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Overview
Joe Staak is Senior Counsel with the Atlanta law firm of Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP. His areas of practice include construction law, government contracts and environmental law. He has practiced with the firm since 1981. He is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia School of Law.
Joe provides professional and cost effective legal representation to parties involved in all aspects of construction. He concentrates his practice on the resolution of construction disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation or alternative dispute resolution. He has represented owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, engineers, suppliers, insurers, and sureties. His experience ranges from the front-end planning of a construction project through project-completion and resolution of post-completion disputes. He has experience in projects ranging from multi-million dollar industrial plants to home construction. Project types include power plants, highways and bridges, semiconductor facilities, paper mills, water and waste, tunneling, airports, office buildings, high rise construction, multifamily, schools, courthouses, retail, warehousing, hospitals, military construction and environmental remediation. He has worked with numerous project delivery vehicles including design-build, construction management, partnering, DRBs and P3s. He has experience in construction scheduling, cost controls, design defects, means and methods, geotechnical and foundations, structural steel, stucco and plaster, roof systems, instrumentation and control wiring, electrical, mechanical, and construction defects.
He has participated in numerous hearings and trials in state and federal courts, before federal boards of contract appeals, and in arbitration. Joe has extensive experience in procurement protests, contractor and engineering licensing issues, latent defects, errors and omissions, construction insurance, and claims identification and resolution.
Upon graduating from Georgia Tech with a BS degree in Civil Engineering, Joe was commissioned in the Air Force and served four years as an engineering and construction management officer in Texas and Alaska. While stationed at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Joe headed the Construction Management Office responsible for inspecting and administering contract construction at Elmendorf AFB and twelve remote radar sites. His duties included evaluating contractor claims and providing technical advice to the contracting officer.
Joe has lectured and conducted seminars and educational programs for many organizations including the Associated General Contractors, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the University of Florida Construction Management Academy, Southeast Builders Conference and Lorman Educational Services. He also conducts training programs for Florida licensed contractors to meet their required continuing education obligations. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and publications.
Experience
•Apartment Complex in Georgia
•Bridges and Roads in Florida
•Cable-Stayed Bridge in Georgia
•Construction of Motor Vehicle Facilities, Military Barracks, Dining Facilities and Operational Support Facilities
•Deep Storage Tunnel in Chicago
•Ecological Restoration Work in the Everglades National Park
•Highrise Condominium Projects in Jacksonville, Florida
•Hilton Garden Inn in Georgia
•Kentucky Petroleum Refinery Project
•Materials Testing Work on Georgia Highway Projects
•Modular Retaining Wall in Georgia
•New Bank Building, Crestview Florida
•Platinum Rated LEED Project in Chicago
•Power Plant Litigation in Nebraska
•Recycling Facility in Georgia
•Representation of Engineering Company on Multiple Geotechnical Matters
•Roof Projects
•School Projects in Florida
•Tren Urbano Project in Puerto Rico
•UST Environmental Remediation in Alabama
•Wal-Mart Stores
•Student Housing, Albany, Georgia
•Litigation on a Government Contract Involving Georgia's WIC Program
•Construction Defect Litigation on a Georgia Courthouse
Honors and Awards
•Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar, 2005 to present.
Articles & Publications
•Public Construction, Contracting and Procurement Law: State and Federal Perspective, Co-Author, 2012.
•Construction Risk Avoidance and Mitigation for Florida Contractors, 2011.
•“Government Construction Contracting Law: Federal and State Perspectives,” 2000; 2012.
•“Georgia Construction Law,” 1998.
•“Georgia Construction Lien and Public Contract Bond Law”, co-author, Lorman Education Services.
Smith Currie's Common Sense Contract Law
•Subcontractor Terminations on Design-Build Projects, (April 17, 2013)
•Practical Impacts of Design-Build on the Design Engineer, (December 12, 2012)
•OSHA Is Developing New Proposed Rules Regulating Silica Dust, (March 2, 2012)
•The Significance of Final Acceptance, (July 9, 2012)
Presentations
•FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Alabama - August 18 & 19, 2016 - Birmingham, AL
•Arbitration v. Litigation - How Litigators Deal with the Differences - August 5, 2016 - Atlanta, GA
•FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Georgia - August 4-5, 2016 - Atlanta, GA
•FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Alabama - August 20 & 21, 2015 - Birmingham, AL
•FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Georgia - August 6-7, 2015 - Atlanta, GA
•August 21-22, 2014 - FCILB Courses for Florida Contractors in Alabama - Birmingham, AL
•August 7-8, 2014 - FCILB Courses for Florida Contractors in Georgia - Atlanta, GA
•May 16, 2014 - Fundamentals of Construction Contracts in Georgia - Atlanta, GA
•April 25, 2014 - AIA Contracts Seminar - Athens, GA
•August 8-9, 2013 - FCILB Seminar - Common Sense Construction Law for Florida Contractors in Georgia
•August 1-2, 2013 - FCILB Seminar - Common Sense Construction Law for Florida Contractors in Alabama
•May 3, 2013 - Seminar on the Fundamentals of Construction Contracts
•January 25, 2013 - AIA Contracts: Analysis and Interpretation of AIA Standard Contract Forms Seminar
Classes & Seminars Taught
•Lecturer on construction claims for various professional groups, seminars and workshops.
