We mourn the passing of our partner and friend, Luke Martin, who passed away on October 4, 2021 after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. Read more about Luke's legacy and impact and his obituary.
Luke Martin helps his construction industry clients identify, plan for, and mitigate the risks faced on their construction projects. Luke understands that every construction project is unique, that each project is situated on its own site, with its own design, built under varying economic conditions and, most importantly, with its own set of stakeholders. He understands the considerable risks associated with each project, whether it be risks of delay, of differing site conditions, of manpower shortages, or the simple risks of personality conflicts among the project participants.
Luke helps his clients navigate these risks from before the contract is signed all the way through contract closeout and dispute resolution. He advises clients regarding contract negotiation, including the creation and revision of contract (and subcontract) documents before contract execution. His dispute resolution experience serves him well in this process, providing him insight into the risks that must be accounted for in each contract. After contract signing, Luke advises clients regarding general project administration, including change order negotiations, claim preparation and defense, and the drafting of project correspondence . If a dispute arises and the parties are unable to resolve their issues, Luke then represents his clients in the various dispute resolution arenas, including mediation, arbitration, and litigation.
Luke has advised clients with regard to projects of every shape and size, from large mega projects with contract values in the hundreds of millions of dollars to small projects and everything in between. This includes involvement in construction projects for the federal government and its agencies, for state and local governments, and for those in the private sector, including in the energy, oil and gas, and healthcare industries. Among other things, Luke has advised clients designing or building commercial office buildings, retail centers, condominiums, schools, wastewater treatment centers, power plants, manufacturing facilities, liquefied petroleum gas pipelines, hospitals, and roads. These projects have been located across the country and around the globe, with Luke having advised clients with regard to projects located in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C, as well as international projects located in China, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, North Africa, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Luke’s dispute resolution experience includes arbitrations under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). Luke has also represented clients in state and federal court and before various governmental boards, including the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and the Alabama Building Commission.