Construction
National and regional clients involved in a wide range of construction projects turn to Stites & Harbison for top-flight credentials and practical, real-world experience. Our construction attorneys include former contractors, construction-firm owners, civil and mechanical engineers, and journeymen crafts-people. We understand the day-to-day workings of your business in addition to its legal issues.
From aviation and health care facilities to manufacturing and power plants, and from commercial buildings to highways, bridges and other infrastructure, Stites & Harbison’s Construction Service Group understands the critical legal issues that affect your projects.
We have worked with clients on projects located from coast to coast. We negotiate contracts, assist clients with claim prevention and resolution, and counsel clients on transactions, complex litigation and regulation. We offer many years of experience in mediation and arbitration, both as client advocates and neutrals. Whatever your needs, we have a strong team to represent you, utilizing the broad knowledge and experience of the attorneys throughout our firm. We also understand your concerns about cost effective representation.
Recent Accomplishments:
- U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers released their 2020 ratings for the "Best Law Firms" in America. Stites & Harbison was ranked National Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction. Click here to see the full results.
- Stites & Harbison lawyers are LEED accredited professionals and members of the U.S. Green Building Council. We are here to help you meet the rigorous standards of green building.
- The Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA) recognized Stites & Harbison with the 2017 and 2018 CLSA Law Firm Award.
We give back to the industry in many ways. Stites & Harbison has represented the American Institute of Steel Construction, National Steel Bridge Alliance, Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana/Kentucky, and the Associated General Contractors of Kentucky. We are also members of other industry organizations, serving as officers, board members, authors, and keynote speakers. Trade associations, professional societies, and members of the organized national construction bar regularly recruit us to provide articles and educational programs to their members. Our attorneys participated in the preparation of American Institute of Steel Construction Codes, Standards and Specifications, and have consulted with the American Institute of Architects and the Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee on formation of these organizations’ standard construction documents.
Clients, construction trade associations and other industry organizations count on Stites & Harbison for help with a wide range of industry-related areas, including:
- Antitrust issues
- Bidding and procurement
- Corporate governance and membership
- Environmental
- Intellectual property
- Labor, employment, wage & hour and immigration law
- Legislation
- OSHA and safety
- State and federal tax code interpretation and enforcement
Other industry contributions from our Construction Law group include:
- "Chapters 18 & 19: Kentucky Construction Lien and Bond Law," Cassidy R. Rosenthal, Co-Author, Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law Book, Third Edition, 2016 Supplement
- "Chapter 6: Discovery by Interrogatories," William Geisen and Jessica A. Hill, Discovery Deskbook for Construction Disputes, Second Edition, ABA Forum on Construction Law, Editors: John M. Cook, Buckner Hinkle, Jr. and Alexander Moseley, 2015
- Kentucky Construction Law, written and edited by the construction attorneys of Stites & Harbison, published by HLK Global Communications, 2015.
- Discovery Deskbook for Construction Law Disputes – Robert M. Connolly is a chapter author, published by ABA Publishing, 2006.
With nationally recognized experience in construction law and hands-on experience in the business, we are uniquely qualified to address the needs of our construction clients.
A partial list of representative transactional and adversarial construction engagements in which the members of the group have been involved is listed below:
- Developed and negotiated design and construction contracts for owner/developer of $1 billion investment in manufacturing facilities in South Carolina
- Participated in the development of term sheets and EPC contracts for $3 billion coal gasification facility in Western Kentucky
- Drafted and negotiated design build contract for fracking sands plant
- Belk’s, Oxford, Miss. (2010)
- Best Buy, Gulfport, Miss. (2012)
- Camden Paces Apartments, Atlanta, Ga. (2013)
- Delta Wing, Opryland, Nashville, Tenn.
- Disney-MGM Studios Water Tower, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Federal Express World Headquarters, Memphis, Tenn.
- GlaxoSmithKline, Memphis, Tenn.
- Holder Construction Company: Stites & Harbison's Atlanta offices
- Indiana-American Water Company, Jeffersonville, Ind.
- Lake Eola Condominiums, Orland, Fla.
- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board, (Blue Grass Airport, Lexington, Ky.)
- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Courts Facilities, Lexington, Ky.
- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Detention Facility, Lexington, Ky.
- Louisville Airport Improvement Program, Louisville, Ky.
- Louisville Slugger Museum, Louisville, Ky.
- Mercer University Center, Macon, Ga.
- National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Ky.
- National Steel Bridge Alliance, Miss.
- NCNB Tower, Tampa, Fla.
- One Atlantic Center (IBM building), Atlanta, Ga.
Stites & Harbison is the premiere construction law firm in Kentucky and southern Indiana.
Stites & Harbison has always been able to help regardless of the issue and/or complexity.
I have the utmost faith and trust in Stites & Harbison.
The construction law team at Stites & Harbison is outstanding. They have represented our company extremely well for many years. They are knowledgeable, give excellent advice, and they almost always achieve the desired results for our company. I feel like we have received very good value for legal expenses incurred when using the Stites & Harbison construction law team. I recommend them to anyone needing legal advice on construction matters.
