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Procopio represents owners, developers, public entities, contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and financial institutions throughout the construction lifecycle, from contract negotiation and risk management to the resolution of complex construction disputes through litigation, arbitration, or settlement.
Construction disputes carry unique legal, regulatory, and economic pressures, particularly on large and complex projects. Procopio’s construction lawyers bring decades of experience handling disputes arising from major infrastructure, commercial, and development projects throughout the country, representing owners, developers, contractors, and design professionals at every stage of the project lifecycle in California and across the United States.
Our team understands the realities of building in California, including public works requirements, prevailing wage obligations, environmental considerations, and the risk allocation challenges inherent in large-scale infrastructure and development projects. We combine that industry fluency with disciplined litigation and dispute resolution experience in courts, arbitrations, mediations, and administrative proceedings. When disputes arise, we focus on protecting project value, controlling cost exposure, and minimizing disruption, whether through early resolution or decisive advocacy.
Procopio has been recognized by Chambers and Partners in Construction Law in California for more than a decade and is annually named to the Top 50 Construction Law Firm list by Construction Executive.
Earlier than most teams expect. In California, issues around contract terms, prevailing wage, licensing, and risk allocation can determine the outcome of a dispute long before a claim is filed. Involving construction counsel during planning or early project execution often reduces exposure and avoids disputes that are far more expensive to fix later.
Construction lawyers help owners manage risk across contracts, insurance, scheduling, and claims strategy. When disputes arise, the goal is not just legal resolution, but protecting project value, minimizing delay, and avoiding outcomes that jeopardize financing, operations, or future development plans.
In California, issues such as differing site conditions, change order disputes, delay impacts, and scope disagreements often become contentious quickly if they are not documented and addressed properly. We help contractors evaluate when an issue should be escalated, preserved, or resolved early to avoid downstream claims and cost overruns.
Public works projects carry unique statutory and regulatory requirements. Prevailing wage compliance, bid protests, prompt payment laws, and False Claims Act exposure can significantly increase risk. Construction counsel familiar with California public works helps navigate these issues while minimizing compliance-related disputes and enforcement actions.
Timing, leverage, and cost matter. California lien and bond laws are technical and unforgiving. We help contractors, subcontractors and suppliers assess the strength of their claim, preserve rights properly, and pursue recovery in a way that maximizes leverage while avoiding unnecessary legal spend or disruption to future work. We also assist owners in distressed project close-out, which often includes coordination of payment and releases of multiple liens among the contractor, subcontractor, and lenders.
Cost escalation is one of the biggest risks in construction disputes, particularly in California where projects often involve multiple parties, extensive documentation, and technical issues. We address this proactively by defining strategy and budget expectations early, narrowing issues to what actually drives resolution, and reassessing approach at key inflection points. The objective is sustained leverage and forward momentum without allowing legal spend to outpace the value of the dispute.
Effective construction litigation is focused and disciplined. We prioritize claims and defenses that actually move the dispute forward, limit discovery to what matters, and align legal effort with business objectives. This approach reduces waste, shortens timelines, and protects the project’s financial outcome.
Arbitration can be efficient, but it is not always faster or less expensive. The right forum depends on contract terms, project complexity, number of parties, and discovery needs. We help clients at contract formation evaluate whether arbitration, litigation, or early resolution best aligns with schedule, budget, and risk tolerance.
Large infrastructure disputes require coordination, clarity, and control. We help clients manage overlapping contracts, multiple stakeholders, insurers, and regulatory considerations while keeping the dispute focused on outcomes that protect schedule and project economics.
You should expect proactive strategy, clear communication, and no surprises. We flag risks early, explain tradeoffs in business terms, and adjust strategy as projects and disputes evolve so legal decisions support the business rather than distract from it.
Credible trial readiness influences outcomes long before a hearing or trial occurs. When opposing parties understand a case is being prepared efficiently and seriously, disputes often resolve sooner and on better terms, reducing prolonged litigation and unnecessary cost.
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