Practice area
Construction disputes, from the drawings up
We represent subcontractors, suppliers, owners and small general contractors when a project ends in a fight over money, time or workmanship. Otis Dunleavy studied engineering before law, so the drawings and the schedule get read alongside the contract.
Cases we take
Unpaid subcontractors and mechanic's liens
Delay and change-order claims
Claims of defective or unfinished work
Payment bond claims on public jobs
What a construction case covers
All of it is inside the monthly fee. Costs paid to others are billed at cost.
Lien and notice deadlines
Liens and bond claims run on short, strict clocks that vary by job and by state. We check yours the first day.
The schedule, rebuilt
We line up daily logs, emails and pay applications to show when the delay started and who caused it.
Experts, at cost
Where a case needs a scheduling or engineering expert, we hire one and bill what they charge.
Construction disputes: common questions
The general contractor won't pay because the owner hasn't paid. Is that allowed?
Sometimes the subcontract says so, and sometimes the law limits it. Send us the subcontract and your last pay application.
How fast do I need to file a lien?
Quickly, and the deadline depends on the project and the state. Don't wait for the job to finish to ask.
Can we keep working while we dispute a change order?
Usually you should, under protest and in writing. We can draft that letter as part of a first look.
Is a job ending in a dispute?
A first look gets the papers read by a partner and a written budget for the case.