Amendments to Kentucky Open Records Act Set to Become Effective June 29, 2021
In its 2021 regular session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed, and ultimately overrode Governor Andy Beshear’s veto of, House Bill 312 to amend the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870 to KRS 61.884. Effective as of June 29, 2021, among other changes, the amended Act will restrict inspection rights to Kentucky “residents,” require public agencies to accept emailed open records requests, and extend public agencies’ time for handling requests from three days to five days.
“No Company is Safe” — White House Urges Private Sector to Act Now in Hardening Defenses Against Growing Ransomware Threats
Following the most recent slew of high-profile ransomware attacks, the White House deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, Anne Neuberger, issued an open letter to the private sector urging action to increase cyber defenses to match the nation’s increasing ransomware threat.
Chambers USA Honors 22 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2021
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Chambers USA selected 22 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in Kentucky and Tennessee for inclusion in their 2021 guide.
New Executive Directives by President Biden Strengthen Existing Buy American Act
On January 25, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order titled, Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers. This executive order is designed to discourage federal agencies from obtaining waivers to existing Buy American Act (“BAA”)1 requirements and to encourage federal procurement of goods fabricated with American labor.
Dan Douglass and Bill Joseph Recognized in 2021 Georgia Super Lawyers
ATLANTA—Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys Dan Douglass and Bill Joseph were recently honored in the 2021 Georgia Super Lawyers magazine.
OSHA Issues a Draft of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
On April 26, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officially sent to the White House a long awaited draft of their COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”). Once issued, OSHA’s ETS will be the most concrete guidance regarding COVID-19 received from OSHA to date. It will also provide OSHA the ability to issue citations to employers who fail to comply with the ETS’s requirements.
Stites & Harbison Opens First Ohio Office In Cincinnati Area
Kentucky-based Stites & Harbison PLLC has expanded its operations to Ohio for the first time in nearly 200 years with a new office in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, the firm announced Friday. Led by member Robin D. Miller, the Cincinnati-area office is currently operating with the help of attorneys from the nearby town of Covington, Kentucky, but the firm said it hopes to hire more Cincinnati full-timers by the end of 2021.
Stites & Harbison Expands Footprint, Opens First Ohio Office
CINCINNATI—Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced today it has opened a Cincinnati, Ohio office to better meet the increased needs of its clients in the region. The office will be led by Member (Partner), Robin D. Miller.
Legal Notes: Modular construction growth will alter the insurance risk scenario
Construction attorneys Megan George and Aaron Klein are quoted in this Daily Commercial News article about how increased prefabrication and modularization is vital to improving the construction industry’s lacklustre productivity growth.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Walter J. Dunn
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Walter J. Dunn to the firm as a Member (Partner).
Top Women in Business Spotlight: Marjorie Farris
The Lane Report takes a closer look at the women who are making a difference in Kentucky. Stites Chair and Louisville attorney Marjorie Farris is featured today.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Litigator Robin Miller
COVINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2021)—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Robin D. Miller to its Covington, Ky., office.
Winter Warm-Up: A Forum Fireside Virtual Construction Conference
Virtual Conference
Cassidy R. Rosenthal, Office Executive Member of the Lexington Office and a Member of the firm’s Construction Practice Group, is pleased to Co-Chair this year’s American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law.
Henry Clay, Enigma or Statesman for the 21st Century?
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Webinar
Louisville office attorney David Ratterman will give a presentation on the
PPP Update: AGC Lawsuit Hammers Away at the SBA, Alleging Violations of Borrowers’ Constitutional Rights
The Associated General Contractors of America, Inc. (“AGC”), the U.S. construction industry’s largest trade association, has taken dead aim at the controversial Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan necessity questionnaire (the “Questionnaire”) that was recently introduced by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and the so-called PPP “necessity” certification (the “Necessity Certification”). The Necessity Certification is the SBA requirement that PPP loan applicants certify in good faith that economic uncertainty makes the loan request necessary to support ongoing operations.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 41 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2021
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2021 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 42 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices.
New Loss of Productivity Standard on the Horizon
Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA) Complimentary Webinar Series featuring speaker Bill Geisen, Construction lawyer in our Covington, Ky. office.
Ten Stites & Harbison Attorneys Honored by 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyers
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The 2020 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers recently honored 10 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys.
New Loss of Productivity Standard on the Horizon
Time: 1:00 p.m.
WEBINAR
Construction Lawyers Society of America Complimentary Webinar Series featuring speaker Bill Geisen, Construction lawyer in our Covington, Ky. office.
Legal Maneuvering: How the pandemic has forced Louisville law firms to rethink the workplace
The practice of law was already trending toward remote work when the coronavirus outbreak sent attorneys packing to their home offices in March, said Bob Connolly, chairman of Stites & Harbison PLLC in Louisville.