Construction
Washington State Construction Law Experts
Construction law is a niche area with many complexities, but our decades of experience allow us to simplify and successfully resolve thorny issues and disputes. The Clausen Law Firm acts as a partner to owners, developers, contractors and tradespeople to help them successfully build their projects.
Getting expert construction lawyers involved from the start means protecting yourself with airtight contracts and proactive legal advice. If disputes do arise, we can help you handle them without jeopardizing the project.
We have handled more than $100 million in construction claims. Our clients benefit from our experience with a wide range of construction projects, including the following:
- Custom Residential
- Shopping Centers/Retail
- Warehouse/Industrial
- Medical/Dental
- Public Works
- Restaurants
- General Commercial
- Apartment/Condominiums
We pride ourselves on our knowledge of the construction industry, and as part of our commitment to keeping that knowledge up to date, Clausen Law is an active member of the Associated Builders and Contractors trade association.
Highlighted Projects
Construction Law Services
Contract Drafting
We draft, revise and interpret complex construction and design-build contracts, as well as joint-venture, partnership and LLC agreements for major development and construction projects in Washington State. We can also draft simple, easy-to-read agreements for smaller contracts and sub-contracts. Our creative drafting and risk-avoidance strategies help clients address contingencies that can arise before and during construction.
Claims and Litigation
CLF attorneys have handled dozens of multimillion dollar lawsuits for construction defect issues on both commercial and residential projects, as well as multiparty contract disputes among owners, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. We are intimately familiar with insurance coverage and construction issues that dominate these cases.
Liens and Collections
CLF represents owners, general contractors, developers and subcontractors in construction lien, collection and foreclosure actions. We have prepared and recorded hundreds of liens, from simple two-party disputes to multimillion dollar disputes involving dozens of parties. We help clients protect and pursue lien rights and avoid losing money or paying unnecessary claims. Our experience in collecting unpaid debts further ensures that you get paid what you are owed.
Registration and Bonding
Performing construction work in Washington is illegal without proper bonding and registration. Our attorneys work with businesses to ensure the requirements are met and maintained so they can continue working in Washington State. We also help subcontractors and suppliers collect on unpaid claims within applicable bond or insurance limitations.
Case Studies
Mark Clausen knew how to deal with both the insurance company and the other side. He achieved our objectives without costing us a lot of legal fees. We routinely discuss contract language, changes and claims with him and get him involved early.
Scott Olson built a construction company with a focus on rebuilding projects damaged by fire and water intrusion. His company, Remco-Deacon, is particularly active renovating houses, condominiums and other structures that are damaged by the construction defects of other contractors. Mark Clausen has been the company’s lawyer since Scott started the business and represented Scott’s father before that. When Scott’s company itself was accused of defective work by an owner attempting to avoid paying for work performed, Mark Clausen obtained insurance coverage to defend the owner’s claim and obtained payment for Remco in a mediated settlement. Mark then pursued the subcontractor responsible for defective work and obtained a substantial payment for Remco-Deacon’s insurers.
Eugene McCarthy and his company have used Mark Clausen as their attorney for more than a decade. One problem they ran into was a troublesome subcontractor on a project. When they eventually terminated the subcontract and withheld payment, the subcontractor sued. Mark Clausen stepped in, and after pursuing the subcontractor in discovery, the subcontractor gave up the lawsuit without receiving a dime.
We can count on Mark Clausen to be aggressive when we need him to be, and to come up with creative solutions when we need that. I like to get him involved early if I think there’s going to be a problem.
Middle Fork Development hired an electrician to light a large new warehouse. The lighting as installed left large areas of the parking lot in darkness, and some of the lights actually exploded and sprayed shattered glass on the lot. Mark Clausen worked with the owner, contractor, electrician and the electrician’s attorney to fashion a settlement that made the best of the situation. Using money that the light manufacturer had to spend to fix the faulty lights, the parties agreed to replace the defective lights with an LED system. The new system eliminated the dark areas, got rid of the defective lights and also saved the owner thousands in power costs. The electrician received a reduced payment and the litigation was settled.