Stephen H. Reisman
Stephen Reisman is Vice Chair and general counsel of Peckar & Abramson and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. Steve’s primary area of practice is Construction Law and he is certified by the Florida Bar as a Construction Law Specialist. His practice includes the representation of general contractors, construction managers, and other construction professionals in the negotiation and preparation of construction documents, as well as in the negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation of claims involving construction contracts, construction and design defects, insurance, surety bonds, and related matters. Steve also assists with project administration on construction projects to identify and achieve early resolution of potential conflicts and disputes.
Stephen H. Reisman
Vice Chair - General Counsel
Executive Committee
Partner
Miami, FL
P +1 305.358.2600
F +1 305.375.0328
P 305.358.2600
F 305.375.0328
"As rapid changes continue to the affect the construction industry, our attorneys continually adapt their practices—offering clients highly practical and informed legal advice."
Bio
Steve has represented clients in all aspects of the procurement process for both public and private construction projects, including airports, seaports, state and federal courthouses, prisons, roads, bridges, hotels, retail centers, mixed-use facilities, hospitals, condominiums and high-rise residential rental projects. He has litigated and arbitrated cases involving building cladding systems, roofing, foundations, concrete construction (reinforced, pre-stressed, post-tensioned), drywall assemblies, masonry construction, stucco systems, EIFS systems, piping (metal, PVC, CPVC), fire protection, and many other building systems and components. He has also litigated and arbitrated delay and impact claims, and presented requests for equitable adjustment on public works.
As an active member of the American Arbitration Association Panel of Construction Arbitrators, Steve has served as Arbitrator in many domestic and international construction disputes, and has also facilitated the resolution of numerous construction and commercial disputes in the role of Mediator.
Steve is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, and all courts of the State of Florida.
Steve is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and since 2003 has been recognized by Chambers USA among the highest ranked construction lawyers in Florida. He was recently named to City & State Florida’s Construction Power 100 list. Steve was also selected for inclusion in publications such as Best Lawyers (chosen as “Lawyer of the Year” in Miami for Construction Law in 2012, 2016, and 2018, and for Litigation-Construction in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2024), The International Who’s Who of Construction Lawyers, The Legal 500: United States, and Florida Super Lawyers. He previously served on the Construction Advisory Council of the American Arbitration Association.
Steve is a fellow in the American College of Construction Lawyers and is a member of the American Bar Association (Forum on Construction Law, Litigation Section and Law Practice Division), the Florida Bar (Litigation, Business Law and Real Property Sections), the Construction Association of South Florida, the Associated General Contractors of America, and the University of Miami School of Architecture – Masters of Construction Management Program Advisory Board.
Steve serves on the faculty of the University of Miami as an Adjunct Professor in the Masters of Construction Management program for post-graduate and executive Masters students in the School of Architecture. He was an author and speaker for the program presented at the 2014 Fall Meeting of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law “Bulldozers, Cranes and Claims – Challenges of Rebuilding the Construction Industry” and is the Co-Editor of “Construction Defects” published in April 2012 by the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law. He was an instructor for the Florida Bar’s Construction Law Certification Course and has also authored numerous articles and conducted seminars on various Construction law topics for the Florida Bar, National Business Institute, Construction Specifications Institute, Construction Association of South Florida, Southeast Construction, and Lorman Education Services. Steve is a graduate of Emory University and the University of Miami School of Law.
Highlights
Admissions
• State of Florida
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida
Memberships
• American Bar Association (Forum on Construction Law and Litigation Section)
• American College of Construction Lawyers
• Florida Bar (Litigation, Business Law and Real Property Sections)
• American Arbitration Association Panel of Arbitrators
• Construction Association of South Florida
• Associated General Contractors
• University of Miami School of Architecture (Construction Management Program Advisory Board)
Education & Courses
• Emory University, B.A.
• University of Miami School of Law, J.D.
Awards & Recognitions
• Florida Bar Board Certified Construction Law Specialist
• City & State Florida, Construction Power 100 List, 2023
• Chambers USA, Construction Law, Florida, Band 1, 2017-2023
• The Legal 500: United States
• The Legal 500: Recognized as a “Recommended Lawyer,” 2021
• Who’s Who Legal: Construction
• Who’s Who Legal - Thought Leader: USA, 2024
• Who’s Who Legal - WWL Thought Leaders – Construction, 2019-2020
• Best Lawyers, 2005-2024
• Best Lawyers, “Lawyer of the Year” in Construction Law – Miami region, 2012, 2016, 2018
• Best Lawyers, “Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation – Construction – Miami region, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2024
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-2023
• Florida Trend 500, Florida’s Most Influential Business Leaders, 2018-2020
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated
• South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyer
Publications & Presentations
• "Success in Construction Disputes - Strategies During the Life Cycle of a Project", Florida Bar Construction Law Institute - 2020 (panelist).
• “Decision Further Erodes Florida’s Statute of Repose for Latent Construction Defects,” Daily Business Review, January 2019 (co-author)
• “Teaming Arrangements on Infrastructure Projects”, Journal of the American College of Construction Lawyers – Summer 2015 (co-author).
• "The Perfect Pair or the Odd Couple – Challenges of Teaming Arrangements", American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, 2014 (co-author and speaker).
• “Construction Defects,” American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, 2012 (co-editor).
• "Construction Liens", Florida Real Property Litigation, Florida Bar Publications, 1993, 2001, 2011, 2013 (co-author).
• “Completion and Turnover of the Condominium-Exit Strategy” and “Managing Risk in Condominium Construction” Condominium Construction Issues in Florida, Lorman Educational Services, 2006 (author and lecturer).
• “Construction Mediation,” Conflict Management in Construction, American Arbitration Association, 2004 (author and panelist).
• “Assumption and Delegation of Design Responsibility” Florida Law For Design Professionals, Lorman Educational Services, 2001 (author and lecturer).
• “The Problem Owner: Contractor’s Perspective on Termination and Other Alternatives,” Florida Construction Law – Creative Strategies for Project Completion & Litigation Avoidance, Lorman Educational Services, 1999 (author and lecturer).
• “Contractor’s Responsibility for Design Failures,” Construction Ink!, 1999 (co-author).
• “Construction Lien Law and Strategies in Florida,” National Business Institute, 1998 (author and lecturer).
• “Florida Construction Law,” National Business Institute, 1993 and 1997 (author and lecturer).
• “Legal Consequences of Construction and Design Failures,” Construction Specifications Institute, 1995 (author and lecturer).
• “Construction Qualifiers Liability,” Construction Financial Management Association, 1992 (author).
• "Rights and Liabilities of the General Contractor, Subcontractors, Suppliers and Materialmen", Construction Litigation in Florida, Florida Bar Publications, 1983 (co-author).
News & Events
• 12 Peckar & Abramson Attorneys Recognized in Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders: USA Publication
• Peckar & Abramson Once Again Has Largest Total Number of US Attorneys Ranked by Who’s Who Legal: Construction 2023 and Is the Only US Firm in The Top Five; Denis Serkin One of Only Three US Attorneys Recognized as a Future Leader
• Peckar & Abramson Has Largest Number of Construction Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2024
• Super Lawyers® Names Nine Peckar & Abramson Attorneys to 2023 Florida Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists
