Construction lawyers do much more than help you leverage lien claims and represent your interests in court. They perform a wide range of duties and can be employed in a variety of different situations. There are many benefits to hiring a construction lawyer, and there’s certainly no shortage of construction lawyers in New York City. But where do you start looking? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s our list of the top construction lawyers in NYC.
When to call a construction attorney
Construction law goes beyond the simple signing of contracts and filing of work orders. Even these common practices have unique regional laws and specifications, making something as standard as enforcing a mechanics lien in New York a potential task for a professional.
When wondering what contracts are needed or what else a construction lawyer can do to aid with the process, having legal reassurance is always smart.
Top NYC construction lawyers
Construction lawyers handle legal aspects of your construction business to ensure you are protected, from reviewing construction contracts to litigating payment disputes.
We chose the lawyers on this list based on the following criteria:
- Their primary practice is construction law
- They’re members of the New York City Bar Association or other related associations
- They routinely work in New York City
- They’re construction law thought leaders
- They’re active on the Levelset Expert Center
Janice Roven
Janice Roven is an attorney at Roven Law Group, P.C. who has been practicing law for more than 30 years. Janet primarily practices in Manhattan, and is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Georgia, as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Janice practices multiple types of law, and has specialties in construction and business law.
Janice is one of the few women lawyers in New York State with a Master’s Degree in Litigation, which she obtained at Emory University School of Law. She previously earned her law degree from Emory and completed the National Institute of Trial Advocacy Program. She graduated with Honors in Political Science from Barnard College, Columbia University.
Carol Sigmond
Carol Sigmond is a partner in the Construction and Litigation practice groups atGreenspoon Marder. Carol has more than 30 years of experience with licenses to practice in New York, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia.
Carol focuses her practice on construction industry matters, including :
- Arbitration
- Appeals
- Bid protests
- Contract preparation
- Mediation
- Litigation
- Suretyship
She represents clients in construction defect litigation, as well as expediting a builder’s construction project by ensuring that the proper contracts are in place.
Carol serves as the Vice President of the New York State Bar Association and the former President of the New York County Lawyers Association. She was also named among the Crain’s New York Business “Notable Women in Law” list for 2022, New York State Bar Association’s 2020 “Real Estate Section Award for Professionalism,” and is listed as “Top Rated” by New York Super Lawyers for Construction Litigation.
Carol is a very active member of the Levelset Community and has answered over 180 legal questions. Some questions Carol has answered recently include:
- A contractor for an apartment complex is sending us invoices that are from sometimes 3 years ago — am I still obligated to pay him?
- Can I still sue in court even though I did not file a mechanics lien?
- Can I get a Court Order to preserve my lien?
Gregory Spaun
Gregory Spaun is a partner at Welby, Brady & Greenblatt, LLP. Gregory specializes in construction and commercial litigation as well as real estate and property litigation.He received both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in criminal justice from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, as well as a Juris Doctor from the Brooklyn Law School.
In addition to his work at WB&G, Mr. Spaun serves as General Counsel to the Queens and Bronx Building Association.
Gregory is an active member of the Levelset Community and has answered over 80 questions from construction professionals. Here are a few of his recent answers:
- What if a homeowner still doesn’t pay after two years?
- I have a stop work order. Can I do minor work to move in?
- Is the deadline to file a lien for rented equipment the last day shipped or the last day returned?
Stuart Zisholtz
Stuart Zisholtz is a construction attorney at Zisholtz & Zisholtz, LLP. Since being admitted to the New York State Bar, Stuart has litigated hundreds of cases and has successfully argued, on multiple occasions, in the New York Court of Appeals.
Stuart co-authored “Mechanics Liens – What’s it All About” with the late construction attorney Gerald Zisholtz. He also frequently gives lectures at associations and has also been nominated as a “Super Lawyer” in 2011 and 2013.
Stuart is a member of the Levelset Expert Center community and has recently answered questions such as:
- Can a lien be extended after the 1-year deadline in New York State?
- Does a construction lien accrue interest until it is satisfied?
Vincent Pallaci
Vincent Pallaci is a managing member at Kushnick Pallaci. At the firm, he specializes in complex construction, business, and insurance litigation. His clients include general contractors, subcontractors, developers, owners, managers, architects, and engineers.
