Speaker 01.25.24
01.25
Power Play: Game-Changing Strategies for Power Projects
Las Vegas, NV
Laura is a partner in Pillsbury’s Construction Counseling & Dispute Resolution practice.
Laura has significant experience in complex litigation and arbitration, focusing on the areas of construction, engineering and energy-related disputes. She advises contractors and subcontractors, utilities, developers and real estate owners on construction-related issues, such as construction defects, claims of extra work, delay, disruption, acceleration, suspension and termination of contracts. As a former practicing architect, Laura has a solid grasp of a construction project’s technical detail, allowing her to speak the language of her clients and relay that information in everyday terms to judges and juries.
At the intersection of construction and energy, Laura’s practice focuses on large construction-related disputes in the energy sector, including representing a regulated utility in a dispute over termination of a new nuclear power plant, a manufacturer of a replacement steam generator, and a contractor decommissioning a nuclear power plant.
Representative Experience
- Representing a multinational construction and engineering company related to work performed under an EPC contract for a maintenance turnaround at an oil refinery in Montana. Litigation is pending in Federal Court.
- Representing joint-venture general contractor regarding claims on a $3 billion Decommissioning General Contractor Agreement for work decommissioning a nuclear power plant in California.
- Represented joint venture with respect to claims for work performed on refurbishment of nuclear reactors; also assisted negotiating contracts for refurbishment of additional units.
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- Represented major Japanese manufacturer and several of its U.S. subsidiaries in ICC Arbitration in California involving the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) that stemmed from claimed failure of certain critical components manufactured and supplied by our clients with claims exceeding $7 billion. After six-week arbitration, obtained favorable result for client including an award of fees and costs in excess of $58 million as the “prevailing party”.
- Represented Duke Energy defending against Westinghouse’s $482 million claim for termination costs resulting from the termination of an EPC Agreement for the Levy County nuclear power plant. Obtained favorable result after bench trial in federal court in North Carolina.
- Represented owner and obtained complete dismissal of a designer’s lawsuit for damages arising out of dental office renovations.
- Represented general contractor in multiparty lawsuit involving over $35 million in claims related to the fixed and retractable roof at the Stadium project in New York.
- Represented subcontractor to defend against $20 million in claims brought by prime contractor related to the demolition of the old Antler’s Bridge in Shasta County, CA.
- Represented government contractor in federal court litigation in Virginia brought by subcontractor seeking $26 million in total damages for fraud, breach of contract and alleged violations of the Alien Tort Claims Act, among others, successfully negotiated a very favorable confidential settlement.
- Represented contractor against principals of subcontractor on alter ego claim, settling during jury trial in Federal Court in New Jersey on favorable terms.
- Represented international manufacturer of paper production machinery in federal court litigation seeking to enjoin the sale of a paper plant. Obtained dismissal of suit after bench trial in South Carolina.
- Represented contractor defending against multiple subcontractor claims for work on the Seal and Sea Lion Life Support system at the Smithsonian National Zoo.
Professional Highlights
- Super Lawyers, Rising Stars – Washington, DC, Construction Litigation (2014 – 2016)
- Member of Washington Building Congress
- Member of Jefferson Society
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- Serves on the Young Lawyers Alliance Committee of the Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Education
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J.D., The George Washington University Law School, 2007
B.Arch., University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2001
Admissions
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District of Columbia
Virginia