Architects and Engineers
Our Construction Architects and Engineers practice area is dedicated to providing comprehensive legal services to professionals in the construction industry. We represent architects, engineers, and other design professionals, ensuring their interests are protected and their projects are executed smoothly.
Contract Drafting and Negotiation:
Professional Service Agreements: Drafting and negotiating contracts that clearly define the scope of services, responsibilities, and expectations for architects and engineers.
Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating potential risks through well-structured contracts, ensuring that our clients are protected from undue liability.
Litigation and Dispute Resolution:
Construction Defects: Defending architects and engineers against claims of design and construction defects, ensuring that accusations are thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed.
Professional Negligence: Representing clients in cases of alleged professional negligence, demonstrating adherence to industry standards and due diligence.
Mediation and Arbitration: Resolving disputes through alternative dispute resolution methods, minimizing litigation costs and maintaining professional relationships.
Regulatory Compliance and Licensing:
Licensing Issues: Assisting with licensing applications, renewals, and compliance with state and local regulations for architects and engineers.
Regulatory Defense: Defending clients against allegations of regulatory violations, ensuring that their professional standing and reputation are maintained.
Project Support and Advisory:
Project Management: Providing legal support throughout the lifecycle of construction projects, from initial planning and design to completion and post-construction phases.
Liability and Insurance: Advising on liability issues and insurance coverage, ensuring that clients are adequately protected against potential claims.
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Architects and Engineers Team
Matthew Biondi is a partner in Lydecker’s New Jersey and New York office and has since established a solid reputation across a broad range of legal fields. His practice areas include construction litigation, general liability, New York Labor Law, professional liability, commercial litigation, and insurance coverage. Matthew is skilled at navigating the complex legal landscapes of both New York and New Jersey, where he is fully licensed to practice.
Matthew has developed a focus in defending construction defect claims on behalf of developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals, such as architects and engineers, in New Jersey and New York state and federal courts.
Matthew’s commitment to legal excellence is evident in his meticulous approach to case preparation and client advocacy. His analytical skills and comprehensive knowledge have led to successful outcomes in numerous high-stakes cases. He is particularly noted for his strategic use of pre-trial motions, which often result in favorable resolutions for his clients.
Upon earning his law degree, Matthew had the honor of serving as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Jamie S. Perri, J.S.C., in the Law Division of Monmouth County. This role provided him with invaluable insights into judicial processes and deepened his understanding of civil litigation, directly influencing his practical and thorough approach to legal challenges.
In addition to his courtroom achievements, Matthew is dedicated to the legal community, regularly contributing to legal journals and speaking at conferences focused on his areas of expertise.
Matthew’s professional principles are characterized by a steadfast commitment to justice and integrity, making him a respected figure in the legal profession and a trusted advocate for his clients.
Mr. Conto is a Partner at the firm’s Boca Raton Office. Mr. Conto began his career in law representing corporations in legal matters concerning maritime law. Mr. Conto then joined a well-known litigation defense firm with offices throughout Florida. There he focused his practice on defending corporations in construction defect matters, premises liability matters and negligent security matters involving claims of wrongful death. He also represented insurance companies in high exposure first-party property disputes.
At Lydecker Mr. Conto is concentrating his practice on defending developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, environmental consultants, product manufacturers and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts arising from the construction and use of real property. Mr. Conto has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation including trials, summary judgment proceedings and mediations.
Anoop Desai is an associate in Lydecker’s Orlando office, where his practice is focused on construction defect litigation and complex civil matters. These representations include construction and design defect disputes, construction transactions, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental/pollution claims and construction accident claims.
Mr. Desai handles matters involving construction and design defects, construction delay claims, payment and lien disputes, breach of contract, professional liability, and regulatory issues. He is known for his practical, detail-oriented approach and commitment to achieving efficient, results-driven outcomes for his clients throughout all phases of litigation, including pre-suit resolution, mediation, arbitration, and trial.
