At Meissner  our attorneys have one primary goal: allow our clients to focus on their businesses rather than their potential legal liability.  Our attorneys excel at taking legal uncertainties out of our clients’ businesses, restoring focus to the projects at hand.  In no practice is this more evident than in our construction law practice.

Our clients have diverse construction backgrounds and include general contractors, subcontractors, construction managers, architects, engineers, developers, investors, lenders, suppliers and title companies.  They have sought our expertise and counsel on a variety of matters, including commercial and residential development planning, public and private financing, contract review and drafting, mechanics’ liens and foreclosures, state and federal notice obligations, construction-defect and contract-dispute litigation, mitigation, land use and zoning petitions and appeals.

A number of our attorneys sit or have sat on various planning commissions and zoning boards of appeals, and understand the construction process from planning and development to sale and land management.  We have handled projects of all sizes—from skyscrapers and large residential developments to single family homes and remodeling/landscaping projects, and everything in between.  Regardless of the size of the project, our aim is the same: to provide sophisticated and thorough counsel that allows our clients to reduce the risk and maximize the profit of their construction businesses.

Commercial Development

Our attorneys have been consulted on some of southeastern Wisconsin’s largest commercial developments.  As a result, we have significant expertise in matters of property acquisition, municipal, state and federal regulatory approval, condominium and association structuring and commercial leasing.  We excel in providing our clients with a clear understanding and analysis of the legal underpinnings of their particular developments, allowing them to do what they do best—improve our communities with beautiful, financially viable developments.

Contracts and Contract Disputes

Our construction attorneys have represented numerous clients in a variety of construction contract disputes.  Our attorneys are experts in contract interpretation and are skilled in crafting dispute strategies to provide our clients with the most favorable result possible.  Our attorneys are also experienced case evaluators, intelligently advising clients as to the likelihood of success of certain resolution avenues, as well as the benefits of resolving certain disputes before trial.

Our construction attorneys are also experts in drafting enforceable, unambiguous construction-related contracts, and regularly advise clients of the types of obligations they must undertake (for example, presenting certain notices of rights, filing liens, providing rights of withdrawal, etc.) to avoid, or minimize the damage of, such contract disputes.  Our attorneys are regularly asked to review, revise and draft construction agreements, contractor agreements, subcontractor agreements, development agreements, landscape and maintenance agreements, and snow removal agreements.

Mechanic’s Liens

Our attorneys are frequently asked to assist general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in preparing, recording and foreclosing upon mechanic’s liens within the strict deadlines and requirements established by law.  We are also frequently asked to represent property owners  in responding to, discharging, and contesting claims of lien.