Stephen E. Richman

• Successfully defended homebuilders in numerous construction defect mass actions brought by homeowners.  These matters involve claims in litigation and in arbitration.  Two examples are successful results in mass actions of a group of 29 homeowners who asserted drainage deficiencies leading to flooding and a group of 60 homeowners alleging improper roofs, stucco and concrete.
• Represented a large Arizona municipality in a claim against an international manufacturer and system designer of a membrane module filtration system used to treat potable water.  Led a team of Dickinson Wright lawyers who evaluated the complex specifications relating to the treatment of water and worked with outside authorities and the city’s water engineers to evaluate the claims against the manufacturer.  The claim and demand preparation led to a favorable settlement by which the manufacturer provided at no cost to the city a new membrane system with an extended warranty tied to clearer and more specific performance criteria.
• Led the defense of a large nationwide homebuilder in a putative class action brought by homeowners alleging improper disclosure of utility expenses in a subdivision public report.  The Dickinson Wright team successfully defeated the request for class certification.  The case involved novel issues of the alleged disclosure of future utility expenses and an analysis of subdivision statutes and regulations.
• Frequently drafts and negotiates construction contracts for owners and general contractors.  Recent examples include projects such as luxury condos, apartment complexes, solar panel generation facilities, schools, and office buildings.  Has considerable experience with the family of documents of the American Institute of Architects®, Consensus Docs®, and the Design-Build Institute of America.
• Routinely handles commercial construction disputes involving improper design, delays, loss of productivity, and change orders.  A representative case involves the defense of a general contractor for claims involving reconstruction of a 60 foot retaining wall adjacent to a large parking structure that includes allegations of improper construction practices, delays, and increased design costs.

Dickinson Wright has served the construction industry for decades, advising clients throughout the United States and Canada on the legal and commercial issues arising across the lifecycle of construction projects. The firm represents builders, public and private owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, lenders, construction managers, and design professionals.

The practice spans contract drafting and negotiation, construction lending, liens, public procurement, project-related risk, and dispute resolution. Its attorneys advise on projects across healthcare, education, environmental, manufacturing, transportation, and other industries, combining extensive construction knowledge with significant courtroom and administrative experience.

Dickinson Wright emphasizes practical and efficient resolution of construction disputes, developing strategies for early settlement through negotiation and mediation where appropriate. When disputes require formal proceedings, the team represents clients in litigation, arbitration, and before state administrative agencies, drawing on a deep bench of construction lawyers to handle complex and high-stakes matters.

Dickinson Wright is a full-service law firm with a history spanning more than 145 years and a team of more than 550 lawyers across the United States and Canada. The firm represents a diverse client base that includes Fortune 500 companies, small and emerging businesses, governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. With offices across major commercial centers in the U.S. and Ontario, together with relationships with law firms internationally, Dickinson Wright is equipped to assist clients with matters extending across jurisdictions and borders.

The firm provides counsel across approximately 40 practice areas, combining transactional, regulatory, advisory, and litigation capabilities. Its attorneys handle matters involving corporate and commercial transactions, litigation and dispute resolution, construction, real estate, banking and financial services, labor and employment, intellectual property, tax, environmental law, healthcare, government affairs, and other areas affecting businesses and individuals. The breadth of the practice enables attorneys from different disciplines and offices to collaborate when clients face matters involving multiple areas of law.

Dickinson Wright emphasizes accessible, proactive representation and clear, practical legal advice tailored to the particular needs of each engagement. The firm combines the resources and multidisciplinary capabilities of a large practice with an emphasis on personalized service, responsiveness, and value. This approach allows Dickinson Wright to support clients across matters of varying size and complexity, from ongoing business and personal legal needs to significant transactions and disputes.