Anoop earned his J.D. from Barry University School of Law and his B.S. from the University of Miami. While in law school, he served on the Executive Board of Phi Alpha Delta and gained valuable experience that informs his strategic approach to complex litigation.
Michael Goldman is a Partner at the firm’s New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania offices. His practice focuses in the area of employment law. Michael represents employers across a multitude of industries in litigation related to employment discrimination claims, wage and hour claims, and restrictive covenants. He also counsels clients on best practices.
Michael has extensive civil litigation experience and handles cases from inception through trial. He regularly appears in federal and state courts, as well as in administrative law and dispute resolution forums. Prior to joining the firm, Michael practiced as an associate at a prominent New Jersey firm, concentrating his practice in defense litigation on behalf of private and public entities, with an emphasis on tort liability, labor and employment law, and civil rights defense. He also represented clients in the areas of wage and hour claims, commercial litigation, construction law, and education law. Earlier in his career, Michael was an associate at a well-known litigation boutique where he focused his practice on representing public entities in matters involving tort liability, labor and employment law, and civil rights defense. Michael has been selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star list from 2019-2023.
Jonathan J. Levy is of counsel to the firm and based out of the Boca Raton office. Mr. Levy’s practice includes Construction and Design Defect claims focusing on defending developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, including architects, engineers, and surveyors, as well as environmental consultants, and product manufacturers.
A large portion of Mr. Levy’s practice involves construction and design defect disputes, including representation of clients during the Chapter 558 pre-suit process, litigation and arbitration.
Additionally, Mr. Levy has experience working on construction transactions matters, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental/pollution claims, design claims, and construction accident claims.
Mr. Levy joined the firm in March 2022. Prior to joining the firm Mr. Levy was an associate attorney at a boutique law firm specializing in Foreclosure Defense, Complex Business and Commercial Litigation, Appellate Advocacy, and Corporate Transactional Law.
Mr. Levy obtained his law degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law in 2019. During law school Mr. Levy served on the executive board for the Jewish Law Society and was a student delegate at AIPAC Policy Conference. Mr. Levy was also a law clerk at NSU’S Berger Entrepreneurship Clinic, providing legal work to underserved small businesses, and achieved Dean’s List for multiple semesters. Prior to law school Mr. Levy worked for high tech companies in Tel-Aviv, Israel, garnering substantial international business experience.
Matthew is a partner in our Philadelphia and New Jersey offices and a seasoned civil litigator with extensive experience representing clients in administrative proceedings and in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels. His diverse practice encompasses complex litigation matters, with a strong focus on construction litigation, professional liability, general liability, commercial litigation, insurance-related disputes, and the defense and counseling of clients in the financial services industry.
Construction
Matthew has developed a particular emphasis in defending developers, contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in public and private construction disputes. He regularly handles matters involving construction defects, accidents, and contract disputes, and serves as outside counsel to contractors in Pennsylvania and New Jersey on issues including contract negotiation, risk transfer, and construction payment claims. For example, Matthew practice includes:
- Representing a national engineering firm in a multi-day, seven-figure arbitration over a public project dispute, resulting in a favorable settlement;
- Defending numerous engineering and architectural firms in construction defect litigation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania;
- Representing developers, general contractors, and subcontractors in construction defect litigation involving low-, mid-, and high-rise projects;
- Defending developers and contractors in seven- and eight-figure construction accident cases; and
- Defending residential contractors in construction defect, warranty, consumer fraud, and breach of contract claims.
Professional Liability
In the professional liability space, Matthew is widely recognized for his defense of attorneys, insurance brokers, real estate professionals, title agents, accountants, and other licensed professionals in malpractice actions, licensing board matters, and disciplinary proceedings. Notable successes include:
- Securing summary judgment for a New Jersey law firm and its principal in a legal malpractice action in federal court;
- Successfully defending commercial and residential real estate brokers in post-transaction litigation;
- Defending a title agency against mortgage fraud allegations and an accounting firm in a malpractice dispute;
- Representing financial professionals in FINRA proceedings, including suitability claims brought by investors; and
- Resolving numerous legal and insurance broker malpractice claims through early resolution.
Insurance Coverage
Matthew also has a robust insurance coverage practice, representing insurers in high-stakes disputes involving complex policy interpretations and bad faith allegations. He has:
- Secured dismissals for insurance carriers in a declaratory judgment and breach of contract actions;
- Successfully represented insurance carriers in coverage litigation before state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels affirming no duty to defend or indemnify;
- Represented a reinsurer in an insurance coverage action; and
- Represented a hospital in a multi-year insurance coverage battle involving multiple appeals.
Commercial Litigation
Outside of the insurance context, Matthew also represents individuals and corporate clients in sophisticated, high-profile commercial disputes involving business dissolution, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, trade secrets, products liability, and employment-related matters including ERISA, discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and wrongful termination claims such as:
- Defended corporate clients in matters involving business dissolution, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and trade secrets;
- Defended companies and their owners in corporate raiding cases;
- Successfully represented an owner of a closely held corporation in a judicial dissolution action and a breach of fiduciary duty action;
- Successfully defended a national staffing agency and various employees in a corporate raiding matter; and
- Successfully represented medical professionals in RICO, insurance fraud, and licensure cases.
Matthew’s strategic, results-driven approach and breadth of experience make him a trusted advisor to professionals, insurers, and corporate clients facing complex and high-stakes litigation.
Spencer Mallard is a Board Certified Construction Lawyer with a statewide practice in all facets of construction and oversees the Firm’s construction practice. Mr. Mallard represents developers, general contractors, design professionals, environmental consultants, subcontractors and product manufacturers in a variety of contexts. These representations include construction and design defect disputes, construction transactions, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental/pollution claims and construction accident claims.
A large portion of his practice involves construction and design defect disputes, including representation of clients during the Chapter 558 pre-suit process, litigation and arbitration.
Mr. Mallard has handled countless construction and design defect related disputes, including matters premised on building code violations, breaches of statutory implied warranties, contracts, indemnity agreements, and negligence. These disputes include alleged water intrusion through building exteriors, structural instability/cracking/settlement, mechanical/electrical/plumbing/fire suppression system performance/durability issues, inadequate building/site drainage and exterior coating/cladding failures. In addition to defending all clients from these claims, Mr. Mallard frequently represents developers and general contractors in the presentation of pass-through claims. He also has extensive experience litigating and advising on insurance coverage issues pertaining to construction and design defect claims. Mr. Mallard’s practice also includes representation of owners, contractors and design professionals in construction transactions.
This includes drafting/negotiation of contracts, advising clients during planning of developments, assisting with administration the construction process, resolving issues during project close-out and pre-turnover of condominium.
Meliz Martin is a Partner in the firm’s Miami office. Ms. Martin represents developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts arising from the construction and use of real property. These representations include construction and design defect disputes, construction transactions, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental claims, and construction accident claims involving catastrophic injuries. Her practice involves disputes arising from water intrusion through building exteriors; structural integrity; mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire suppression system performance issues; inadequate site drainage; and exterior coating and cladding failures.
A large portion of her practice involves construction and design defect disputes, including representation of clients during the Chapter 558 pre-suit process, litigation and arbitration. Ms. Martin’s practice involves all aspects of federal and state trial litigation. She has taken hundreds of depositions and has attended hundreds of hearings. She obtained favorable results in the vast majority of these matters.
Ms. Martin’s litigation philosophy involves having an eye towards detail, this is especially true in design and construction litigation, as these claims have multiple parties and voluminous multiyear records for the life span of a construction project. Equally important is a focus on plaintiffs’ claims, which typically involve tens of hundreds of defect items. Understanding these complex facts and issues facilitates opportunities for risk transfer and early resolution of matters.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Martin was practicing in the areas of condominium and homeowners association, construction and real estate litigation.
