The Legal 500
Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino has once again been recommended by the Legal 500 US as a leading law firm nationwide in Construction for 2024. Moreover, they highlighted the firm’s founding partners Paul Varela, Bennett Lee, Todd Metz, and Joseph Guarino for their work, as well as Next Generation Partner recognition for Brian Dugdale.
The Legal 500 says "Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino, LLP is highly active across national public infrastructure disputes and litigation, combining a strong record in wrongful termination claims with significant capabilities in state court litigation. The firm also regularly represents a range of clients, including prime and general contractors, managers, and joint ventures in various contract termination cases. The team is jointly led by highly experienced founding partners Paul Varela, Todd Metz, and Joseph Guarino, and Bennett Lee in San Francisco, who is noted for his compliance and dispute resolution expertise. Michael Suga acts for contractors, subcontractors, developers, and design professionals in litigation concerning public and private construction projects and engineering mandates, while Brian Dugdale has experience in handling power, infrastructure, transportation, industrial and government projects. Lindy Stevens, who handles government contract work, is also recommended..."
Consigli Construction
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Often representing significant blue-chip construction clients, VARELA, LEE, METZ & GUARINO, LLP is involved in both regional and global construction disputes. The team is seasoned in federal government contracting such as bid protests, claim preparation, compliance and pricing, and the team's attorneys have also enjoyed success before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. Paul Varela is experienced in AAA, ICC, ICCDR, and LCIA arbitration, and has served as counsel in matters of administration and contract planning. Todd Metz advises clients on preparation and dispute resolution claims surrounding construction projects and government contracts. Bennett Lee works from San Francisco and represents his client roster of construction managers and owners, design engineering firms and general contractors on a breadth of mandates concerning mass transit systems and power/hydro plants. Joseph Guarino and Brian Dugdale are also noted.
Other key lawyers:
Brian Dugdale; Christopher Burke; Kirk Niemi; Andrew Van Ornum; Michael Suga;
Key clients
Salini Impregilo
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd
Balfour Beatty Construction
Clark Construction Co.
Granite Construction, Inc.
DPR Construction
Skanska USA Building
Suffolk Construction
Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Lane Industries
Parsons
HITT Contracting, Inc.
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The construction dispute specialists at VARELA, LEE, METZ, & GUARINO, LLP are regularly engaged in high-stakes cases across the United States and internationally, specializing in bet-the-company matters and routinely handling disputes in excess of $100m for Fortune 500 companies and a host of major contractors. Tysons Corner, Virginia is the primary office for the practice and three of its four-strong leadership team operate from there: Paul Varela counsels prominent names in the global construction industry; Todd Metz has experience before arbitration tribunals, adjudication and review boards, and local and federal courts; and Joseph Guarino, a seasoned construction litigator with recent experience acting in some of the major power plant cases internationally. The fourth of the practice heads, Bennett Lee, is based in San Francisco and has significant experience before both federal and state courts, and domestic and international arbitration associations, on the gamut of construction law issues. Further key contacts in Tysons Corner include Brian Dugdale, whose experience covers a breadth of projects, from transport infrastructure to data centers and high-rise office and condominium complexes; and David Wonderlick, who has over a decade of experience in construction litigation and alternative dispute resolution nationally and worldwide.
Key clients
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd
Balfour Beatty Construction
Clark Construction Co.
Granite Construction, Inc.
DPR Construction
Skanska USA Building
Suffolk Construction
Kiewit Corporation
PCL Construction Enterprises Inc.
Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Lane Industries
Parsons
Work highlights
- Acted for a building company in multiple claims valued in excess of $75 arising out of a tribal casino and hotel project.
- Advised a joint venture on multiple claims and arbitrations arising from a $1.5bn classified US government data center.
- Represented a rock and paving company in appealing the US government’s February 2017 termination for default of a $34m highway construction project in Yellowstone National Park.
