Richard J. “RJ” Pinto II

RJ’s experience spans major infrastructure, vertical construction, industrial facilities, and energy projects. He has worked on bid‑build, design‑build, CMAR, and public‑private partnership procurements involving schools, bridges, airports, transportation systems, water and wastewater facilities, power plants, ports, pipelines, dams, courthouses, and parks. RJ’s private‑sector work includes utility‑scale energy projects, hospitals, hospitality and recreational developments, commercial buildings, multifamily and mixed‑use developments, and manufacturing facilities.

Federal construction is another significant part of RJ’s practice, with substantial experience on Department of Defense, GSA, and VA projects, including hangars, runways, maintenance facilities, hospitals, industrial and water projects, barracks, training ranges, SCIFs, and energy‑savings performance contracts.

RJ provides comprehensive project counseling, from contract negotiation to bid protests to course-of-construction legal services. He works closely with project teams on changes, payment disputes, subcontractor performance, and delay and disruption issues. RJ’s dispute resolution experience spans scope changes, delay and acceleration, disruptions and inefficiency, differing site conditions, defaults and terminations, and mechanics lien, stop‑payment notice, and bond remedies. He also advises on FAR compliance, contractor licensing, teaming and joint‑venture arrangements, mentor‑protégé and small business programs, false claims defense, insurance recovery, and labor and prevailing wage matters.

RJ earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he served as Editor‑in‑Chief of the San Diego Law Review and externed for the California Court of Appeal and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.

Representative Matters

• Counsel in multi-week jury trial involving competing claims between prime contractor and subcontractor in connection with public construction project.  Jury returned multimillion dollar verdict in favor of client and court awarded prevailing party attorneys’ fees post-trial.
• Counsel in month-long jury trial involving competing claims between joint venture partners in connection with numerous federal construction projects.  Jury returned multimillion dollar verdict in favor of client and rejected adversary’s substantial fraud and punitive damage claims.
• Counsel in federal jury trial involving claims between Department of Defense contractors.  Jury returned verdict in favor of client.
• Counsel in multi-week arbitration involving competing claims between EPC contractor and subcontractor on utility-scale solar project.  Obtained multimillion dollar arbitration award in favor of client, including prevailing party attorneys’ fees.
• Obtained multiple eight figure settlements for contractors against project owners in connection with disputes involving changes, delays and disruptions on public works of improvement.  
• Tried numerous ASBCA appeals through hearing in connection with a variety of military construction projects. 
• Successfully defended several lawsuits asserting false claims violations and fraud by contractors.
• Successful defense and prosecution of numerous pre- and post-award GAO bid protests in connection with large-value federal procurements.