Baker Botts represents owners, developers, investors, lenders, government entities, contractors, subcontractors, designers, engineers, architects, suppliers and vendors in all aspects of engineering, procurement and construction in projects around the world. One of our core strengths is our knowledge of the construction industry: its practices, language, market norms and pressures of project delivery in every sector worldwide.

Our experience covers the entire life span of a project, from licensing and permitting, site acquisition and easements, development, design, engineering, bidding, procurement, contracting and contract administration through to dispute avoidance strategies and dispute resolution. Our multidisciplinary practice is fully integrated and includes counselling clients on:

• bid documents
• contract terms and conditions
• insurance and bonding
• joint ventures, affiliations and business structuring
• concessions
• licensing and authority to do business
• intellectual property
• land use, environmental and safety issues
• financing

Contract Drafting and Negotiations

Our practice involves virtually all types of energy and infrastructure projects, including upstream and downstream oil & gas, electric power generation and transmission, renewable energy, hydrogen, pipelines, LNG liquefaction and regasification facilities, refineries, terminals, production platforms, vessels and transportation systems, airports and telecommunications, as well as all kinds of commercial, industrial and residential construction, including healthcare facilities, multi-family residential and condominium projects, hotels and resorts, museums, sports facilities and public buildings, office towers, manufacturing facilities, rehabilitation of historic structures, research facilities, casinos and entertainment complexes. We have served as counsel in connection with privately financed initiatives and public-private partnerships for projects both in the U.S. and internationally, and have provided related legal advice concerning organizational structure, financing (including a wide array of debt and equity vehicles), feasibility assessment and governmental relations matters, as well as construction and design issues.

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Contract Administration

With the increasing size and complexity of projects, we see growing demand from clients for ongoing advice and assistance in the administration of contracts on a day-to-day basis in every sector. This work ranges from assistance with change orders, certifications, compliance (code, life safety and other regulatory), insurance and risk management and protection of confidential and proprietary information and designs, to claims counseling, dispute avoidance and pre-dispute strategies.

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Construction Disputes

With respect to construction disputes, our range of clients gives us insight into the concerns, motivations and likely tactics of all parties to any issue that may arise. We aim to facilitate dispute resolution swiftly when possible, minimize disruption to the project and preserve relationships. When early resolution is not possible, we focus on the prosecution and/or defense of claims, whether through arbitration, mediation, facilitated negotiation or litigation. The firm’s international arbitration and dispute resolution practice, based in offices in throughout the U.S. and in London, Dubai and Hong Kong, is fully integrated with our construction practice, and benefits from our lawyers’ deep understanding of the construction process and the way construction contracts are structured and operated. Our integrated team draws upon the added construction knowledge of our front-end experience, combined with our advocacy, to provide our clients with excellent value.

Our construction team includes lawyers who hold chartered civil engineering qualifications and have been employed by Fortune 100 companies, renowned international consulting and engineering firms, major hotel chains, global developers, and ENR 100 contractors and engineers with respect to the design, construction and project/contract management of large scale projects throughout the world. We apply our construction knowledge to the operation and management of such projects.

Baker Botts’ wide range of supporting practice areas -- such as regulatory, environmental, intellectual property and technology, tax, finance and securities, international trade, real estate and government contracts law -- ensures that all aspects of each matter are addressed.

Read more about our services in construction disputes.