Eric McAliley brings more than two decades of legal experience to his representation of professionals in E&O claims and of clients with respect to high exposure personal injury and CGL claims. He draws on his education in accounting/tax, and unique prior career experience in engineering with Pratt & Whitney and the South Florida Water Management District to bring added value to his practice.
Eric defends cases on behalf of clients involving E&O Claims including, legal malpractice, negligence, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and other common law and statutory claims. Eric represents attorneys, financial professionals, including securities brokers-dealers, accountants, retail and wholesale brokers and insurance agents. Eric also is part of the Appellate Practice team and handles all types of appellate proceedings and provides litigation support services to trial counsel by developing effective strategies at the trial level in anticipation of an appeal.
Eric’s CGL practice consists of defending claims involving physical and emotional injuries including, but not limited to, automobile negligence, negligent security, premises liability, 1983 claims, and intentional torts. With respect to claims against governmental entities, Eric regularly handles cases involving complex issues of constitutional law, sovereign immunity, civil rights, torts, and common law claims.
Eric also serves as trial counsel for the firm’s clients and carriers and assists with the firm’s trial teams.
Mark Mercer is Of Counsel in Lydecker’s Los Angeles and San Diego office. He has over 20 years of experience representing companies and public agencies on complex legal issues. His career legal started with personal injury defense, which then lead him to representing sureties in construction litigation. From there, his practice transitioned to the public sector where he represented and advised public agencies with a variety of construction and environmental compliance issues. In addition, to practicing construction law, Mark has worked in other areas of the law such as real estate, project entitlement and insurance coverage.
Robert Pariser supervises a talented team of attorneys who practice in the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania offices. The attorneys I collaborate with are comprised of former educators, prosecutors, law clerks to state and federal judges and insurance professionals.
Robert Pariser’s legal practice focuses on the defense of claims against professionals (E&O, A&B, LPL or MPL), directors and officers (D&O) and against employers (EPL). Mr. Pariser represents design professionals (A&E) and other real estate professionals, including managing agents, appraisers, title agents, condo and co-op boards and developers in various disputes. On behalf of construction owners and managers, he defends claims prosecuted by injured workers brought pursuant to the New York Labor Law.
Robert Pariser also represent clients on other types of discrimination claims, including alleged civil rights violations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Robert Pariser defends environmental cases, involving mold, asbestos and ground contamination.
Robert Pariser represents public and private educators in breach of contract, employment, bullying, failing to promote and in due process matters.
Robert Pariser has had election, stock redemption, auction, foreclosure/ sheriff sale, false arrest, prosecutorial misconduct disputes. Robert Pariser has been on the New York Metro Super Lawyers list from 2011-present.
Mr. Patten is a Partner at Lydecker’s New York and New Jersey offices. He serves in the commercial litigation department where he works on third party insurance defense, including General Liability Defense, Bodily Injury Defense, New York Labor Law Defense, Construction Defect Litigation, Architects & Engineers litigation, Products Liability, and a variety of other civil litigation issues. Mr. Patten has litigated countless cases involving wrongful death and catastrophic accidents/injuries at construction sites, including claims brought under New York Labor Laws section 200, 240, and 241.
In addition, Mr. Patten is an expert in automobile negligence defense. He has been working in the auto negligence industry for the majority of his career and manages complex cases involving multi-vehicle accidents and catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. Mr. Patten provides legal guidance on issues involving vicarious liability, indemnity, as well as non-permissive use. He has experience in both trial and arbitration settings, reaching final judgments, verdicts, and beneficial settlements for his auto negligence clients.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Mr. Patten was a prosecutor for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office where he obtained extensive trial experience prosecuting criminal misdemeanor and felony level charges. Mr. Patten also prosecuted for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families, where he litigated dependency issues and termination of parental rights cases.