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From offices in California and Virginia, VARELA, LEE, METZ, & GUARINO, LLP fields dedicated teams representing clients in high-stakes, sharply contested construction disputes across the US. The team is particularly specialized in the industrial and power sectors, with the Virginia-based trio of Todd Metz, Brian Dugdale and David Wonderlick having represented The Boldt Company in arbitration proceedings and state court litigation related to its reconstruction of a paper machine at Sappi North America’s paper mill in Skowhegan, Maine. Also in Virginia are Paul Varela, who acts for some of the most prominent names in the global construction industry in contract planning, administration, and dispute resolution; and Joseph Guarino, who has vast experience in international construction litigation and arbitration. In the San Francisco office, Bennett Lee has recently led teams on litigations regarding a sports stadium, an airport terminal and a road expansion project, among others.
Practice head(s):
Paul Varela; Bennett Lee; Todd Metz; Joseph Guarino
Other key lawyers:
David Wonderlick; Brian Dugdale; Christopher Burke
Testimonials
‘This is a “hands on” law firm that truly understands the construction business. Your case is handled from beginning to end by a senior partner or principal. They understand how construction problems occur and, more importantly, how to resolve them.’
‘Our firm works with Bennett Lee. His legal advice is always direct, candid and on point. He will always give you both the strengths and weaknesses of a particular case. This often helps us achieve an early resolution of the case.’
Key clients
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems
Balfour Beatty Construction
Clark Construction Co.
HNTB
Skanska USA Building
Hitt Contracting
Barnard Construction
Parsons
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VARELA, LEE, METZ, & GUARINO, LLP acts predominantly for blue-chip construction clients in the industrial and power sectors, most notably in high-stakes contentious cases. San Francisco-based Bennett Lee has extensive experience in disputes involving federal, state, municipal, and private contracts; to this end, Lee led on the $60m arbitration of claims against an EPC contractor responsible for constructing a water treatment plant. Tysons Corner-based Paul Varela specialises in EPC and design-build, P3 and government contracts matters, with a focus on transport or infrastructure. Alongside Brian Dugdale, Varela is representing Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. as primary designer of the $2.7bn Dulles Corridor Metro Rail Phase 2 Project in claims concerning modifications and delays. Other name partners Todd Metz and Joseph Guarino, also in the Tysons Corner office, possess extensive litigation experience before federal and state courts, as well as handling government agreements. Guarino and Christopher Burke will 'dive into the weeds' in order to 'outwork and out think opposing counsel' – both represented HITT Contracting Inc. during a dispute with modern art museum owner Glenstone Foundation, Inc. in Maryland, over delays and missed payments.
Practice head(s):
Paul Varela; Bennett Lee; Todd Metz; Joseph Guarino
Other key lawyers:
Brian Dugdale; Christopher Burke; Garrett Dillon; Nicholas Merrell
Testimonials
Joe Guarino and Chris Burke dive into the weeds to discover even the most minute facts that could help with your case. They will outwork and out think opposing counsel.
Key clients
Chevron Corporation
Skanska USA, Building
Balfour Beatty US
Granite Construction, Inc.
McDermott (formerly CB&I, Inc.)
DPR Construction
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
PCL Construction Enterprises Inc.
Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Parsons
Clark Construction Co.
Lane Industries
Work highlights
- Leading the $60m arbitration of claims against an EPC contractor responsible for constructing a water treatment plant.
- Representing Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. as primary designer of the $2.7bn Dulles Corridor Metro Rail Phase 2 Project in claims concerning modifications and delays.
- Representing HITT Contracting Inc. during a dispute with modern art museum owner Glenstone Foundation, Inc. in Maryland, over delays and missed payments.
- Representing a joint venture comprised of Balfour Beatty Construction, DPR, and Big-D Construction, on an arbitration concerning technical issues in electrical equipment programming and quantum aspects, in a $1.5bn classified US government facility in Utah.
- Representing CB&I in all aspects of a litigation against Plaintiff Sinclair Oil for damages arising out of an explosion at a Wyoming refinery in 2013, pending in the United States District Court.
Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino has once again been recommended by the Legal 500 United States as a top firm in the Construction practice area for 2018. Moreover, the guide highlighted the firm’s founding partners Paul Varela, Bennett Lee, Todd Metz, and Joe Guarino for their work.
