Barry B. LePatner, Esq., Hon. AIA
Partner
Barry B. LePatner is the founder of the New York City-based law firm LePatner & Associates LLP. For three decades, he has been prominent as an advisor on business and legal issues affecting the real estate, design, and construction industries. He is head of the law firm that has grown to become widely recognized as one of the nation's leading advisors to corporate and institutional clients, real estate owners, and design professionals.
His new book, Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets: How to Fix America's Trillion-Dollar Construction Industry, (The University of Chicago Press) is a call to our nation to address the plague of construction cost overruns that result from the gross inefficiencies of this last "mom and pop" industry.
A nationally recognized speaker, Mr. LePatner has addressed audiences on topics central to trends affecting the real estate and construction industry at events sponsored by: The Long Island Association; FIATECH; e-Builder Webinars, and the Construction Manager's Association. Other presentations have included: "Real Estate Outlook," an executive seminar series for corporate and real estate leaders; "Construction Cost Integrity: Equitable Risk Allocation Agreements" and "Protecting the Owner from Pitfalls in Today's Construction Projects," a series of Continuing Legal Education lectures given to law firms and their in-house real estate departments; "Protection, Survival, Readiness: Project Strategy in the Post 9/11 World," a seminar presented to institutional, developer and corporate real estate executives; "Secure Space," a building security seminar for corporate owners and developers; and the highly successful "Marketing for Design Professionals" at the Harvard Graduate School of Design's Summer Program, from1990-2004 with A. Eugene Kohn, founder of KPF Associates.
Mr. LePatner has written extensively and is widely quoted in the media on the subject of construction law. He previously co-authored the legal sections of the Interior Design Handbook, McGraw Hill 2001, and Structural & Foundation Failures: A Casebook for Architects, Engineers & Lawyers, McGraw Hill1982, co-authored with Sidney M. Johnson, P.E.
Recently published articles include: "Sarbanes-Oxley's Wake-Up Call to the Construction Industry," The CPA Journal, December 2007, co-authored with Henry Korn, Esq. and Anthony Chan, CPA; "Today's Construction Contracts: Drafter Beware," Legal Times, September 2007; "The Industry That Time Forgot," Boston Globe, August 2007; "Construction Cost Increases: Owners Should Know the Difference Between the Myths and Realities," New York Real Estate Journal, October 2006; and "Are You Prepared - Disaster Management Plans Help Owners Protect Their Investments" in the March/April 2006 of Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine. Articles published in the New York Law Journal include: "Caveat Advocatus - Drafting Construction Agreements for Your Client's New Construction Project Ain't What It Used to Be," March 27, 2006; "Insuring a Construction Project Against Water and Mold," October 25, 2004; "Building Security Measures and Owner Liability After Sept. 11;" May 1, 2003, co-authored with Henry Korn, Esq.
In May 2002, LePatner was elected by the American Institute of Architects to receive an Honorary AIA Membership, one of the highest honors the organization can bestow upon an individual who is not an architect and which is granted to those who have devoted their careers in service to the architectural profession.
In July 2001, LePatner was elected to the Board of Trustees of DIFFA - the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids. He has also served on numerous advisory committees including: the Advisory Board, Society for Marketing Professional Services, 1990-93; the board of the New York Building Congress; Board of Advisors, Legal Briefs for the Construction Industry, 1981-89; American Institute of Architects Advisory Committee, 1984; and the National Academy of Sciences, 1984-85. He is a member of The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, New York State Bar Association and American Bar Association.
email to blepatner@lepatner.com
