Features Construction

On special occasions where presents are given, lawyers probably ask for and receive tools of the trade—suits, dress shirts, fancy shoes and ties. Arran Lal has different items on his wish list. “I have a muddy vehicle, hard hat, and usually filthy safety boots,” says Lal. “I work in a trailer at construction sites.” Lal […]

New York City can be a confusing place to drive, especially when the signs are hard to read. So repairing and replacing them is an important task the city outsources. The locally headquartered engineering, architectural and consulting firm ATANE having been awarded one of those contracts, its crews and subcontractors are immersed in the years-long […]

From creating a budget and project timeline to ensuring safety and accessibility, trust is paramount in the construction business. Without it, the risk of failure and collapse—both literal and figurative—can rise dramatically. It’s a sentiment that Canada-based Maple Reinders embodies to a towering “T.” The full-service construction company specializes in industrial, commercial and institutional building—as […]

Though his employer has moved its primary listing from the London Stock Exchange to New York, C. Patrick Tench may still resort to across-the-pond lingo while describing one of his core duties with Ferguson Enterprises. “Got to navigate the wickets,” the assistant general counsel tells Vanguard in March from headquarters in Newport News, Virginia. Ferguson […]

It always helps for a company’s legal boss to visit the site of a major project, ideally in person but at least virtually. Among other benefits, it serves to humanize the lawyer. “Sometimes people think an attorney is holier than thou and condescending,” quips Laurie A. Pinard. “It’s important for others to see me as […]

Aileen Schwartz was in kindergarten in Maryland when her teacher said she’d make “a good Philadelphia lawyer.” The comment was unexpected, and Schwartz recalls her parents didn’t know what to make of it. However, it was meant as a compliment, as Philadelphia lawyers had a long tradition as the best trained in law and rhetoric […]

Lowell Plotkin knew he wanted to work in real estate law even before graduating from Harvard Law School in 2003. “I’ve always wanted to be a member of a team,” he says.  “I didn’t see law as being competitive. That’s why I chose transactional law and not litigation, because everyone can win.” Now general counsel […]

Passing through a road construction site can sometimes be painstaking, noisy and frustrating—and in the Southeast, where Construction Partners Inc. operates in five states, it can go on year-round. Ryan Brooks knows CPI may not be the favorite company of anyone stuck in traffic—especially now that work is sure to increase with the recent passage […]

While many private practice attorneys manage many clients at once, Catherine Bragg has always preferred a more monogamous approach. As an in-house lawyer, Bragg likes focusing on a single client, with an eye on truly understanding the business and adding value—and she has the resume to prove it. Since graduating from law school almost two […]

Brazilian legal operations can be a challenging for attorneys, says Mariangela Bartz. Fast-changing business conditions, complex regulations and taxes, and a high number of lawsuits—especially related to labor disputes—can come on suddenly, like a tropical downpour. Given than context, Bartz wasn’t surprised to find a heavy caseload of lawsuits awaiting her on her first day […]