Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Construction
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B.A. Rhodes College, 1964 J.D. University of Virginia, 1967 Over 40 years experience as a trial lawyer and as a construction lawyer. Served as trial lawyer in securities, contract, errors and omissions and casualty disputes, as well as construction and business litigation. Represented owners, general contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, and architects and engineers. Counsel to individuals and companies for trials, appeals, arbitration, and mediation. Serves on the Panel of Mediato...
Kelly Theard is a construction lawyer representing general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, program managers and material suppliers in a variety of construction related litigation including construction defect, design and professional liability, and third-party injury claims. She also assists her clients in contract negotiations and pre-claim disputes. Ms. Theard currently serves as the firm's Managing Partner as well as Head of the Construction Practice Group. While Ms. Th...
Tracey L. Williams is a Partner in the Dallas office of Peckar & Abramson PC, where she focuses her practice on Construction Law and Litigation – Construction . She has practiced civil litigation since 2001 and has concentrated primarily on construction-related matters since 2009, representing clients throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Tracey represents contractors, developers, owners, and subcontractors in all phases of the construction process, as well as in post-completion disputes. ...
Joseph Leavens is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Construction. Joseph, who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
As a member of the firm, Stroud Willink & Howard, LLC , Peter has focused his practice on business litigation and all types of employment related matters. He regularly advises businesses and individuals in their business affairs, and he has represented clients in state and federal court, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, and the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. Peter has assisted clients in matters inv...
Joshua Mermis’ focus is on litigation relating to construction, energy, product liability and business law. He has extensive experience conducting both jury and bench trials, as well as arbitrations. His litigation experience is broad, ranging from homeowner claims to multimillion dollar commercial projects throughout Texas. Joshua represents domestic and international companies including developers, general contractors, subcontractors, product and equipment manufacturers, as well as in...
Thomas A. Barni is Chair of the Litigation & Appeals Practice Group. Tom is a seasoned litigator and skilled negotiator dedicated to successfully advocating for both individual and corporate clients. With extensive experience representing local, regional, national and international clients in state, federal, and local courts, along with being admitted on pro hac vice basis for matters in courts outside of Ohio, Tom handles complex commercial, business, construction, real estate, and gener...
Mr. Less is the Chair of the Butler Snow Task Force for the Construction Industry and concentrates his practice in all aspects of Construction Law, including drafting and negotiating design contracts, construction contracts, and various other construction industry related agreements. He provides legal problem solving advice to clients while projects are under construction and represents clients in disputes, both in court and alternative dispute resolution.
Nicholas B. Vargo is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. Nicholas B., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicholas B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
J. Mark Adkins is a partner in the Charleston office of Bowles Rice and a member of the Business Litigation Practice Group. His primary areas of practice include business litigation, commercial and contract disputes, financial services/banking litigation, energy litigation, construction litigation, election law and products liability litigation. A native of Salt Rock, West Virginia, Mr. Adkins received his J.D. in 1997 from the West Virginia University College of Law, where he was a member of...
Sharon V. Lovejoy represents clients in a wide variety of litigation matters with primary focus in commercial, real estate and business litigation. Ms. Lovejoy has been named to The Best Lawyers in America ® , "Lawyer of the Year" in Honolulu list, Appellate P ractice (2020), Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law (2015, 2019, 2024, 2026) and Litigation-Banking & Finance (2014, 2022, 2025). Lovejoy is also recognized by The Best Lawyers in America ® (in “Appellate Law”, "Arb...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.