If you’ve spent much time in the industry at all, it’s easy to see why construction lawyers are always in high demand. Unfortunately, payment delays and disputes are all-too-common in the modern construction industry. When you’re reviewing contractors or litigating a dispute, you need a lawyer that understands not only construction, but the state laws and regulations where you work. These are the top construction lawyers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Top Construction Lawyers in Philadelphia, PA
Looking for a construction lawyer in Philadelphia? To help you get started with your search, we’ve compiled a list of the best construction lawyers in Philadelphia. We chose the lawyers featured on this list because they:
- Specialize in construction law
- Are members of the Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Work on cases in Pennsylvania
- Are thought leaders in the industry
- Actively seek to help answer contractor questions about getting paid in Pennsylvania
Wally Zimolong
Wally’s law practice is wholly dedicated to the construction industry. He is a Fellow with the Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA), and was named a “Super Lawyer” in the areas of construction litigation, construction law, and labor law by Super Lawyers Magazine. Wally is an associate member of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., a member of the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia, and a member of the Union League of Philadelphia. His staunch support of free market competition once led a union adversary to call Wally “a destructive force.”
He has litigated hundreds of cases on construction of highways, apartment buildings, sports stadiums, and planned communities, and schools. When his cases have gone to jury trial, Wally has never lost a case.
Wally’s particular areas of expertise include:
- Government contracts
- Union disputes
- Construction defects
- Bid protests
- Litigation
- DBE/MBE/WBE regulations
- Labor law
Wally earned both a BA and JD from Villanova University.
Scott M. Rothman
Scott Rothman founded the Real Estate practice at Curley & Rothman, LLC, where he is a Partner. Scott is a licensed title agent and settlement officer in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Before attending law school, Scott was an AmeriCorps Volunteer, serving North Philadelphia for two years working in construction for Habitat for Humanity. He is an active member of the Levelset Community, answering legal questions from construction businesses across Pennsylvania.
Scott’s areas of specialty include:
- Contract disputes
- Mechanics liens
- Business formation
- Bankruptcy adversary proceedings
- Insurance claims & coverage
Scott earned his BA from the University of Michigan, and his JD from Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Leonard Windish
Leonard Windish is entirely dedicated to the construction industry. He is a member of the Suburban Contractors Association of Pennsylvania, as well as Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). He also serves as solicitor to the Board of Directors of the Suburban Contractors Association.
Leonard’s areas of specialty include:
- Construction contract negotiation
- Bid protests
- Change orders
- Union and labor issues
- Payment disputes
- Mechanics lien law
- Delay claims
Leonard holds BS in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University, and earned his JD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Alan Russo
Alan Russo is a partner at Russo & Toner, LLP. Apart from construction law, Alan mainly handles high exposure civil liability cases, and his broad experience led him to establishing his firm in 1996.
In 1977 he received his B.A. in Political Science from American University, and in 1980 he got his J.D. from Villanova University Law School. Alan has received a number of honors, including:
- An AV rating from Martindale Hubbell
- Top Rating from Super Lawyers
- Status as a Top Rated Lawyer from Legal Leaders
Alan has been a practicing attorney under the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania State Bar for 40 years.
Jennifer M. Horn
Jennifer Horn has built her career representing owners, construction managers, contractors, subs, suppliers, and other parties to help them get the best possible result for the disputes that commonly arise in the construction industry. She is a managing member at Horn Williamson, a Philadelphia firm that specializes in construction law.
Jennifer leads the Horn Williamson Construction Practice Group, as well as analyzes construction contracts, assists clients with delay claims, document delays, change orders, and much more. She earned her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law in 1996.
Jennifer has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyer list in construction for the past 5 years and has appeared in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine. In addition to that, she routinely speaks and lectures at construction industry events.
Kevin G. Amadio
Kevin Amadio is a principal and member of Kaplin Stewart’s Construction Law Department. That’s because Kevin has practiced almost exclusively in construction law and litigation for more than 35 years.
Kevin wears many hats at Kaplin Stewart, and he works as an advisor, a drafter, and as counsel to his clients throughout the construction industry, helping them with contract claims, drafting transactional documents, and payment disputes, large and small. Kevin also has experience as a mediator, and he’s mediated more than 40 cases having to do with commercial and construction disputes.
Along with that, Kevin has decided dozens of construction and commercial law disputes as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.
Kevin went to Pennsylvania State, where he received his B.A. in 1978, and the Villanova Law School where he received his J.D. in 1981.
