The Benefits of a Construction Attorney

Anyone who has been in the construction industry as long as I have (35 years!) will tell you that having an attorney who understands construction is important.

Over the years, I’ve had my share of contractors come up to me asking for a good construction attorney. I have also had several contractors ask me legal questions as if I’m an attorney. For the record, I’m not an attorney nor do I give legal advice.

I’m a firm believer that if you get the right people in the right scope of work, it will improve your results tremendously. This includes the legal areas of a construction company. Taking legal advice from friends or neighbors who are not attorneys is like having a painter wire an electrical panel.

Many people in the trades are very talented in their skills and end up going into business for themselves. However, since many have limited legal knowledge,

having a construction attorney who specializes in construction litigation review your construction business practices is very wise and money well spent. Many legal issues and problems can be easily avoided or resolved quickly if a contractor would take the necessary steps early on.

Legal counsel can help a construction company with contracts, change orders, purchase orders, financing, labor and union issues, non-compete, regulatory issues, environmental issues, workers’ compensation, and so much more. Their ability to look at the big picture of your business can protect you in ways you are not aware of.

I recommend having an attorney review your entire business and then prioritize what areas are most important to tackle. Set aside money each year for legal review. This should be included as part of your business expenses.

As much as we try to avoid problems, they are bound to occur at some point. And some of those problems have the potential to manifest into legal issues. The key is to prepare for problems before they happen and resolve any issues quickly before they get out of control.   Seeking wise legal counsel early on is something I have never regretted.