Robert S. Dowd, Jr. has extensive experience in construction law, on behalf of owners, contractors, subcontractors and public entities on public and private projects, including trials, arbitrations, mediations, appeals, bid challenges and substantial bond and lien prosecutions and defenses, as well as counseling private and public entities on a wide variety of construction matters, including contracts and disputes.

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Bob served for many years as the co-chair of the Bergen County Bar Association Construction Law Committee and is an acknowledged state-wide authority on the New Jersey Construction Lien Law, having published several articles, co-authored a practice guide and presented seminars on this subject to the New Jersey Bar. At the invitation of the Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey, Bob presented a seminar on all aspects of the New Jersey Construction Lien Law to the New Jersey County Clerks and Registrars Section.

 

Bob authored a guide on New Jersey public and private lien and bond practice, has written several articles on various construction law topics and has been a featured speaker at numerous construction law seminars.

 

Bob is a member of the Construction and Public Contract Section of the New Jersey Bar Association and continues to serve as a member of the Construction Law Committee of the Bergen County Bar Association.

 

Publications:

• “Construction Law, Supplier's Allocation-of-Payment Obligations Under Construction Lien Law,” The New Jersey Law Journal

• “The Absence of Privity on Construction Projects Poses Difficulties,” The New Jersey Law Journal 

• “Mechanic’s Lien Law and Strategies in New Jersey,” National Business Institute.

• “New Jersey’s Amended Prompt Payment Act: One Year Later,” The Bergen Barrister

• “Construction Disputes: Arbitrate or Litigate,” The Record

 

Seminars:

• New Jersey Construction Lien Law: Basics and Update 2019 presented by New Jersey ICLE and the Construction Law Section of the NJ Bar Association

• 2018 Lien on Me: Mastering New Jersey's Construction Lien Law presented by New Jersey ICLE and the Construction Law Section of the NJ Bar Association

• 2015 NJ Construction Lien Law presented to the New Jersey County Clerks

• 2014 Hot Topics in Construction Law

• Construction Arbitration

• Mechanic's Lien Law Strategies in New Jersey

• How Contractors Get Paid...or Not

• NJ Consumer Fraud Act and Home Improvement Contractors: Navigating the Minefield

• MMLs, CLCs & NUBS - The ABCs of NJ Lien Law and Payment Bond Claims

 

Representative Matters:

• Represented the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority in connection with litigation involving a multi-million-dollar series of claims filed by over one dozen subcontractors on the Xanadu (now American Dream) and New Meadowlands Stadium leasehold interests.

• Obtained mid-six-figure award after several day arbitration of construction defect claims against builder, along with dismissal of builder counterclaims for unpaid balance of contract, following discharge in separate litigation of $275,000 of subcontractor construction lien claims against the client’s warehouse located in the New Jersey Meadowlands.

• Obtained a pre-litigation arbitration award determining that a $3.4 million lien claim filed on a client’s condominium project was not valid.

• Secured jury verdict for judgment dismissing six-figure contract claim by clay supplier to a construction project based on defects in materials.

• Obtained six-figure settlement in mediation after pretrial discovery completed of claim by luxury condominium owner against developer and contractors for defects in flooring.

• Obtained six-figure settlement after jury trial but prior to return of verdict of claim by industrial building owner against builder for construction defects (Experienced trial judge stated on record that Bob’s trial advocacy was the best he had seen).

• Obtained six-figure arbitration award against general contractor after weeks-long arbitration against builder of pre-engineered metal building and its subcontractor.

• Affirmed on appeal trial court verdict in favor of general contractor against State of New Jersey that it did not breach contract so as to have required it to replace entire water distribution system at state complex.