News Briefs
O’Brien Obtains Summary Judgment for Engineer in Construction Defect Case
May 17, 2023
Jim O’Brien focuses his legal practice on the defense of design professionals in the construction industry and employment litigation, including related insurance coverage matters.
Areas of Focus
Design Professionals/Construction
Well-known in New York for his legal practice in the construction litigation arena, Jim has extensive experience defending architects and engineers, construction managers, and others involved in the design and construction process before state and federal courts and in arbitrations and mediations. These matters have involved a wide range of claims, including personal injury, property damage, design defect, delay, differing site condition and breach of contract. Having spent more than 34 years defending architects and engineers’ liability matters, Jim prides himself in the ability to analyze claims and identify opportunities for early, cost-effective resolution. He also imparts his knowledge to others in the field as a lecturer on construction-related claims.
Employment & Labor
Another significant component of Jim’s practice is the defense of matters under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, New York Executive Law Section 296 and similar statutes in matters before New York federal and state courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights and the New York City & Westchester County Commissions on Human Rights. In both the employment and housing contexts, Jim has handled claims for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and age, sex, disability and national origin discrimination.
Jim also regularly provides coverage opinions in connection with a wide variety of construction and employment-related matters.
- Pace University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
- Pace Environmental Law Review, notes and comment editor
- Manhattan College (B.S., 1985)
- New York
- Connecticut
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
- American Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Association of the Bar of the City of New York
- AV® Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale-Hubbell