Paul M. Lurie has been business and legal counsel for major owners, developers, design and construction firms for more than 40 years. His experience includes providing counsel and advocacy for contract negotiation and dispute avoidance and resolution. His ability to get deals done and disputes resolved stems from his broad knowledge of the business of real estate, design and construction and from his many years of experience as a construction arbitrator and mediator.

According to Who's Who Legal: Illinois 2008, Mr. Lurie has "helped define the construction Bar in Illinois," and was repeatedly identified by peers as a "dean of the Bar." He is ranked #1 of Top Ten Leading Construction Lawyers in Illinois (2010) based on the peer surveys conducted by Leading Lawyers Network.

He is also a member of Schiff Hardin's Construction Industry Ownership Transition Team.

Publications

"Drafting Alternative Dispute Resolution Terms in Construction Contracts," (co-author with Stanley Sklar) Ch. 10 in Construction Law: Transactional Considerations, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2010)

"Ethics and Mediation: Managing Conflicts of Interest," (co-author) AAA Handbook on Mediation, Second Edition, Juris Publishing, Inc. (June 2010)

"The Best Way to Resolve Real Estate and Construction Disputes: Litigation, Arbitration or Mediation?" (co-author) Commercial Leasing Law and Strategy (March 2008)

"United States Construction Contracts," Chapter 18 in International Business Transactions, Kluwer Law and Taxation Publishers (2008)

"Arbitration and the Unauthorized Practice of Law," (co-author) The Construction Lawyer (Winter 2007)

"The Importance of Process Design to a Successful Mediation," chapter in AAA Handbook on Construction Arbitration and ADR (August 2007)

"Removing Roadblocks to Arbitration," chapter in AAA Handbook on Construction Arbitration and ADR (August 2007)

"The Revised Uniform Arbitration Act: Choice of Law Issues Litigation," ACCL Journal of the American College of Construction Lawyers, Vol. 1 No. 2 (Summer 2007)

"Court Committee Opinion Limiting ADR Representation Raises Constitutional Issues, as Well as Problems Rooted in Protectionism," Alternatives, Vol. 25, No. 4, (April 2007)

"Lump-Sum v. Cost-Plus Contracting: U.S. Practice," International Law Office Newsletter (October 2006)

"Dispute Resolution Under American Institute Of Architects Documents," International Law Office Newsletter (July 2006)

"Using Screening Walls and Advance Waivers To Manage Mediation Conflicts of Interest," Alternatives, Vol. 24, No. 3 (March 2006)

"Twenty Ownership Transition Pitfalls: The Most Common Mistakes Made in Transition Planning," Professional Services Management Journal (January 2004)

"Factors Influencing a Successful Mediation," Construction Lawyer, American Bar Association Forum Committee (Summer 2002)

Ownership Transition, Options and Strategies (3rd ed.) (co-author) American Council of Engineering Companies (2002)

"The New Revised Uniform Arbitration Act," Journal of International Arbitration (January 2001)

"Ethics and Mediation," ADR Currents (December 2000-February 2001)

"Limitations on the Ability to Obtain Discovery in International Arbitration from Non-Parties Located in the United States," Journal of International Arbitration (June 2000)

"Mediation as a Risk and Cost Control Tool," Structure (Summer 2000)

"Arbitral Subpoena Powers and Prehearing Discovery," ADR Currents (December 1999)

"Removing Roadblocks to Arbitration," The Punchlist (May 1999)

"The Importance of Process Design to a Successful Mediation," The Punchlist (Winter 1996/1997)

Arbitration of Construction Disputes, Wiley Law Publications (1990)

"Computer Aided Mistakes," Software Law Journal (Summer 1988)

Speeches and Presentations

"Guided Choice Arbitration," Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, ADR Committee (May 26, 2011)

"Why Construction Mediations Fail; Avoiding Common Mistakes," (co-presenter) American Arbitration Association University Webinar (May 11, 2011)

"Mediation and Arbitration in Real Estate and Construction Disputes," (co-presenter) Strafford Publications Webinar (April 6, 2011)

"Practical Considerations and Concerns in Basic Construction Contracting," (co-presenter) Strafford Publications Webinar (November 2, 2010)

"Construction Industry Controversies: Analyzing and Preventing Contract Provision Disputes," Avoiding Common Construction Industry Problems (webcast), West LegalEd Center (August 26, 2009)

"Meeting the Construction Industry's Demand for Rapid Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration and Other Effective Methods," (panelist) Resolving Construction Law Issues Across the 49th Parallel, Chicago, Ill. (May 28, 2009)

"Making Mediation and Arbitration Work," Law Bulletin Seminars 2008 Real Estate Conference, Chicago, Ill. (November 12, 2008)

"Navigating the Arbitration Roadmap," American Arbitration Association Construction Conference, Chicago, Ill. (November 6, 2008)

"Mediation and Arbitration of Real Estate Disputes," Law Bulletin Seminars 2007 Real Estate Conference, Chicago, Ill. (October 4, 2007)

"Preventing and Managing Claims and Disputes Without Formal Adversarial Proceedings," Lorman Education Services Seminar: "What To Do When Construction Projects Go Bad In Illinois," Itasca, Ill. (September 15, 2006)

"Significant Developments In ADR," ADR State of the Union: The Changing Role of the Lawyer and the Use of ADR in Practice Seminar, Chicago Bar Association (May 2006)

"Ethics: Multi-Jurisdictional Practice," ABA Forum on the Construction Industry 2006 Annual Meeting: "Arbitration and the Unauthorized Practice of Law - Swimming With The Sharks," San Diego, Calif. (May 19, 2006)

"Construction Mediation — A View From the Mediator's Chair," (panelist) The Court Annexed Mediation Program, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago (April 13, 2006)

"Arbitration Update: Revised Uniform Arbitration Act, Uniform Arbitration Act, Disclosure And Diversity Jurisdiction," ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Conference, Atlanta, Ga. (April 5, 2006)

"Why Commercial/Construction Mediations Succeed or Fail," American Bar Association, Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution Seminar, Washington, D.C. (April 2001)

"A Comparison of the Major Differences Among the Latest Versions of the EJCDC, AIA and FDIC General Conditions," Conference on International Law and Dispute Resolution, Salzburg, Austria (June 1998)

Awards and Honors

Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law; Litigation – Construction

Fellow, American College of Civil Trial Mediators

Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators

Fellow, American College of Construction Lawyers

Martindale-Hubbell — A/V Rated

Member, Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys

Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators

President's Award for Leadership in Conflict Management — American Arbitration Association

Illinois Super Lawyers, Construction Litigation

Leading Lawyer — ADR Law: Commercial Litigation; ADR Law: Commercial Real Estate, Environmental and Construction; Construction Law, Illinois Leading Lawyers Network

Top 100 Business Lawyers in Illinois, Illinois Leading Lawyers Network

Past Presidents Award, American College of Construction Lawyers

Leading Lawyers/Illinois

Chambers USA — America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Construction (Senior Statesman)

Distinguished Service Award — American Institute of Architects (Chicago)

Who's Who Legal — International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, Construction

Who's Who Legal — Illinois, Construction, Arbitration

PLC Which Lawyer? — Chicago — Construction Lawyer

Top Lawyers in Illinois, Commercial Real Estate — Midwest Real Estate News