Neal & Leroy

Practice Area

Construction Law

Neal & Leroy attorneys advise public and private clients on construction contracts, project development, and complex construction disputes, including agreements for architects, construction managers, construction managers at risk, and design-build and design-bid-build delivery methods.

Our Construction Law Practice

How We Approach Construction Law

Neal & Leroy attorneys advise public and private clients on construction contracts, project development, and complex construction disputes. Our clients range from governmental entities, public agencies, developers, property owners, lenders, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. We work with our clients across the full lifecycle of a construction project, from contract negotiation, project structuring, and development through mechanics’ liens, contractor claims, construction defects, and dispute resolution.

Over the decades, our attorneys have played a role in some of Chicago’s most significant public projects, construction of McCormick Place Convention Center’s North, South and West Buildings and the Wintrust Arena, Millennium Park, and Chicago’s Central Police Headquarters, along with numerous schools, police and fire stations, and the  Chicago Fire Practice Facility and the Obama Presidential Center.

Construction issues can have significant consequences for a project, particularly when disputes arise after substantial investments have been made or critical deadlines are at risk. Our attorneys work with clients throughout the development and construction process to anticipate issues, structure and enforce contractual obligations, and resolve challenges before they jeopardize a project’s progress.

When disputes do arise, we bring a practical understanding of the contracts, stakeholders, financing, and project dynamics involved. Whether resolving a matter through negotiation, administrative proceedings, or litigation, our focus is on protecting our clients’ interests while minimizing unnecessary cost, disruption, and delay.

OUR CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE

  • Architect of Record, Construction Manager, and Construction Manager at Risk Agreements 
  • Concealed Site Condition Claims
  • Construction Cost Disputes
  • Construction Defect and Delay Claims
  • Contract Drafting and Negotiation
  • Contract Litigation
  • Design-Build and Design-Bid-Build Agreements 
  • Mechanics’ Liens
  • Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Modification of Contract Forms
  • Surety Claims

Our Work

Representative Matters

A selection of matters handled by our Construction Law team. Client identities are anonymized or withheld where confidentiality applies.

CONSTRUCTION CLAIMS

  • Represented Material Service Corporation in construction of reservoirs for the Deep Tunnel storm runoff and flood control project.

  • Represented an electric company in construction claims involving an electric co-generation facility.

  • Served as legal counsel for Illinois International Port District. Served as legal counsel for Illinois International Port District in claims litigation arising from construction of the Harborside International Golf Center.

DESIGN-BUILD PROCUREMENT

  • Developed and managed the procurement process for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. Developed and managed the procurement process for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority’s $850 million design-build contract for the West Building of McCormick Place, including amending the Planned Development, negotiating the design-build contract, and resolving disputes through close-out.

MECHANICS' LIENS

  • Litigated hundreds of mechanics’ liens matters and appears in Chancery Division and the Mortgage Foreclosure/Mechanics Lien Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Neal & Leroy has litigated hundreds of mechanics’ liens matters and appears in Chancery Division and the Mortgage Foreclosure/Mechanics Lien Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County as lead counsel for our construction clients relative to subcontractors’ mechanics liens on public project funds.

PUBLIC BUILDING COMMISSION CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

  • Prepared construction contract forms for the Public Building Commission of Chicago schools and public buildings. Prepared construction contract forms for the Public Building Commission of Chicago schools and public buildings, including a construction management-at-risk project. Also resolved construction claims litigation arising from Millennium Park, Soldier Field, the Midwest Center for Green Technology, Chicago Police Headquarters, the Chicago Center for Children’s Advocacy, and Bronzeville Military Academy.

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