Levi Barrett

Practice Areas

Construction & Infrastructure

Construction Contracts & Risk Management

Government Contracts

Career

Levi W. Barrett is a Partner in Peckar & Abramson’s New Jersey and New York offices and serves as Co‑Managing Partner of the New Jersey office, Chair of the firm’s Construction Contracts & Risk Management practice, the firm’s Data Center practice, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Levi is a nationally recognized construction transactions attorney who advises contractors, construction managers, owners, and developers on the structuring, negotiation, and execution of complex construction and infrastructure agreements. He regularly leads multidisciplinary teams responsible for the preparation and negotiation of a high volume of sophisticated contract arrangements across the full spectrum of project delivery methods, including Construction Manager-at-Risk, Design-Build, EPC, and Integrated Project Delivery.

His practice is distinguished by a strategic, commercially focused approach to risk allocation and contract architecture. Levi counsels clients on risk mitigation and project planning in connection with both public infrastructure and private development, helping clients structure agreements that align commercial objectives with practical realities. His experience spans a wide range of sectors, including large-scale residential and hospitality developments, transportation and tunneling projects, manufacturing facilities, and mission-critical data centers.

Levi also advises clients on cross-border construction matters, assisting foreign contractors in navigating the U.S. construction market and supporting domestic clients in managing operations and risk abroad. He is frequently engaged in connection with mergers and acquisitions in the construction industry, providing transaction diligence and evaluating contractual risk and project exposure.

Complementing his transactional practice, Levi has substantial experience representing contractors and subcontractors in complex construction disputes involving delay, inefficiency, differing site conditions, constructive changes, extra work, and default claims. This disputes background informs his drafting and negotiation approach, enabling him to anticipate risk and craft practical, enforceable solutions that reduce exposure and preserve project outcomes.

A recognized thought leader in construction law, Levi regularly speaks and writes on advanced topics in contract negotiation, project delivery, and emerging industry risks, including design-build and delegated design structures. He has served as a guest lecturer for master’s level courses in construction law at the University of Stuttgart and Columbia University.

Levi has been recognized by leading industry publications, including Chambers USA and Best Lawyers, for his work in construction law. He is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Professional Memberships

New York City Bar (Construction Law Committee)

Associated General Contractors of America (Construction Leadership Council Steering Committee Member, 2019-2021)

Publications

•“Expert Q&A: Responding to the Impacts of Trump Administration Tariffs on Construction Materials,” Practical Law Real Estate, March 2025 (Co-Author)

•“The Art of Dealing with Tariffs,” AGC WebEd, February 2025 (Presenter)

•“Ask the Authors: Tariffs and the Art of the Price Escalation “Deal”,” P&A Webinar, January 2025 (Presenter)

•“Tariffs and the Art of the Price Escalation “Deal”,” P&A Client Alert, January 2025 (Co-Author)

•“The Collaboration Conundrum – A Better Model for Achieving Design-Build Success” 2024 Construction Super Conference, December 2024 (Presenter)

•“Building a Solid Foundation: Strategies for Operational Risk Management,” Construction Financial Management Association NJ Dinner Meeting, May 2024 (Presenter)

•“Design-Build – All About Alignment” A Third Thursday Interview with Levi W. Barrett, Construction Super Conference, May 2024 (Presenter)

•"New York Revises Retainage Requirements for Private Construction Contracts: Overview of the “5% Retainage Law”,” P&A Client Alert, January 2024 (Co-Author)

•“The Enforceability of “Pay-if-Paid” Provisions Affirmed in New Jersey,” P&A Client Alert, December 2022 (Co-Author)

• “Project Delivery Methods: A Bird’s Eye View,” ConsensusDocs, October 2021 (Co-Author)

• “Selecting the Right Delivery Method for the Job,” Construction Dive, August 2021 (Co-Author)

• “How Will Today’s Pandemic Impact Tomorrow’s Construction Contracts?,” ConsensusDocs Newsletter, October 2020 (co-author)

• "Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Guidance For Contractors," P&A Client Alert, March 2020 (Author)

• “Last Call… On October 31 the AIA Retires the A201-2007 General Conditions – What Does This Mean to You?” – Associated General Contractors of America’s Law in Brief, Volume 4, Issue 4, July 2018 (Author)

• “More Sticks and Bricks – A Practical Guide to Construction Systems and Technology”– American Bar Association Construction Law, July 2018 (Co-Editor)

• “Consent Agreements: A Trap for the Unwary” – Associated General Contractors of America’s Law in Brief, Volume 3, Issue 5, October 2017 (Author

• “Old Dog, New Tricks: What You Need to Know About the 2017 AIA A201 General Conditions” – Associated General Contractors of America’s ConsensusDocs Construction Law Newsletter, Volume 3, Issue 3, June 2017 (Co-Author)

• The 2017 AIA A201 Deskbook, Chapter 3 – ABA Publishing – October 2017 (Co-Author)