Barbara G. Werther of Troutman Sanders LLP in Washington, DC, is the 2018 President of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. She is recognized as one of the leading construction and government contracts attorneys in the United States with more than 35 years of experience in construction and government contracts law. She has been resoundingly and consistently recognized as being one of the top lawyers in construction law. In addition to being a Charter Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America, she is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, recognized by Chambers USA and listed in Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law (2012-2017). Ms. Werther has lectured extensively to clients and various trade associations on a variety of construction law topics. Her expertise and experience is reflected in her comprehensive practice. She is known as an expert on contract terms and conditions for developers and owners, and focuses on contract drafting and negotiation. She also represents owners, contractors and subcontractors in litigation involving scheduling, delays, inefficiencies, changes, differing site conditions, and terminations for default.
Ms. Werther’s trial accomplishments are substantial. Some of her successes include winning the largest jury verdict ever in a commercial case in Jackson County, Mississippi, for a subcontractor on a project that involved the dismantling of a fertilizer-manufacturing facility; settling a nine-figure claim for alleged defective windows where the plaintiff had already prevailed in one trial and sought to enforce that judgment in 38 other lawsuits; obtaining a rare summary judgment on the behalf of a plaintiff contractor in a default termination case against a subcontractor; and securing the first and only case in which the court overturned the Navy contracting officer’s non-responsibility determination and directed an award to a contractor, among many others.
Ms. Werther excels as a trial lawyer and as a skilled arbitrator and mediator with the American Arbitration Association (AAA). She has completed advanced mediation training with the Center for Dispute Settlement at Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (JAMS) and employs uncompromising objectivity in resolving multi-party, complex case disputes where the parties appear to be unyielding.