As a Partner in the firm’s Construction Practice, Pat Johnson focuses on construction transactions and litigation matters. He has broad experience providing strategic counsel to a wide range of owners, developers, general contractors and subcontractors pertaining to construction contract drafting and negotiation, as well as project delivery methods and claim resolution.  Pat also often negotiates, prepares and reviews EPC agreements, design-build and construction contracts, master service agreements, installation contracts and other various project-related documents.

Pat’s unique background as an engineer coupled with his experience as an in-house counsel at a large engineering firm gives him greater insight in understanding what is most important to both sides of a transaction and allows him to efficiently navigate the most complex negotiations.

Through Pat’s experience as an in-house attorney, he understands the importance of protecting his clients from risk and ensuring that the key provisions of an agreement are fully understood so that the client’s goals are met.  In addition, Pat not only advises on construction-related issues but also guides clients through insurance coverage concerns, project team selection and close-out, in addition to liaising with other lawyers on issues surrounding tax and real estate .

Before his time as an in-house counsel, Pat practiced as an engineer for several years, working on power generation projects and large scale commercial and residential projects in the United States and Dubai, UAE.   Pat is currently a licensed professional engineer in Illinois.

Some of Pat’s most recent experience advising clients includes:

• Representing a data center developer in the design and construction of a large-scale project that included review of site-specific design constraints that were incorporated into the construction documents
• Representing a property development and management company in construction contract drafting, as well as subsequent service, consulting and vendor agreements related to a $1B re-development project
• Guiding an owner through the key initial pre-construction phase of $20M+ residential project and assisting with expedited assembly of a project team due to a limited construction window and subsequent construction, payment application review and project closeout
• Working with a commercial owner and insurer in review of an insurance declination letter related to the existence of large-scale solar rooftop panel concerns and review of expert reports in connection with the owner’s response to its insurer’s position
• Representing solar component manufacturer in connection with an EPC agreement for $1B large-scale solar development project
• Representing a hotel operating company in development of various room construction templates for a $2M+ multiunit hotel remodeling project
• Representing a publishing company in connection with drafting of construction contract and other documents relating to a heavy industrial printing equipment installation project

Pat is a frequent writer and speaker on construction-related matters and has been named to U.S. News Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” list for 2023 and 2024.