Mr. Patten received his Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in the top 3% of his class. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in History, Cum Laude, from St. John’s University in Minnesota.
While in law school, Mr. Patten served as Editor-in-Chief for the St. Thomas Law Review, as well as Student Bar Association President. Mr. Patten also tutored students in property law and worked as an intern for the Honorable Judge John O’Sullivan in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Andrew is an attorney in Lydecker’s Orlando office. Andrew represents clients in a variety of construction related disputes including construction and design defect, transactional, contract drafting, review and negotiation, construction contract disputes, construction delay claims and licensure/regulatory matters.
Andrew provides a full-service practice to clients, providing advice at all states of a construction project from initial contract creation, mid-project disputes, termination and all phases of litigation from pre-suit to final disposition. Andrew has handles construction disputes throughout the State of Florida representing developers, general contractors and subcontractors at mediation, arbitration and trial. He also has extensive experience in general civil litigation in a variety of civil matters including residential finance and insurance defense.
Thomas Stevenson is an attorney in Lydecker’s Orlando office where he represents design professionals, developers, contractors, and subcontractors in construction related disputes, including representation for litigation, mediation, arbitration, contract drafting, and licensure issues. Thomas has experience handling matters from inception to disposition, including appellate matters. Thomas represents these clients throughout the State of Florida.
Thomas also has experience handling cases involving insurance litigation and appellate practice. Thomas has also worked in an advisory role when he was in-house counsel for a loss assessment and engineering company; Thomas was also exposed to collection matters there. Further, Thomas has also represented clients in tax matters and has defended clients against the IRS and Florida Department of Revenue, including pre and post assessment matters and tax court litigation.
Thomas is originally from Wisconsin before starting law school in Orlando, Florida in 2017 where he earned his Juris Doctorate in 2019 from Barry School of Law. Thereafter, he earned an LLM in Taxation from the University of Florida, graduating in 2020. Researching case law and articulating it are passions of his. Further, Thomas tends to approach cases from a variety of perspectives to achieve best results for clients.
J.W. Webb is a Litigation Partner in the firm’s Orlando office, where he maintains an active trial and civil litigation practice in Federal and State Courts throughout Florida.
Mr. Webb has considerable experience dealing with automobile negligence, arson, medical malpractice, premise liability and product liability cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Mr. Webb has also handled cases dealing with bad faith, commercial transaction disputes, construction defects, declaratory actions, land disputes and property damage. He has successfully tried cases in Brevard, Broward, Marion, Orange, Palm Beach, Seminole, and Volusia Counties.
Mr. Webb began his legal career with Hightower and Rudd, P.A. a Miami based insurance defense firm. Shortly after joining the firm, Mr. Webb became the managing attorney of its West Palm Beach office.
After two years in practice, Mr. Webb was invited to join Kubicki Draper, P.A. a State-wide insurance defense firm, where he became a shareholder and was chosen by the firm’s managing partner to start its Orlando Office, which he ran for six years before opening his own law firm.
Mr. Webb has given lectures throughout the country on many subjects during his career. He lectures to insurance carriers on issues ranging from hospital liens and personal injury protection to complicated medial claims and high exposure cases.
Mr. Webb is licensed to practice law in all Florida State Courts and the . He has also served as a Guardian ad Litem for children in the Central Florida area.
Mr. Webb graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas in 1989 with a B.A. in business and a concentration in economics. Before going to law school Mr. Webb worked in the business world for a number of years managing companies in Texas, California, Illinois, and Florida.
Mr. Webb returned to his home state of Michigan to obtain his Juris Doctorate – Cum Laude, from Michigan State University. While attending law school, Mr. Webb served as Managing Editor of Business and Production for the Michigan State Law Review, as an intern for United States Federal District Judge Gerald E. Rose, and as a law clerk for the Department of Justice: United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan. During his tenure with the Department of Justice, under the internship section of the program, Mr. Webb functioned as lead counsel for the prosecution and trial of numerous misdemeanor cases.
