Paul M. James is a partner with the national Construction Industry Practice Group of Holland & Knight and resides in the firm's Boston office where he serves as the Regional Practice Group Leader. In 2010, the Boston Construction Industry Practice was ranked "First Tier" by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. Mr. James concentrates his practice in construction law and litigation, government contracts and alternative dispute resolution. He focuses on the representation of general contractors, at-risk construction managers and design-build contractors, as well as project owners and developers on a wide range of private and public projects. His practice includes: structuring project delivery methods and structuring, negotiating and drafting construction, design, construction management, program management, EPC and turnkey contracts; structuring and drafting joint venture and teaming agreements; advising clients on contract interpretation and contract and project administration for commercial, institutional, and public building projects and public works projects; claim avoidance counseling; public procurement laws and bid protests; construction industry labor and employment issues; OSHA matters; change order management; project close-out management; assessment, preparation and defense of claims; litigation and arbitration of construction related disputes; and providing general business advice to construction industry clients.
Mr. James has written and spoken on various construction law and industry topics, including the structuring, negotiation and drafting of major construction industry contract documents and forms, government contracts, construction industry dispute resolution, negotiation theory and practice, construction claims, construction project delivery methods, and Massachusetts construction, public procurement and mechanic’s lien laws. Mr. James has been a frequently invited speaker on construction law and construction industry topics by Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts, Construction Industries of Massachusetts and Construction Financial Management Association, as well as a program presenter for the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry, the Boston Bar Association Construction Law Committee, Lorman Education Services, the Massachusetts City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Massachusetts Legal Education, Inc. He has also lectured on construction law topics for Suffolk University Law School.