Michael Wagner > Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Offices

975 F STREET, NW
WASHINGTON DC 20004
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
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Michael Wagner

Work Department
Construction
Position
Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Career
Michael Wagner represents owners, developers, design professionals, general contractors, and subcontractors in complex construction, design, and surety-related disputes on both public and private projects throughout the United States and abroad.
Mike offers a unique perspective to the practice of construction and government contracts law. Prior to becoming an attorney, he worked for a general contractor, where he was involved in preconstruction and project and risk management for multiple commercial and government construction projects, with a focus on heavy-civil, highways, utilities, and other public infrastructure work. He also gained substantive experience working for an electrical subcontractor. As a result, Mike has hands-on experience and an intimate knowledge of the industry and the challenges that clients face. He understands the law and speaks the language of construction, so when a client calls, he can hit the ground running.
Mike has participated in all aspects of a construction project—from project conception, design, contract negotiation, and preconstruction—through the stages of project delivery, construction, close-out, and operation. As a result, he has substantial experience in both transactional work and claims and disputes.
Mike regularly drafts and negotiates construction and design contracts on behalf of owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in order to allocate and mitigate risks and avoid disputes and the associated expense. He has drafted customized agreements for clients and also has experience working with form agreements, such as the AIA, DBIA, and ConsensusDocs. Mike’s transactional work spans multiple different project delivery methods, including design-bid-build, design-build, EPC, and public-private partnerships (P3).
When disputes arise, Mike knows how to resolve them. He maintains a diverse practice as a litigator, having represented clients in state and federal courts, before the US Court of Federal Claims and Boards of Contract Appeals, and in multiple alternative dispute resolution proceedings, including mediation and arbitration.
As part of his practice, Mike also assists government contractors with compliance and counseling and in the preparation and handling of Requests for Equitable Adjustment (“REAs”) and claims on government construction projects (local, state, and federal).
Memberships
American Bar Association (Construction Law and Litigation sections); Washington Building Congress; Associated Builders and Contractors, Metro Washington Chapter; Associated Builders and Contractors, Chesapeake Shores Chapter; National Utility Contractors Association, DC Chapter
Education
JD, University of Baltimore School of Law; BS, Mount St. Mary’s University
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
(Next Generation Partners)Seyfarth Shaw LLP stands out for its ‘exceptional expertise’ and ‘collaboration’ among its construction team. The national practice is led by California’s Michael McKeeman, who handles contract drafting, negotiation, and disputes; and New York’s Alison Ashford; who structures complex infrastructure projects such as airports, rail stations, and educational facilities. Washington DC’s ‘incredibly knowledgeable’ Charles Wall advises on large projects delivered through public-private partnerships, design-build, and progressive design-build. Washington DC’s Bennett Greenberg and Michael Wagner are similarly experienced while also arbitrating and litigating government contract and infrastructure disputes. San Francisco’s Gregg Dulik and Los Angeles’ new recruit Brenda Radmacher bring further dispute strength to the practice, often handling claims involving bid protests, mechanic’s liens and defects arising from public and private projects. In the Seattle office, Meghan Douris and Ryan Dumm advise clients on the challenges associated with constructing high-rise buildings and heavy civil infrastructure developments, while Ashley Sherwood deals with multi-party actions involving various contract-based claims.
Lawyer Rankings
- Construction (including construction litigation) United States > Real estate
- Next Generation Partners United States > Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > E-discovery
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
- Labor and employment > ERISA litigation
- Government > Government contracts
- Labor and employment > Immigration
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)
- Tax > Not-for-profit (Fortune 1000 private foundations, national trade associations, and charities)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Real estate > Real estate finance
- Industry focus > Cannabis
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious