Steven M. Charney

Steven M. Charney is Chair of Peckar & Abramson PC and practices in the areas of Construction Law and Litigation – Construction. Based in New York, New York, Steve represents contractors, developers, and owners on complex construction matters throughout the United States.

Steve’s practice focuses on providing legal counsel and dispute resolution services to contractors, including companies consistently ranked among the largest in the industry by Engineering News-Record. His background combines formal education in construction management and accounting with decades of experience advising construction professionals and litigating construction-related disputes.

Throughout his career, Steve has handled a wide range of construction disputes in state and federal courts, arbitration, and other alternative dispute resolution forums. His work includes matters involving delays, liens, defaults, equitable adjustments, terminations, and construction and design defect claims, often involving substantial financial exposure. He has represented contractors, design-builders, and developers on major projects across the country, including large-scale commercial developments and professional sports facilities such as the Arthur Ashe tennis stadium and multiple National Football League and Major League Baseball venues. Steve also played a leadership role within the Associated General Contractors of America in forming and guiding a task force addressing mold-related construction issues and contributing to the industry’s initial guidance on that subject.

In addition to his legal practice, Steve serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, teaching courses in both the College of Engineering and the College of Law.

Prior to joining Peckar & Abramson, Steve served as Eastern Division Counsel for Turner Construction Company. He spent nearly a decade with Turner before entering private practice, holding various operational and management roles, including field superintendent, cost and scheduling engineer, and manager of litigation and claims.

Steve is an active member of the Associated General Contractors of America and received the organization’s Gold Coin award in recognition of his service, including work on its Risk Management and Contract Document Committees. He has also served as general counsel to the Building Trades Employers Association of New York and has been involved with the Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure.

Steve regularly publishes commentary on legal and practical issues affecting the construction and development industries, including articles in New York Construction. He is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, where he previously served on the Construction Law Subcommittee, as well as the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Steve has been recognized by publications and organizations that evaluate attorneys practicing Construction Law in New York, including Chambers USA, Who’s Who of International Construction Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and New York Magazine. He is also a fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers.

Steve earned his Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law while working full-time in the construction industry. He holds a Master of Science in Construction Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Syracuse University, with a concentration in construction technologies. In 2021, he completed FIDIC Certified Course Module 2: Claims and Disputes Resolution.

For a more detailed version of Steve’s bio, please click here.