Actual and Practical Experience.
Mr. Knight is also a licensed architect in the State of Washington. As an architect, his primary role was the construction administrator for all projects in the company. In other words, Mr. Knight observed and solved problems in the field on a daily basis. Projects ranged from residences to new multi-story wings for hospitals. His secondary role was as a project manager where he was responsible for a smaller portion of the firms overall work. As project manager duties ranged from conducting client meetings, budget analysis, real property analysis, original design, production of construction documents, working with local building officials, public meetings, press conferences, the bid process and construction. Most importantly, Mr. knight learned to listen not only to a client's objectives, but how to discover his/her expectations.
As a construction manager for a mid-sized construction company, Mr. Knight was responsible for the construction of high-end condominiums and doctor/dental clinics. This included bidding, sub-contractor organization and scheduling, analysis of changes to the plans and specifications, resolving disputes with architects and owners, dealing with defective plans and satisfying last minute changes demanded by the local building official.
As the quality control manager of a concrete pre-cast company, Mr. Knight was responsible for the accurate construction of complex concrete shapes, sequencing of work, real time delivery of the same. He was also responsible for the introduction of accelerators and plasticizers to reduce time in form and speed turnaround.
As an engineering technician for the Washington Department of Transportation Mr. Knight was responsible for the survey and design of future highways, and the survey and construction administration of highway work during construction. This included survey work for road grades and alignment, testing for compaction, suitability of asphalt and concrete testing.
Legal Experience
More than 18 years as a litigation attorney.
Jury Trials including construction defect, architectural and engineering malpractice.
Bench Trials including construction defect, real estate, easements, rights of municipalities, performance bonds, purchase and sale, vendor rights, consumer rights, product warranty, lender rights, water and common well rights.
Appellate work in both State and Federal Courts. Representation of both Plaintiffs and Defendants in arbitrations and mediations.
Face to face negotiation and settlement of construction disputes, easements, common well rights, architectural and engineering malpractice, partnership divorces.
Extensive negotiation and drafting business entity formation, real estate documents, construction agreements for residential through large commercial, design professional agreements, vendor agreements, claim analysis and preparation.
Clients include individuals, various business entities, municipalities, school districts, vendors, sub-contractors, General Contractors, owners, architects and engineers.
Mediation Experience:
Active Mediator since 1997.
Industrial/Commercial: $15,000 to $2.2 million, leaking roofs, defective foundations, Architectural malpractice, Construction delays, wrongful termination.
Construction Defect/Design defect: $8,000 to $6 million, 96 cold storage buildings collapse in one day, leaking roofs, defective plans and specifications, incorrect soil report, Engineering malpractice.
Partnership Divorces: $40,000 to $3.3 million, shareholder agreements, division of assets, brains vs the money, partner not pulling his weight.
Real estate: $10,000 to $1.2 million, water rights, common well rights, easements, property line dispute.
Arbitration Experience:
Numerous private arbitrations of commercial and construction defect disputes.
Alternative Dispute Training:
Advanced Mediation Training 1991; American Arbitration Association Mediation Training 1995; Advanced Mediator Skills Workshop 1998; 12th Annual Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference 2004, Week long Mediation Training from the AAA May 2005.
Professional Licenses:
Licensed Architect in the State of Washington 1984.
Admitted to the Washington Bar 1986.
U.S. District Court, Western and East Districts of Washington.
Professional Activities and Associations:
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Washington State Bar Association, member of the Construction and ADR forums.
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American Institute of Architects.
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Master Builders.
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ABC, American Builders and Contractors, Chair of the legislative committee.
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Legislative Lobbyist and Legal Affairs Committee for the Associated General Contractors, AGC.
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American Arbitration Association panel of Arbitrators and Mediators.
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Speaker "Design Professionals and the Law" CLE
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Speaker "Quality Control and how it Creates Quality in the Construction Project" CLE and AIA Professional Series.
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Speaker "AIA B141 Contract Agreement" CLE and AIA Professional Series.
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Speaker "Going Bare, the Design Professional without Malpractice Insurance" AIA Professional Series.
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Speaker "The Six P's" CLE and Yearly Real Estate Update.