His long list of services to his clients includes, but isn’t limited to:
- Defective construction
- Property damage litigation
- Delays
- Scope of work disputes
- Mechanics lien foreclosure and defense
- Defense of OSHA violations
- Construction license agreements
Mr. Pallaci has been recognized by several organizations for his construction law practice. He retains an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, distinction as a Top Rated Construction Litigation Attorney with “Rising Star” status from 2012-2019 from Super Lawyers, and a rating of 10 from AVVO. He has also engaged in the construction community for the entirety of his career, publishing several works and giving multiple presentations on construction-related topics.
Mr. Pallaci has also engaged in the construction community for the entirety of his career, publishing several works and giving multiple presentations on construction-related topics.
He also engages the community in the Levelset Expert Center. Along with the answers he’s provided, you can find a collection of helpful and informative articles that he’s authored on his Expert Center profile. Here are a few of his recent answers:
- Can a subcontractor file a mechanics lien when payment has not been made?
- Can an interior designer file a mechanics lien in New York?
- How many times can you renew a lien in New York State?
John Caravella
John Caravella is the lead construction attorney at the Law Offices of John Caravella. His construction roots stem back to his previous position as a project architect, and he’s been helping other architects, engineers, contractors, construction managers, subs, and owners with their legal matters ever since. Here are a few of his services:
- Drafting and negotiating contracts
- Mechanics lien and bond claims
- Unlicensed contractor claims
- Defective construction claims
- Supplier disputes
John has received several recognitions for his work in construction law. In 2014, he was granted the Leadership in Law Award and selected to their “Ones to Watch in Long Island Law” list in 2012. He’s also been appointed to serve as an arbitrator to the American Arbitration Association Construction Industry Panel of Neutrals, is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association Construction Law Committee, New York State Bar Association, and writes for the Construction Law Blog.
Mr. Caravella earned his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University, his B.S. from the New York Institute of Technology, and his Associate of Construction Technology from the State University of New York. He’s been a practicing construction attorney for more than 20 years.
Mr. Caravella is also a member of the Levelset Expert Center. If you have any legal or payment-related questions, feel free to send him a message on the Expert Center to get expert and local advice.
Virginia K. Trunkes
Virginia Trunkes is a counsel at Robinson Cole, a New York law firm. Virginia represents developers, apartment building owners, construction managers, contractors, subcontractors, and designers in legal matters concerning business contracts and adjacent-owner license access agreements. As a member of the firm’s Construction Law Group, and as a former Chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Construction Law Committee, she has profound experience in helping construction professionals resolve their legal issues.
Virginia is also an experienced litigator, fiercely representing her clients’ interests in the courtroom. A few common areas of litigation include:
- Mechanics liens
- Bond claims
- Design defects
- Delay claims
- And much more
Virginia is a member of the Forum on the Construction Industry, a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America, a member of the New York City Bar Association, Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA), Westchester Women’s Bar Association, White Plains Bar Association, Westchester County Association, and the New York State Bar Association.
Virginia is a Top Rated Construction Litigation Attorney and was selected by the New York Real Estate Journal as “One to Watch” in 2020.
Andreas Koutsoudakis
Andreas Koutsoudakis is a founding partner at Koutsoudakis Iakovou, a New York City law firm.
His specialty is representing clients in matters involving:
- Employment related disputes
- Shareholder and commercial disputes
- Contractual disputes
- Federal, state, and local compliance issues
- Internal audits and investigations
As a skilled litigator, Andreas has defended his clients’ commercial, employment, and civil rights in both federal and state courts. Andreas is a Top Rated Employment Litigation Attorney, and was selected to Rising Stars in 2013-2016 and in 2019.
Andreas earned his J.D./M.B.A. from St. Thomas University in 2008 and his B.B.A. from Pace University in 2006.
Although Andreas doesn’t directly specialize in construction law, he actively helps his clients navigate legal troubles of all kinds. He’s also active on the Expert Center, where he answers questions regarding payment issues.
Arthur C. Silverman
Arthur Silverman is a member at Rosenberg & Estis.He received his B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1961 and his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1964.
Arthur represents clients up and down the construction payment chain, and over the course of his long and storied career, he’s handled just about every possible construction-related issue.
A few areas of his expertise include:
- Contract negotiation and drafting
- Construction management
- General contractor and design-build agreements
- Trade contracts
- Development agreements
- Extra work claims
- Defective work claims
- Claims of inefficiencies and delays
He’s worked with owners and developers on large projects such as the 9/11 WTC Memorial and Museum, the JetBlue terminal at JFK Airport, the World Trade Center building, and much more.
