Stephen Brett Shapiro

Practice Areas

Construction | Government Contracts | Litigation and Dispute Resolution | International Arbitration and Litigation | Construction Transactions | Public-Private Partnerships | Risk and Crisis Management | International Energy

Career

Stephen B. Shapiro is an attorney and firmwide Construction Industry Practice Group leader in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., and New York offices. He focuses on domestic and international construction, government contracts, commercial litigation and public-private partnerships. Building on his experience representing contractors and public and private owners, Mr. Shapiro has developed in-depth knowledge of infrastructure, industrial and commercial construction. This experience is derived from working on oil, gas, power, rail, water, wastewater and building projects throughout the world. Mr. Shapiro also has an extensive background in public contracting and government contracts, including procurement, dispute resolution and compliance issues.

Mr. Shapiro has served as lead counsel in complex disputes tried before courts, boards and arbitration tribunals throughout the world. He is a Fellow in the Construction Lawyers Society of America and member of the board of directors of the Associated General Contractors of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., and is a frequent speaker on topics relevant to the construction industry. He also has published numerous professional articles and contributed to several industry textbooks.

Professional Memberships

Associated General Contractors of America, Board Member; Service & Supply Council, Chair; Federal Acquisition Committee, Past Chair

American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry

American Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section

American Bar Association, Litigation Section

American Bar Association, Public Contract Law Section

Washington Building Congress

Trial Law Institute

Diversity Law Institute

District of Columbia Bar Association

New York Bar Association

Virginia Bar Association

Consulting Constructors' Council of America

Work Highlights

Energy

-Represent an international engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor in a $4.5 billion international arbitration arising from the construction of an oil refinery in South America

-Represent an European EPC contractor as project and claims counsel in connection with multiple electrical power production facility in Central America and the Caribbean

-Represented an international turbine manufacturer in two federal court disputes involving large EPC contractors on power plant construction projects

-Serves as project counsel for the owner of a major offshore wind power project with major components being fabricated in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia

-Represents an EPC contractor in connection with claims and disputes arising from a hydroelectric power facility

-Served as project counsel for a joint venture formed by three of the largest industrial and infrastructure contractors in the world; scope of work includes advice on all legal issues associated with an EPC contract to build a $6 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility

-Served as arbitrator in a dispute involving an EPC contract for a solar power generating facility; this case involved complex engineering and damage issues that resulted in a five-day hearing

Infrastructure

-Represent a large international contractor in connection with multiple design and construction disputes involving three state highway projects

-Represented design-builders, general contractors and owners on rail and subway projects throughout the United States

-Served as litigation counsel multiple disputes involving water and wastewater treatment plant contracts

-Represents the owner in connection with a $100 million dispute arising from a design-build bridge construction project

-Provide advice to a consortium of three of the world's largest international infrastructure contractors in connection with a public-private partnership to upgrade a state highway; this matter also involves representing the joint venture in disputes that total approximately $100 million

-Represent one of the largest infrastructure contractors in the world in connection with two separate multibillion-dollar tunnel projects to construct a highway below the Chesapeake Bay; assignment includes project advice, assisting with claim development and dispute resolution

-Represented a large international contractor in a dispute arising from a dredging project in the navigable waters of San Juan, Puerto Rico

-Represented a large international contractor in a $60 million dispute with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers involving a dam construction project

Healthcare and Laboratory Facilities

-Represented several contractors in claims and disputes arising from the construction of laboratory and research facilities at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland

-Represented a design-build contractor on a laboratory construction project at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta

-Represented the owner of new hospital construction in Manhattan in connection with contract administration and claims

-Represented the general contractor in connection with claims and disputes arising from a testing facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland

-Represented a university in drafting contract agreements and administering claims and disputes on hospital construction project in New York

Sports and Entertainment Facilities

-Represented the general contractor in an arbitration with the electrical contractor in connection with the expansion of perhaps one of the most iconic and well-known college football stadiums in the United States

-Represent the owner of the iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in all aspects of its $200 million upgrade and expansion project

-Represented the general contractor in a dispute involving the construction of a state-of-the-art performing arts center on a large public university campus

-Represented one of the largest building contractors in the U.S. in a dispute with the owner of a high-profile museum in Maryland; the case involved a cutting-edge design and was built for a high-net-worth individual for his own purposes and to serve the public

Commercial and Residential

-Represent an international building contractor in claims and disputes with the owner of a signature high-rise condominium in Baltimore, Maryland; case involves multiple claims by the general contractor and several large subcontractors that have resulted in disputes

-Serve as arbitrator in a dispute involving a contract to renovate a historic hotel in Washington, D.C.; this was a multiparty dispute involving complex construction and damage issues

-Represented the prime contractor and key subcontractors involving a high-profile $80 million dispute with the owner of mixed-use residential, retail, hotel and garage facility in Washington, D.C.; case involved litigation with the owner and insurers in New York and the District of Columbia

-Represented a public authority in New York in a 36 party federal court litigation arising from the construction of "vertical campus" for a public college in Manhattan; this case is notable for establishing the law in New York on several important construction issues

-Represented a single-purpose entity in a dispute involving the construction of a multistory residential complex located in Washington, D.C.; the matter was resolved as a result of extensive negotiations between the interested parties