Trippe Hawthorne advises on all phases of construction development and dispute resolution and general commercial litigation. He is an active member of the Louisiana State Law Institute Council, and a member of the Law Institute’s ADR Committee, and he also represents the Law Institute as its representative to the Louisiana State Bar Association Board of Governors. Having served as General Counsel to the Louisiana State Licensing Board of Contractors, he brings an insider’s perspective to advising on cutting-edge construction issues, administrative law, and occupational licensing.
He served as Special Advisor to the Louisiana Law Institute Security Devices Committee for its Private Works Act Revision Project and is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and chairman of its Construction Law Committee. We asked him how his expertise informs his approach on the American Arbitration Association® Construction Panel.
Q. Tell us about your background in construction law, the construction industry, or your time on the bench handling construction-related cases.
I have been a construction lawyer for 30 years, working on all facets of design and construction contracting and dispute resolution across a wide variety of sectors, including industrial, commercial, public, and residential properties. In my law practice, most of my experience is with industrial, multi-family residential, commercial, and municipal and public works projects, and I currently represent public and private owners, contractors, and design professionals of a variety of disciplines.
Q. What types of construction disputes do you typically handle as an arbitrator or mediator?
Most of my construction mediations and arbitrations involve multi-party commercial and multi-family projects and industrial projects.
Q. What drew you to ADR work in the construction space? What do you value most about serving as a neutral on the AAA’s Construction Panel?
As a practitioner, I have always appreciated the quality and efficiency of a dispute resolution process guided by an experienced subject matter expert as well as the value and efficiency that comes with that. I treasure the opportunity to help parties and their counsel resolve disputes in a better way.
Q. Are you noticing any emerging issues or trends in construction cases coming to arbitration?
ESI (electronically stored information) and the dramatic increase in the number and size of documents associated with construction projects present a sizeable challenge to the efficient and cost-effective resolution of construction disputes.
Q. What advice do you have for parties preparing for arbitration or mediation in complex construction disputes?
Be practical, realistic, and guided by common sense.