John Paul Stilz (JP)

John Paul (JP) Stilz is an associate attorney specializing in construction litigation and data center transactional work. Drawing on a robust academic foundation—including a J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Kentucky’s Rosenberg College of Law and a B.A. from Harvard College with a concentration in Government—JP brings a blend of analytical rigor and real-world insight to every matter he handles. JP plays two roles in Stites & Harbison’s Construction Group: negotiating complex agreements for owner/operators of data centers and litigating high stakes construction disputes.

JP plays a critical role on Stites’s data center team, which handles transactions annually exceeding $1 Billion and 100MW of capacity. He structures and negotiates agreements essential to the procurement, design, construction, and operation of modern data centers, ensuring that each transaction is managed with the efficiency and foresight demanded by a rapidly growing industry. JP advises stakeholders across the full lifecycle of development projects, facilitating development of critical scope details with business team members and developing robust yet pragmatic terms to allocate the risk presented by mission critical projects. He is adept at drafting and negotiating contracts, guiding clients through complex negotiations step by step.

Complementing his transactional work, JP handles multi-million dollar construction litigation matters ranging from complex delay-impact cases to nuanced insurance coverage disputes. JP’s litigation experience began with clerking for the Honorable Gregory F. Van Tatenhove at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, providing a foundational understanding of the court system and effective legal writing. JP’s litigation successes include winning summary judgment on a novel employment claim, overcoming the intervention of the IRS in a complex collections matter, and causing an insurer to provide coverage for a general contractor in a bet-the-business, subcontractor negligence dispute.

With a commitment to excellence and a reputation for strategic, client-centered solutions, JP Stilz is uniquely positioned to support developers, owners, and contractors in both construction disputes and the rapidly evolving field of data center development.