Arthur has been described by Chambers USA as “one of the deans of the New York construction Bar,” and as a lawyer who “has seen every construction issue possible in New York CIty.” On top of that, Mr. Silverman was appointed to a special commission, appointed by Michael Bloomberg, that sought to reduce costs of public construction projects in NYC.
Mr. Silverman is a member of multiple professional organizations, including but not limited to:
- The Construction Specifications Institute
- The New York Building Congress
- The ABA Forum on Construction Law and the Committee of Construction Litigation
- The Estate Transaction Group’s Committee on Design and Construction
- The Construction Law Committee to the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
- The Construction Law Committee to the New York Building Congress
Mr. Silverman is a Top Rated Construction Litigation Attorney, a Fellow of the CLSA, listed by U.S. News and Best Lawyers as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in construction law (2007-2009), and hold the highest possible AV Rating from Martindale Hubbell.
Jeffrey T. Miller
Jeffrey Miller is an executive partner at Pillinger Miller Tarallo. As a founding member, Jeffery oversees the litigation department. His specialties are construction law, employment, products liability, and premises cases to name a few. He believes an early resolution is the best thing for his clients.
Jeffery is a counsel to several large construction companies, and is currently involved in several cases for the Hudson Yards Projects, one of the largest construction projects in NYC. As an accomplished construction lawyer, Jeffrey gives frequent lectures and presentations on construction law. He lectures for the New York State Bar Association on matters of construction law, and he’s frequently invited to give construction law presentations in other functions as well.
Jeffery obtained his B.S. from the State University of New York, Buffalo, and his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. He is a Top Rated Lawyer, winner of the 2013 Attorney of the Year Award (Old Republic Contractors Insurance Group), and a Who’s Who, Top Attorneys in North America (2016).
Ronald Francis
Ronald Francis is the principal attorney at the Law Offices of Ronald Francis, a construction law firm in New York City. He represents both large and small companies in construction matters such as:
- Contractor and construction disputes
- Mechanics liens
- Construction contracts
- Insurance coverage
- License and access agreements
- And more
Mr. Francis is a member and arbitrator of the Construction Arbitration Panel of the AAA, a member of the New York Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the American Institute of Architects, and the Construction Lawyers Institute of America.
Mr. Francis is also a Top Rated Construction Litigation Attorney (2016-2019).
He got his J.D. from the University at Buffalo Law School in 1988 and his B.S. from the State University of New York, Buffalo.
Todd L. Herbst
Todd Herbst is a managing partner at Greenberg, Trager, & Herbst, a construction law firm. A Top Rated Construction Litigation Attorney and member of the American Institute of Architects, he represents his clients in a large variety of construction-related issues:
- Drafting and negotiating contracts
- Construction phase consulting
- Surety bonds and construction insurance
- Construction loan documents
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Regulations compliance
Since 2004, Todd has been recognized as a Marquis Who’s Who in America, American Law, and Finance and Business. He has consistently provided his clients with personalized care and premier representation, earning himself a long list of well-received reviews.
Mr. Herbst earned his J.D. from the John Marshall School of Law and his B.A. from the City University of New York. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1977.
John F. Grubin
John Grubin is a construction attorney at Wasserman, Grubin, & Rogers. His areas of practice include commercial litigation, construction litigation, business law, contract litigation, contract disputes, arbitration and ADR of construction, real estate, and business disputes.
Mr. Grubin holds an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, is a Top Rated Attorney in New York City in Construction Litigation, was appointed by the Mayor to the Chair of the New York City Procurement Policy Board in 1990 where he served for 4 years. In that capacity, he drafted key procedures by which construction and other contractor disputes in NYC are resolved.
Mr. Grubin earned his J.D. from Rutgers in 1973 and his B.A. from Yale in 1966. He has been honored by the Legal Aid Society and is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America. He’s a member of the ABA (Construction and Real Estate Panel), the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, past chair of the Construction Law Committee to the New York State Bar Association, and the Forum on the Construction Industry to the ABA.
Have payment questions? Get answers from construction lawyers in NYC
The Big Apple is home to some of the biggest names in construction law. The construction attorneys listed here can help contractors, subs, suppliers, and other construction professionals navigate the complex issues that surround their industries. Now that we’ve covered some of the top legal talent in New York City, we hope you have a better idea of what construction lawyers do, what you should look for, and what you can expect to find when searching for a construction lawyer.
The attorneys on this list are active on the Levelset Expert Center. Utilize Levelset’s Legal Guard program and visit the Payment Help Center to ask questions and get answers from construction lawyers in your area.