Melissa Lesmes > Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP‘s construction practice is chaired by arbitration specialist Clark Thiel. He has been involved in litigation for major high-profile projects including the Millennium Tower in San Francisco. Supported by John Heisse and Washington DC-based duo Michael Jaffe and Melissa Lesmes, Thiel represented a joint venture comprised of Clark Construction and Hathaway Dinwiddie in construction and insurance disputes, and defended claims alleged by the owners and developers against the client. Heisse, alongside Robert James, also provided legal counsel to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District on public procurement and the contractual aspects of major expansion proposals, in addition to a multibillion-dollar railcar procurement. James also worked alongside Thiel in representing Stanford University and Hospitals on projects totaling over $5bn. These include the New Stanford Hospital and the expansion of the children’s hospital. The firm has a strong track record acting for educational facilities, and Washington DC-based Jeffrey Gans represented New York University in a $1.4bn litigation filed against Turner Construction for alleged breach of contract and negligence. Michael McNamara in Washington DC, Robert Thum in Los Angeles and William Hale are other names to note. Named individuals are based in San Francisco unless stated otherwise.