Construction Design Industries Practices Dorsey

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 2, 2025, 10:13 AM

construction design industries practices dorsey

Across the United States and around the globe, participants in the construction industry count on our Construction and Design practice group to build the legal framework that supports their projects. Combining a solid understanding of the “big picture” with in-the-trenches construction and design project management experience, our lawyers provide proactive solutions to a diverse client base in virtually any aspect of the construction industry. Our Construction and Design lawyers are involved in some of the most innovative, sophisticated and technologically complex construction projects in the world. When disputes arise between the many parties involved in any given project, our Construction Litigation group helps clients successfully resolve them as quickly as possible. We also have international reach, allowing us to provide service around the country and throughout the world. With multiple offices throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and China, we can address your legal requirements wherever they might arise.

Join to apply for the Construction & Design Associate (#885) - Seattle role at Dorsey & Whitney LLP By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy. By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy. See who Dorsey & Whitney LLP has hired for this role Join to apply for the Construction & Design Associate (#885) - Seattle role at Dorsey & Whitney LLP Construction projects are fertile breeding grounds for disputes and conflicting claims often arise between the many parties involved in any given undertaking.

Our Construction Litigation team has extensive experience in resolving the full range of claims that can arise before, during and after construction projects. We have tried many cases to verdict and have obtained favorable and cost-effective settlements in hundreds of matters through early neutral evaluation, mediation and private and court-assisted arbitration. Our highly experienced lawyers frequently write, speak and comment on construction and construction litigation issues. We know that construction projects can be enormously complex and risk-prone undertakings and that, to be effective, attorneys representing participants in the construction industry have to, as our attorneys do, understand their unique customs... Our lawyers are experienced with the full range of construction and design claims that can arise during and after construction. Among the matters we have handled successfully are disputes involving:

Representative Matters Whether a case involves a single plaintiff or a class action, a courtroom or arbitration, our Construction Litigation group can represent clients on a cost-effective basis. A small sample of the cases we have tried includes: Dorsey & Whitney represented federal contractor GSI Pacific in two separate appeals at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals relating to two federal contracts with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Hawaii. The team at Dorsey & Whitney offers extremely practical and effective guidance. Dorsey & Whitney delivers quality performance on complex issues. The team at Dorsey & Whitney offers extremely practical and effective guidance.

Dorsey & Whitney delivers quality performance on complex issues. Marisa Bavand, Mike Grace, and Allison Murphy have joined Dorsey & Whitney’s Seattle office as partners in its Construction and Design and its Government Contracts practices. Additionally, attorneys Tamara Comeau, Christian Ferrin, and Emily Yoshiwara joined Dorsey, along with two staff members. All of these new additions to Dorsey’s Seattle office were formerly with Seattle-based Groff Murphy PLLC, which is ceasing operations following the move. “Dorsey continues to build on our success in complex construction disputes, expanding the footprint of the practice across the country,” said Jocelyn Knoll, Dorsey’s Construction and Design Practice Group Leader. “The clients we serve nationally and internationally will benefit from the addition of this talented group, and we look forward to better serving them.”

Marisa Bavand is nationally recognized for her experience in construction litigation and government contracts. She provides counsel to construction industry and government contracts clients and has served in contracting and dispute roles in national and international projects. Her practice includes representing public and private owners, general contractors, and engineers with pre-project planning and risk assessment, contract drafting, claim management and preservation, and litigating disputes. She provides strategic advice and litigation representation on a variety of projects including heavy civil, light rail, highway, bored tunnels, universities, production facilities, fire stations, mixed use commercial projects, and various vertical construction projects. She has also represented clients nationally in contract disputes involving the United States Navy, Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy projects. Marisa also has extensive experience defending clients in United States Department of Justice investigations and False Claims Act litigation.

Mike Grace provides counsel and litigation services to contractors, developers, design professionals, and other construction industry clients. He drafts and negotiates a wide variety of contracts and agreements, helping clients resolve issues during all phases of the construction process. Mike is experienced in resolving different types of construction claims and disputes, including bid protests, change order and extra work disputes, claims for defective design and construction, as well as claims for delay, acceleration,... He is well versed in construction insurance and surety bonds, and he regularly assists clients with solving coverage disputes. Allison Murphy focuses her practice on government contracts, construction law, and complex commercial litigation. She has handled litigation in state and federal courts and has participated in mediations and arbitration hearings involving complex construction and government contract disputes.

She has also navigated a wide range of disputes, including contractor delay and impact claims, claims involving the False Claims Act, and claims involving the complexities of the Small Business Act and Federal Acquisition... Allison has also advised contractors on bidding, contract negotiation and formation as well as general compliance issues. International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP is pleased to announce that construction and commercial attorney Benjamin Petre has joined the Firm as a Partner in its Denver office. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005828/en/ Dorsey & Whitney is pleased to announce that construction and commercial attorney Benjamin Petre has joined the Firm as a Partner in its Denver office.

(Photo: Dorsey & Whitney LLP) Ben counsels clients and litigates disputes in construction and general commercial matters. As a construction attorney, Ben assists clients with every phase of the construction process, from drafting and negotiating agreements for every aspect of a project, to resolving claims and disputes concerning complex construction issues. He represents general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals and owners in such matters. Ben has represented clients in jurisdictions across the United States and in various sectors, including energy, mining, healthcare, education, transportation, residential, commercial, and public projects. Before joining Dorsey, Ben was with Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath in its Denver office.

Ben is a member of the Colorado State Bar Association and Denver Bar Association. He earned his bachelor's degree magna cum laude from the University of New Mexico and his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. WITH DEEP AND BROAD EXPERIENCE, DORSEY IS STRUCTURED TO HELP CLIENTS BUILD ANY DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. Click here to read Development & Infrastructure's Fourth Quarter 2022 Magazine. More than 130 Dorsey lawyers comprise the firm’s Development & Infrastructure Industry Group, representing public and private entities in all phases of their projects - from planning, designing, developing, financing, and constructing to owning,...

With a depth of knowledge and talent across multiple disciplines, Dorsey uses its resources to help clients navigate the legal, financial, business, and political complexities and nuances that move projects forward. Built around long-established and prominent real estate and construction practices, the Development & Infrastructure Industry Group includes attorneys who focus on a variety of practices including Real Estate and Land Use, Construction & Design,... We have represented most of the largest real estate developers in the Midwest and have advised clients across the United States on development projects of all sizes and in all major sectors, including: With a network of 21 offices strategically located across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific, Dorsey has proven experience in all aspects of project development and finance covering numerous industries and serving a wide... Our experience includes investor-owned utilities, independent power producers, cooperatives, large industrial companies, banks, governmental agencies, private companies and others. We combine our extensive experience with evolving financing techniques, our in-depth knowledge of the public-private partnership development model and our keen understanding of real estate, land use, construction and design and environmental matters in...

Our interdisciplinary teams draw on expertise throughout the firm, allowing us to: Our depth of industry experience spans the full spectrum of projects, including:

Construction Design Industries Practices Dorsey

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