Cherrie Fisher is a Civil Engineer, arbitrator, and mediator specializing in construction and government contract administration. With over three decades of on-site construction and claims experience—including four years negotiating claims for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—she brings deep technical and practical expertise to her ADR practice.
Ms. Fisher’s background includes bid and proposal preparation, solicitation review, and drafting and negotiating prime contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, and change orders. Known for translating complex technical issues into clear, concise analyses, she provides claims evaluation and litigation support to attorneys, insurers, and owners. She also speaks regularly on early mediation, Construction Partnering, and Diversity Recruiting.
We sat down with Cherrie to discuss her extensive experience in construction and government contracts.
Q: How did you get started in construction law or the industry?
Cherrie: My journey into construction started early—my dad was trained as a carpenter, but he spent most of his career working as a machinist for McDonnell Douglas. Growing up, I used to tag along with him to job sites watch highway crews and the like. Seeing projects get built from the ground up really sparked my curiosity. Fast forward to college, I decided to major in Civil Engineering, when I stepped on campus I was shocked at how few women were in my classes.
I started working as a Civil Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which gave me a solid foundation in construction management, contract administration, and handling disputes. Right out of school, I was fortunate enough to get picked to work on a billion-dollar project, still not really understanding what engineers did all day. I was assigned to the “claims trailer”—a double wide trailer parked right outside of the Resident Engineers office. That was my introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Q: What are some trends you are seeing regarding disputes?
Cherrie: I started out working on construction claims, but over time my experienced has widened. I worked as an engineering estimator for about 12 years, a project manager, Owners rep. Now, I work in Supply Chain still supporting construction, developing and negotiating supplier contracts.
Since the pandemic, I’ve noticed that the force majeure clause has really become a hot topic. More and more suppliers are inserting pandemic- and tariff-related language into their contracts.
Q: What drew you to ADR in construction? What do you enjoy about being a neutral?
Cherrie: While at the Corps working on that billion-dollar project, many of the relationships were adversarial and strained. We were building a project, but we were also walking on eggshells and documenting everything in anticipation of future litigation. That adversarial relationship got me thinking—there has got to be a better way. I also saw the same large contractors over and over and the benefit of building good relationships early. I saw how powerful it was to resolve issues early, at the lowest level.
The Corps offered a lot of training that I was fortunate enough to attend. While attending classes, I met a lot of practitioners: early in my career I saw Engineers and Architects leading mediation and arbitration efforts. In my experience, I see how practitioners add value by participating on 3-person arbitration panels and by accurately reviewing and resolving AAA Fast Track and Documents-Only cases.
I think organizations like AAA are doing great work in promoting Dispute Avoidance as an option. Sure, litigation has its place, but in construction, early intervention and strong relationships go a long way.
Q: Any advice for folks heading into arbitration or mediation?
Personally, I’m an advocate for early intervention, building strong relationships and implementing dispute avoidance strategies like Construction Partnering and Dispute Review Boards. I understand that there are times when litigation can’t be avoided and conflicts can’t be resolved during the life of the project.
I’ve worked for Owner organizations for most of my career and, at the end of the day, Owners want to build projects. They also want as many tools in their toolbox as possible to deal with disputes. As client-focused professionals, it’s critical for us to listen to their concerns and modify our services, if needed, in order to add value.
Show up ready to listen and keep an open mind. The best ADR pros know how to adapt, listen, and find common ground. Hear out the other side—whether it’s the Owner, contractor, or subcontractor—always look for ways to move the ball forward.
Dispute resolution is about helping everyone move past the issue and get back to work.
Q: What’s your goal in conflict resolution?
Cherrie: My goal is to help ADR professionals see the value in dispute avoidance—not just resolution. If you can build trust with a client by offering multiple options, including ways to prevent disputes before they arise, you become a true partner in their success.
I want to encourage the next generation of practitioners not to be afraid of taking a proactive approach. Educating others on how to integrate dispute avoidance into their practices can make a significant difference in the industry. In the end, it’s about keeping projects moving, relationships intact, and outcomes fair for everyone involved.