Anthony M. Bottenfield
Anthony Bottenfield is an associate at Cohen Seglias, a construction-focussed law firm with an office in Philadelphia. At Cohen Seglias, Anthony has represented a large variety of industry-related clients in every stage of litigation.
He specializes in the following areas:
- Filing and defending bond claims
- Filing and defending mechanics liens
- Navigating construction defect matters
- Construction mediation and arbitration
Among other accolades, Anthony is on the Super Lawyers’ Rising Star List in Construction Litigation from 2013-2020. He’s also a Top Rated Lawyer according to Super Lawyers.
Anthony received his B.A. from Millersville University and his J.D. from Penn State.
Henry J. Donner
Henry J. Donner is a construction lawyer in Philadelphia-based firm Kang, Haggerty, & Fetbroyt.
As a specialist in construction law, he represents real estate developers, condo associations, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, and other construction contractor associations.
Henry helps his clients resolve practically any issue that may arise over the course of a construction project, such as:
- Cost estimate disputes
- Design errors
- Contract details
- Defective installation
- And much more
Henry is a member of the American Bar Association, the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Construction Financial Management Association, and the National Home Builders Association. In addition to his memberships, Henry has received multiple awards, such as the Best Lawyers in America — Construction Law, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Senior Statesman, and Philadelphia’s Best Lawyers.
Henry received his B.A. from American University in 1966 and his J.D. from Villanova Law School in 1969.
Gerard J. Cipriani
Gerard Cipriani is a founding partner of Cipriani & Werner. He’s the firm’s senior trial attorney and works mainly with complex litigation issues within the construction industry. Gerard is also experienced in a wide range of construction litigation issues, from subsurface development issues to structural matters.
Gerard is a member of the American Arbitration Association, a Federal Court Mediator, and he’s recognized as a Special Master in Allegheny County’s Expedited Resolution Program. In addition to that, he’s a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Allegheny County Bar Association.
Gerard received his B.A. from the University of Scranton in 1975 and his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 1978.
Craig Fleischmann
Craig Fleischmann of the Fleischmann Law Firm, P.C., has extensive experience with both public and private projects, representing clients from all levels of the construction industry. Although he’s a master of many areas of construction law, the law firm specializes in disputes, contracts, and liens.
Craig has taken an active role in the construction community by lecturing on construction law issues like the Pennsylvania Contractor and Subcontractor (CASPA), the Prompt Pay Act under the Commonwealth Procurement Code, the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA), and many others.
On top of that, he’s a member of many groups, serving as past-chair of Construction and Public Contract and Public Law Committee, and as a current member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Land Title Association.
He uses his experience to assist his clients with:
- Project development
- Contracts
- Execution
- Mechanics Liens
- Bidding
Craig received his J.D. from Penn State in 1989, and his B.S. from Drexel University in 1987.
Frederick J. Gerngross
Frederick Gerngross, of the Black and Gerngross Law Firm, assists his clients with a wide array of commercial transactions in real estate, design, development, construction, commercial real estate licensing, and much more.
During his career, he’s represented sureties, owners, designers, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers helping them in local, national, and international construction matters.
As a member of the AAA, he regularly acts as a private and appointed arbitrator to resolve disputes between real estate and construction professionals and their bonding companies. Fred’s a member of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and American Bar Associations. He’s also a member of the General Building Contractors Association of Philadelphia.
Fred received his J.D. from Villanova in 1984 and his B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1981.
Christopher T. Restak
Christopher Restak is an experienced architect as well as a general building contractor and construction attorney. He’s a member of the Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and American Bar Associations, and chiefly assists his clients in matters concerning:
- Construction defect and claim prosecution
- Mechanics liens
- Stop notices
- Design malpractice
- Construction personal injury
- Contract review
- Drafting and negotiation of leases
- And much more
Christopher represents real estate developers, lenders, general building contractors, architects, designers, owners, and other parties in the matters listed above. With over 20 years of experience in construction law, Christopher is a graduate of the Pratt Institute School of Architecture, and he got his J.D. from Penn State University.
Find Answers to Your Payment and Legal Concerns in Philadelphia and Beyond
We hope this list has helped you get a better idea of the construction lawyers in the Philadelphia area. Visit our Attorney Network to view other construction attorneys around the country. Contractors, subs, and suppliers on any project have a lot of unique issues, disputes, and hassles to deal with compared with many other industries. That’s why it’s useful to know where to turn when you need help navigating the unique challenges that come with construction work. Visit the Payment Help Center to ask questions and get answers from construction lawyers in your area!