LAWYER PROFILE

Denis Ducran

USA 2026

Peckar & Abramson, P.C.

Ranked in 1 practice area

Construction

Texas

3 years ranked

About

Provided by Peckar & Abramson, P.C.

USA

Practice Areas

Construction & Infrastructure

Construction Contracts & Risk Management

Career

Denis Ducran is Co-Managing Partner of Peckar & Abramson’s Texas offices and Vice Chair of the firm’s Construction Contracts & Risk Management practice. He is a board certified construction attorney and registered architect specializing in construction industry transactions, risk management, and dispute resolution.

Denis works closely with contractors and others in the construction industry from the inception of projects, through the construction phase, and after completion. His practice focuses on contract negotiations, risk management, and dispute resolution, including regularly trying construction disputes before judges, juries, and arbitrators. A registered architect, Denis is among the select few construction law specialists in the country licensed to practice both law and architecture. His career in the construction industry spans over two decades, beginning with practicing architecture in Houston before transitioning to law. Denis also served for six years as Vice President and General Counsel for an ENR 400 general contractor. This unique blend of professional experience provides him with a fundamental understanding of the risks involved in construction.

Denis is an executive officer for the Construction Management Industry Advisory Board at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, where he has also been an adjunct professor since 2010. He teaches courses in Construction Law and Ethics for undergraduate students, as well as Construction Contract Administration for graduate students. Denis has also been an active member of the Education & Professional Development Committee for the Associated General Contractors Houston Chapter since 2017.

Denis was one of the first attorneys to become Board Certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 2016. He has been consistently recognized by Best Lawyers for his contributions to Construction Law from 2020 to 2026, by Texas Super Lawyers from 2022 to 2025 and by Chambers USA for 2024 and 2025. Denis earned a prominent professional milestone in February 2026, when the Directors of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization appointed him to a three‑year term on the Construction Law Exam Commission. This leadership role contributes directly to the profession by developing and grading the board certification exam for attorneys pursuing specialization in Construction Law.

Professional Memberships

Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, Governing Council, June 2014 – June 2017, Member

Houston Bar Association, Construction Law Section

Construction Management Industry Advisory Board, University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering

Publications

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Houston Seminar; Presenter, “Texas Construction Law Basics,” April 2021, November 2024, June 2025, December 2025

• National Association of Minority Contractors/University of Houston, Presenter, “Fundamentals of Construction Management—Construction Law” October 2023, December 2024

• Construction Financial Management Association—Houston; Presenter, “Mediating a Construction Dispute”, November 2023

• AGC-Texas Building Branch, Presenter, “Contractors v. 2022: Legal Challenges and Practical Solutions” July 2022

• Halfmoon Education Live Webinar, “Preventing and Addressing Construction Defects and Failures in Texas,” October 2021

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Houston Seminar; Presenter, “Texas Construction Law Basics,” April 2021

• Toner Home Matters and Peckar & Abramson Joint Seminar; Presenter, “Texas Mold’em: Responding to a Mold Claim and Tips for Avoiding or Minimizing Them,” February 2021

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Project Manager Development Program (PMDP); Speaker, October 2020

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Peckar & Abramson Joint Seminar; Presenter, “Construction 101: Session 2 - An Overview of Texas Construction Law,” September 2020

• TEXO and Peckar & Abramson Joint Seminar; Presenter, “Construction Law for Contractors,” September 2020.

• AGC Houston Webinar, "Delay Claims - Force Majeure or Merely a Pandemic," May 2020

• Annual CLE for Board-Certified Construction Lawyers, Houston, Texas; Presenter, "Lonergan: The Demise and the Revival", December 2019

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Houston Project Manager Development Program (PMDP) Module: Risk Management, Houston, Texas; Speaker, November 2019

• HalfMoon Education Construction Law Seminar, Houston, Texas; Presenter, "Making Changes and Resolving Disputes During the Construction Process”, June 2019

• Future of the Construction Industry, Houston, Texas; Moderator, "86th Texas Legislative Session Update", June 2019

• AGC Houston Jobsite Innovation Forum, Panelist, "Data Collection – A Work in Progress", March 2019

• The 2017 Annual Conference on ADR, Houston, Texas; Panelist, “Arbitration User’s Panel – A View from the Inside”, May 2017

• 30th Annual Construction Law Conference; San Antonio, Texas; Moderator, “More Insights from In-House”, March 2017

• Houston Bar Association Construction Law Section; Houston Texas; Panelist, “Construction Contract 3 Ways - The Owner, General Contractor and Subcontractor Perspectives”, January 2017

• The Basic Course in Texas Construction Law; Houston, Texas; Presenter, “Public Procurement in Texas”, December 2016

• 29th Annual Construction Law Conference; San Antonio, Texas; Moderator, “In House Perspectives: What keeps us awake at night”, March 2016

• American Bar Association, TIPS Section Conference; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Panelist, “Bridging the Settlement Gap Between Insurers and Insureds”, May 2015

• 28th Annual Construction Law Conference; San Antonio, Texas; Co-Presenter, “Architect, Contractor and Program Manager: Three’s a Crowd?”, March 2015

• ALFA International Conference, Asheville, North Carolina; Panelist, “Project Claims, Defaults and Damages: Making Lemonade out of Lemons”, July 2014

• “How to Grow Responsibly” American Builders Quarterly, July 2014

• “Criminal Contempt Charges Against Immigration Counseling Service Underline a Big Problem in Texas” Texas Lawyer, September 2010

• Co-Author “AIA Contract Documents: Reloaded” Build Houston Magazine, December 2007

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Construction - Texas

Band 4

Individual Editorial

Houston-based Denis Ducran draws on his experience as a registered architect to advise contractors on the litigation, arbitration and mediation of construction disputes. He also advises on the negotiation of construction contracts.

Learn more about this team View ranking table

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Denis has an easy manner of communication and he commands respect because he is right on point each time.
ConstructionChambers Guide to the USA
Denis was in-house for a while, meaning he has an appreciation for business considerations and how those intersect with legal which is very valuable. Denis is responsive, with a deep knowledge of law.
ConstructionChambers Guide to the USA