Joanne Linley is a partner in the Miami office of Peckar & Abramson. Having dedicated her practice to construction law, Ms. Linley has extensive experience in all aspects providing legal services to the construction industry, applying practical theories and principals to the issues. She has drafted and negotiated substantial complex contracts, assisted clients in project and contract administration procedures, and handled claims preparation and presentation. With an attention to detail, Ms. Linley takes a hands-on approach and works closely with consultants and experts to fine-tune a claim or defense. When disputes arise, Ms. Linley vigorously represents the interests of her clients to resolve the issues, including taking and defending expert depositions, making mediation presentations, and presenting the client’s case at arbitration, jury and non-jury trials. Ms. Linley has also written and argued appeals of construction law disputes.

This breadth of experience stems from Ms. Linley’s representation of a variety of clients - both public and private. Ms. Linley has represented public entities such as water management and school districts, private owners and developers, national and multi-national general contractors and subcontractors, design-builders, construction managers, and sureties. The type of projects with which Ms. Linley has been involve include hi-rise or multiple-unit residential and mixed-use buildings, schools, courthouses, and large commercial projects. Her range of litigation and arbitration experience includes handling complex delay and acceleration claims, default claims, defective design and engineering claims, construction defect claims including water intrusion and indoor air quality issues, construction lien and surety bond claims.

In addition to providing legal services, Ms. Linley also co-teaches an advanced trial advocacy course at the University of Miami School of Law. She also has lectured and provided written materials at numerous seminars on construction law, including Resolving Problems and Disputes on Construction Projects (NBI 2006), Managing Complex Construction Law Issues (NBI 2006), Using a Construction Lien to Get Your Money in Florida (NBI 2006), Resolving Construction Disputes in Florida: Effective Use of Mediation, Arbitration and Other Processes (NBI 2005), Construction Lien Law and Strategies in Florida (NBI 2002), and Advanced Construction Law in Florida (NBI 2001). For several years Ms. Linley has contributed to the Florida Bar’s practice publications, as the author of Chapter 20 – Dismissals, Florida Civil Practice Before Trial. In 2007, Ms. Linley published Evaluating and Developing Construction Law Claims, as part of Aspatore Books’ Inside the Minds - Construction Law Litigation Strategies.

Originally from England, Ms. Linley is a 1987 graduate of Rice University, Houston, Texas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French Language and Latin American Studies. Ms. Linley attended the University of Miami School of Law, receiving her Juris Doctor degree cum laude in 1995.

Ms. Linley is admitted to practice law in the courts of the State of Florida, before the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal.

She is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar, a member of the Dade County Bar Association’s Construction Law Committee, the Steering Committee for the Construction Contracts Division of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry, the National Association of Women In Construction, and the British-American Chamber of Commerce.