Josh Leavitt

Experience

Josh has handled matters involving dozens of building systems and technologies on a variety of project types, including:

-Stadiums and recreational facilities

-Process, manufacturing, and chemical plants

-Oil refineries and utilities

-Bio-fuel, wind, solar, and other alternative energy plants

-Hospitals and other medical buildings

-Museums and theaters

-Rail and airports

-Industrial buildings and warehouses

-Boilers, furnaces, heat exchangers, hydraulic cylinders, wind turbines, and other large equipment installations

-High-rises, condominiums, co-ops, residences, hotels, and parking garages

-Supertall buildings

-Government buildings

-Roads, bridges, and tunnels

-Quarries and breakwaters

-Universities and elementary, middle, and high schools

-Modular and 3D printing installations

Practice Areas

Josh serves as co-chair of the Construction practice at Much, where he advises clients on a range of construction law matters, including disputes, contracts, licensing, due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, and industry risk. Josh focuses on the middle and upper markets, representing both mid-level entities and worldwide leaders in the construction space.

With more than 35 years of experience, Josh has handled all manner of construction law matters for U.S. domestic and overseas clients, including owners, contractors, architects, engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, developers and commercial landlords and tenants.

On the disputes side, Josh leads litigation and alternative dispute resolution involving the full spectrum of construction claims, such as delays and disruption, defects, change orders, and insurance coverage. He has presented and cross-examined numerous expert witnesses, including structural, mechanical, soil, instrumentation, control system, process, and chemical engineers; material scientists; roofing, HVAC, and other building system consultants; standard of care, estimating, scheduling, and damages experts; and developer, construction, and lending experts.

On the transactions side, Josh counsels clients on delivery system selection, contracts, and risk management. He drafts, negotiates, and advises clients on a wide range of construction, design, and EPC project agreements. Josh has a niche practice leading due diligence efforts in acquisitions and reorganizations involving construction and engineering firms. These clients call on him to identify, assess, and address risks of troubled projects for both sell-side and buy-side engagements.

Professional Memberships

Josh serves on the Board of Advisors of Jupiter Intelligence, the leading provider of predictive data and analytics for climate risk and resilience. He is a past president of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys, and he is an elected Fellow of the prestigious American College of Construction Lawyers.

Josh has accepted an invitation to join the prestigious Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.

Publications

Josh lectures and writes on construction and design law topics, including delay and disruption claims, construction damages, liability of design professionals and contractors, electronic discovery, mediation and arbitration strategies, ADR clauses, construction defects, and claims prevention techniques. He is a thought leader on advanced and emerging delivery system choices, construction law issues on global infrastructure and P3 projects, insurance coverage, green building and sustainability, 3D printing and advanced manufacturing, construction industry liability with respect to climate change, and other technology and due diligence in industry acquisitions.

Josh has been a frequent panelist for Practicing Law Institute's (PLI) national construction law symposium in New York. He has served annually since 2007 as a panelist for PLI's Commercial Real Estate Institute and more recently as the event's national co-chair. In 2021, he co-founded PLI's annual infrastructure program.

Personal

Josh supports many charitable organizations through his pro bono work. He was appointed by his local school board to serve on a committee that oversaw a large high school design and construction project. In 2016, Josh was a member of the Legal Working Group that helped develop the City of Chicago’s Olympic bid.

Education