Construction Law Foundational Principles (2025 Edition)

Michael Blackwell | Riess LeMieux, LLC

Michael Blackwell is an equity partner with Riess LeMieux, LLC, a full service construction law firm in New Orleans, Louisiana. Michael represents a wide variety of clients, ranging from general contractors, subcontractors, owners, developers, insurers, and sureties in the construction industry, to companies involved in sales, acquisitions, corporate governance matters, commercial disputes, and zoning and real estate matters. His practice ranges from corporate formation, equity structuring, and governance matters, sales and acquisitions of assets and ownership interests, contract negotiation and drafting, construction disputes involving delays, terminations for default, payment, asset seizure, fraud, labor and employment issues, and in handling all manner of disputes and issues that arise during construction or business. An experienced litigator, Michael has tried cases before arbitration panels, administrative tribunals, judges, and juries. Michael regularly lectures on matters affecting construction clients, engineers on ethics and liability, and construction managers and public entities on changes in Louisiana construction law.

Among other acknowledgments, Michael has served as the Chairman of the Construction Law Committee for the New Orleans Bar Association since 2017. Michael has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Construction Law and Commercial Litigation, and since 2023 has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the field of Construction Litigation.

I. Construction Contract: Equitable Risk Allocations and Procedural Traps for the Unwary | 1:00pm – 1:30pm

II. Risk Allocation and Transfer through Insurance, Indemnities, and Bonding | 1:30pm – 2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

III. Effective Communication and Documentation During Project Performance | 2:10pm – 2:40pm

IV. Avoiding and Efficiently Resolving Disputes | 2:40pm – 3:10pm