Other Experience
United States Air Force, Design and Construction Engineer, 1974 - 1978
•Arbitration
Biography
Joe Staak is Senior Counsel with the Atlanta law firm of Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP. His areas of practice include construction law, government contracts and environmental law. He has practiced with the firm since 1981. He is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia School of Law. Joe provides professional and cost effective legal representation to parties involved in all aspects of construction. He concentrates his practice on the resolution of construction disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation or alternative dispute resolution. He has represented owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, engineers, suppliers, insurers, and sureties. His experience ranges from the front-end planning of a construction project through project-completion and resolution of post-completion disputes. He has experience in projects ranging from multi-million dollar industrial plants to home construction. Project types include power plants, highways and bridges, semiconductor facilities, paper mills, water and waste, tunneling, airports, office buildings, high rise construction, multifamily, schools, courthouses, retail, warehousing, hospitals, military construction and environmental remediation. He has worked with numerous project delivery vehicles including design-build, construction management, partnering, DRBs and P3s. He has experience in construction scheduling, cost controls, design defects, means and methods, geotechnical and foundations, structural steel, stucco and plaster, roof systems, instrumentation and control wiring, electrical, mechanical, and construction defects. He has participated in numerous hearings and trials in state and federal courts, before federal boards of contract appeals, and in arbitration. Joe has extensive experience in procurement protests, contractor and engineering licensing issues, latent defects, errors and omissions, construction insurance, and claims identification and resolution. Upon graduating from Georgia Tech with a BS degree in Civil Engineering, Joe was commissioned in the Air Force and served four years as an engineering and construction management officer in Texas and Alaska. While stationed at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Joe headed the Construction Management Office responsible for inspecting and administering contract construction at Elmendorf AFB and twelve remote radar sites. His duties included evaluating contractor claims and providing technical advice to the contracting officer. Joe has lectured and conducted seminars and educational programs for many organizations including the Associated General Contractors, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the University of Florida Construction Management Academy, Southeast Builders Conference and Lorman Educational Services. He also conducts training programs for Florida licensed contractors to meet their required continuing education obligations. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and publications. Experience •Apartment Complex in Georgia •Bridges and Roads in Florida •Cable-Stayed Bridge in Georgia •Construction of Motor Vehicle Facilities, Military Barracks, Dining Facilities and Operational Support Facilities •Deep Storage Tunnel in Chicago •Ecological Restoration Work in the Everglades National Park •Highrise Condominium Projects in Jacksonville, Florida •Hilton Garden Inn in Georgia •Kentucky Petroleum Refinery Project •Materials Testing Work on Georgia Highway Projects •Modular Retaining Wall in Georgia •New Bank Building, Crestview Florida •Platinum Rated LEED Project in Chicago •Power Plant Litigation in Nebraska •Recycling Facility in Georgia •Representation of Engineering Company on Multiple Geotechnical Matters •Roof Projects •School Projects in Florida •Tren Urbano Project in Puerto Rico •UST Environmental Remediation in Alabama •Wal-Mart Stores •Student Housing, Albany, Georgia •Litigation on a Government Contract Involving Georgia's WIC Program •Construction Defect Litigation on a Georgia Courthouse Honors and Awards •Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar, 2005 to present. Articles & Publications •Public Construction, Contracting and Procurement Law: State and Federal Perspective, Co-Author, 2012. •Construction Risk Avoidance and Mitigation for Florida Contractors, 2011. •“Government Construction Contracting Law: Federal and State Perspectives,” 2000; 2012. •“Georgia Construction Law,” 1998. •“Georgia Construction Lien and Public Contract Bond Law”, co-author, Lorman Education Services. Smith Currie's Common Sense Contract Law •Subcontractor Terminations on Design-Build Projects, (April 17, 2013) •Practical Impacts of Design-Build on the Design Engineer, (December 12, 2012) •OSHA Is Developing New Proposed Rules Regulating Silica Dust, (March 2, 2012) •The Significance of Final Acceptance, (July 9, 2012) Presentations •FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Alabama - August 18 & 19, 2016 - Birmingham, AL •Arbitration v. Litigation - How Litigators Deal with the Differences - August 5, 2016 - Atlanta, GA •FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Georgia - August 4-5, 2016 - Atlanta, GA •FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Alabama - August 20 & 21, 2015 - Birmingham, AL •FCILB Course for Florida Contractors in Georgia - August 6-7, 2015 - Atlanta, GA •August 21-22, 2014 - FCILB Courses for Florida Contractors in Alabama - Birmingham, AL •August 7-8, 2014 - FCILB Courses for Florida Contractors in Georgia - Atlanta, GA •May 16, 2014 - Fundamentals of Construction Contracts in Georgia - Atlanta, GA •April 25, 2014 - AIA Contracts Seminar - Athens, GA •August 8-9, 2013 - FCILB Seminar - Common Sense Construction Law for Florida Contractors in Georgia •August 1-2, 2013 - FCILB Seminar - Common Sense Construction Law for Florida Contractors in Alabama •May 3, 2013 - Seminar on the Fundamentals of Construction Contracts •January 25, 2013 - AIA Contracts: Analysis and Interpretation of AIA Standard Contract Forms Seminar Classes & Seminars Taught •Lecturer on construction claims for various professional groups, seminars and workshops. Other Experience United States Air Force, Design and Construction Engineer, 1974 - 1978 •Arbitration
Education
- Admission Details 1981, Georgia 1994, Florida 2005, Alabama 1982, District of Columbia 1984, U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit 1984, U.S. District Court, Northern District of GA 1990, U.S. District Court, Middle District of GA 2004, U.S. District Court, Southern District of GA 2006, U.S. District Court, Northern District of FL 2008, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit 2009, U.S. Court of Federal Claims 2010, U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit Law School Attended University of Georgia School of Law Class of 1981 J.D. cum laude University of Georgia School of Law Class of 1981 J.D. 1981 Law Review University of Georgia School of Law Class of 1981 J.D. Georgia Law Review University Attended Georgia Institute of Technology Class of 1974 B.S. Civil Engineering
Areas of Expertise
Awards & Recognitions
- AV Preeminent Peer Rated Attorney
Location and Chambers
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