Venable Launches Chicago Office and Adds Construction Law Group

CHICAGO – Venable LLP is pleased to announce that it is opening an office in Chicago with the addition of three Chicago-based partners and three associates who focus on construction law. These additions are accompanied by six construction law practitioners who have joined other Venable offices – three partners and two senior counsel in New York, and one partner in Washington, D.C.

Kenneth M. Roberts, Heidi Hennig Rowe, and Mark C. Friedlander, partners, and three associates, reside in the new Chicago office. James E. Frankel, Brian G. Lustbader, and Gary L. Rubin, partners, and Peter J. Kiernan and Sayward “Woody” Mazur, senior counsels, reside in the firm’s New York office. Amanda Schermer MacVey, a partner, resides in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Their professional achievements have consistently been recognized on the group and individual levels with such accolades as: consistent recognition as a premier practice by Chambers USA in its annual rankings, with six of the attorneys ranked as top lawyers by the publication in 2020; “Practice of the Year” from 2018-2020 by Law 360; national group recognition in 2020 by The Legal 500, and “Law Firm of the Year: Litigation – Construction” in 2020 by US News – Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms.

Roberts concentrates his practice in the field of construction law, project controls, and procurement contracts, particularly on behalf of owners in the energy industry and on government infrastructure projects. He is consulted on a daily basis by procurement and risk management departments concerning every aspect of planned or ongoing construction projects and is currently working on three mega-infrastructure projects.

Rowe, who has significant experience in contract drafting and the negotiation of design and construction contracts, handles more than a billion dollars in contracts on an annual basis for projects throughout the country.

Frankel focuses his practice on providing innovative front-end project structuring, transactional documentation, and contentious dispute resolution to the owner, architect, engineering, and construction communities.

Friedlander has consistently been at the forefront of construction and design law. He is widely recognized as one of the country’s leading pioneers in innovative project delivery structures.

Lustbader concentrates on construction contract drafting and negotiation; alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration; and general litigation. His negotiation skills allow him to provide maximum value to his clients during all phases of a construction project.

MacVey’s practice is focused on the representation of owners, design professionals, developers, and contractors throughout the construction process.

Rubin is a thoughtful strategist and forceful advocate who helps owners and contractors with a variety of construction law needs. His experience in litigation and alternative dispute resolution has cemented his reputation as a leader and innovator who understands the complex landscape.

Kiernan focuses on infrastructure development, construction, public law, public pension, public finance, and government relations. He spent more than 40 years in government service, private law practice, and real estate development and investment.

Mazur is a construction adviser, litigator, transaction lawyer, arbitrator-mediator, and appellate lawyer with more than four decades of experience providing counsel on virtually every aspect of private and public construction law.