The Legal 500 guide recognizes that the ‘smart, thorough, responsive, strategic and service-oriented’ team at Varela, Lee, Metz, & Guarino, LLP is noted for its ‘knowledge of the construction industry, specifically in the complex areas of scheduling and delay damages and technical construction specification and design issues’. The founding partners are all construction specialists, namely Paul Varela, Todd Metz, Joseph Guarino and Bennett Lee, with ‘each bringing a different approach and style to litigating complex construction cases as well as an impressive command of industry knowledge’. Areas of specialty include the industrial, power and transport sectors. Varela represented a joint venture formed by three of the most prominent general contractors in arbitration relating to a $1.5bn classified US government facility in Utah and issues surrounding its electrical equipment as well as complex programming and quantum issues. Lee is advising Chicago Bridge & Iron Company in an ongoing dispute with Sinclair Oil surrounding an explosion in 2013 at Sinclair’s hydrocracker complex at a Wyoming refinery. Other notable clients include Chevron, Clark Construction and Kiewit. Named attorneys are based in the firm’s office in Tysons Corner, Virginia, save Bennett Lee who is based in its San Francisco office.
The Legal 500 Series is widely acknowledged as the world’s largest legal referral guide. More than 250,000 corporate counsel have been surveyed and interviewed globally in the past 12 months. The Legal 500 is an independent guide, and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. The Legal 500 Series' analysis of law firm capabilities extends to 107 jurisdictions worldwide. The website www.legal500.com has 4 million unique individual users each year, including 2.5 million corporate counsel. Used by commercial and private clients, corporate counsel, CEOs, CFOs and professional advisers - as well as by other referrers of work both nationally and internationally - the series is widely chosen for its definitive judgement of law firm capabilities.
Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino has once again been recommended by the Legal 500 United States as a top firm in the Construction practice area for 2017. Moreover, the guide highlighted the firm’s founding partners Paul Varela, Bennett Lee, Todd Metz, and Joe Guarino for their work.
The Legal 500 guide noted VLMG’s reputation for handling “bet-the-company litigation,” and recognizes that VLMG clients hailed the firm for its “business-minded, practical and experienced lawyers” and “successful litigators, who are very cost effective.” To see full rankings, click here.
The Legal 500 Series is widely acknowledged as the world’s largest legal referral guide. More than 250,000 corporate counsel have been surveyed and interviewed globally in the past 12 months. The Legal 500 is an independent guide, and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. The Legal 500 Series' analysis of law firm capabilities extends to 107 jurisdictions worldwide. The website www.legal500.com has 4 million unique individual users each year, including 2.5 million corporate counsel. Used by commercial and private clients, corporate counsel, CEOs, CFOs and professional advisers - as well as by other referrers of work both nationally and internationally - the series is widely chosen for its definitive judgement of law firm capabilities.
Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino has once again been recommended by the Legal 500 United States as a top firm in the Construction practice area for 2016. Moreover, the guide highlighted lawyers Paul Varela, Mike Suga, Bennett Lee ('exceptional intellect', 'practical problem-solving ability'), Christopher Burke ('an unyielding commitment to a successful outcome') and Joe Guarino ('thorough and aggressive advocate', 'wealth of knowledge about the intricacies of construction law') for their work.
The Legal 500 guide recognizes the value that VLMG clients find in the firm's "'commercially oriented' team" and "'technically proficient and thorough' partners who demonstrate 'passion for the cases they work on' and provide 'the quality of service of a larger and more established firm.'"
To see full rankings, click here.
Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino is Named One of the Best Construction Law Firms in the United States for 2015
The Legal 500 United States has recognized the firm as being among top Construction Law Firms in the United States, stating:
Varela, Lee, Metz, & Guarino, LLP was established in March 2014 after 17 attorneys broke away from Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, LLP. The boutique construction firm has offices in Northern Virginia and San Francisco, and has already attracted praise for its ‘responsive, diligent, and efficient’ attorneys who ‘provide excellent value’. The firm specializes in complex litigation for large contractors as well as owners. Paul Varela, who has a ‘strategic, trustworthy, and tenacious’ demeanor, advises a number of large engineering and construction companies entities on cross-border matters. Joe Guarino is also singled out as an ‘extremely thorough and aggressive advocate’.
The Legal 500 United States is a directory of leading legal practitioners compiled on the basis of independent, client and peer-based referrals. Their research is based on feedback from 250,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.
