Arlan D. Lewis

Practice Areas

Construction.

Career

Arlan is a partner at Blueprint Construction Counsel, LLP. From 2020-2022, Arlan served as the Chair of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, the largest organization of construction lawyers in the world. Before joining Blueprint, he was a partner in the construction practice group of an Am Law 200 firm based in Birmingham, Alabama.

Arlan’s legal career has been devoted exclusively to construction law. He completed his undergraduate studies in architecture and further pursued his interest in the industry by practicing construction law. He represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, developers and other construction industry participants on various issues arising out of complex commercial and industrial construction projects in the private and public sectors.

Arlan has developed substantial experience in negotiating and drafting EPC, design-build, construction management, design, procurement, joint venture, and other agreements related to the construction industry. He frequently advises clients on a variety of issues that arise during the performance of a project, including concerns about payment, changes, delays, acceleration, inefficiencies, licensing, termination, project suspension, defective work, indemnity, and other project issues. Arlan represents clients in all aspects of litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings, including mediation and arbitration. He has represented several entities ranked in Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 on various projects in the USA and internationally. He has been trained in the Harvard program on negotiation methods, and clients value his ability to balance practical business objectives with legal issues to provide appropriate risk management solutions.

Arlan frequently speaks nationally on construction legal issues and conducts client training sessions specifically tailored to each client team.

Personal

JD, Vanderbilt University School of Law (1996); Bachelor of Architecture, Hampton University (1993).

Professional Memberships

• ABA Forum on Construction Law

• Alabama State Bar (Construction Industry Section and Dispute Resolution Section)

• Federal Bar Association

• Birmingham Bar Association

• The Jefferson Society (an organization of individuals possessing both architecture and law degrees)

Publications

• Co-Author, “Subrogation Waivers,” The Construction Lawyer, Vol. 31, Number 4, (Fall 2011);

• Author, Alabama Chapter in the State-By-State Guide to Architect, Engineer, and Contractor Licensing, (Aspen Law Publications - First Edition 1999; Second Edition 2013);

• Author, “Project Delivery Systems” Chapter in the Alabama Construction Law Manual, Thomson-West, 2009;

• Author, Alabama Chapter in “A State-By-State Guide to Construction and Design Law,” American Bar Association (2008); and

• Co-Author, “Risk Management in Design-Build” chapter in Handling Construction Risks: Allocate Now or Litigate Later, Practising Law Institute (1999).

Education

Awards