award also rejected the respondent’s claim that the client was in breach for having failed to post significant performance bonds.


Part 2

  • Represented technology owner in action involving contract and fraud claims by transferee under a technology transfer agreement and breach of contract claims under a licensing agreement for a separate technology. English and Indian law governed various claims. Effectively stayed district court action (in which claimant sought $580 million) and compelled arbitration of claims against all parties (including non-signatories) before the ICC. Obtained a take-nothing award as against transferee's claims, and obtained an approximately $2.5 million affirmative award against transferee.
  • Represented EPC client in defense of approximately $60 million of claims by owner against client regarding a power plant designed and supplied by the client. Contract involved a contract price in excess of $55 million. Obtained release of those claims following week long mediation with no payment being made by client.
  • Represented Chilean company/owner against claims for breach of contract and for payment of additional contractor fee asserted by general contractor regarding construction of chemical production facility. Obtained a take-nothing award in favor of client.
  • Represented Chilean company/owner of chemical production facility against claims asserted for breach of operating agreement by operator. Arbitrators’ award rejected the asserted claims.

Domestic Arbitrations Tried to Award:

  • Represented general contractor and MEP subcontractor in defense of approximately $1.5 million in breach of contract and wrongful termination claims brought by insulation subcontractor.  Obtained an award dismissing the subcontractor's claim and obtained an affirmative judgment on behalf of client for approximately $600,000.
  • Represented EPC contractor against breach of contract, acceleration, fraud and other claims by erection subcontractor. Asserted counterclaim for breach of contract.  Obtained a $5.5 million award on behalf of EPC contractor. Defended appeal/attempt to vacate award, and the award was upheld
  • Represented general contractor in arbitration, pursuing claims against municipality pursuing claims for out of scope work. Obtained affirmative award for client.

State and Federal Trials to Verdict/Judgment:

  • Represented Program Managing Contractor in several week trial (Colorado State district court) against approximately $13 million in breach of contract and differing site conditions claims brought by demolition/excavation subcontractor. Obtained favorable judgment for client including a take-nothing judgment dismissing subcontractor's $11 million differing site conditions claim.  Retried case for two weeks following remand from Colorado Court of Appeals after which the trial court issued a take nothing judgment for client rejecting all of the subcontractor's claims.
  • Represented Construction Manager in 9 day trial with excavation subcontractor and numerous lower tier subcontractors and suppliers. Obtained summary judgments dismissing trust fund and payment bond claims in advance of trial, and obtained affirmative verdict and judgment on contract claims.
  • Represented owner in ten day federal court trial against general contractor's claims in excess of $40 million relating to construction of petrochemical facility. Disputes involved claims for breach of contract and fraud. Resolved the matter during appeal process.

Contract Negotiations:

  • Represented contractor in drafting and negotiating a $53 million contract for gas processing plant. Has represented owners and contractors in negotiating contracts for various types of facilities (pipeline projects, wind farms, various petrochemical/aromatics related units/projects) located in the United States and abroad.
 
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