Jim Archibald has been a construction lawyer at Bradley for over 30 years, serving as the practice group leader of the firm’s Construction Practice Group from 2009 to 2014, when he was elected to serve on the firm’s Managing Board, where he served from 2014 to 2021.
Jim has been a Fellow in the American College of Construction Lawyers since 2016. He is currently serving a three-year term on the Board of Governors for the ACCL. He is also a Fellow with the Construction Lawyers Society of America, and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Jim has tried or arbitrated over 30 construction cases to final verdict or award, including cases involving delay and acceleration claims, differing site conditions, changes, extra work, disputed terminations, over-inspections, defective work, liquidated damages, consequential damages, performance test disputes, and joint venture disputes. Recent cases include:
Represented the design-build contractor asserting claims against its engineer in federal court in Florida, arising out of a major bridge and expressway extension project in Tampa
Represented the general contractor in a four-week arbitration alleging wrongful termination from a major hospital project in North Dakota
Represented the general contractor in a two-week arbitration alleging defective construction of a luxury beach condominium project in Orange Beach, Alabama
Represented the joint venture that designed and constructed a diversion dam and water treatment facility on the Rio Grande River in a substantial lawsuit by the project owner filed in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Represented the general contractor in claims against U.S. Department of State, Overseas Building Operations, arising out of the fit-out of the new NATO headquarters in Brussels
Jim was a founding member of the Construction Law Section of the Alabama State Bar, serving as the chair of that section in 2014-2015. He taught Construction Law with Bradley partner Wally Sears as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama School of Law from 2002 to 2014.
American College of Construction Lawyers, Fellow Construction Lawyers Society of America, Fellow Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rated Listed in Chambers USA, Construction, 2022-2023 Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® Construction Law, 2017-2024 Litigation–Construction, 2009-2024 Arbitration, 2023 "Lawyer of the Year," Birmingham, Construction, 2021, 2023-2024 "Lawyer of the Year," Birmingham, Litigation – Construction, 2014 Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2022 Construction Litigation, 2016-2021 Listed in Birmingham Business Journal, "Best of the Bar," 2020 Listed in Alabama Super Lawyers, Construction Litigation, 2012-2015 Listed in Birmingham Magazine, "Top Attorneys," Construction, 2016 Listed in Who’s Who Legal, Construction, 2019-2023 Listed in B-Metro, "Top Lawyers," 2019-2020 Represented the EPC contractor in a two-week arbitration of substantial claims by the owner of five five solar projects in Georgia, Texas and California. Represented the developer of a combined cycle power plant in New Jersey in a substantial dispute with the design-build contractor in the Supreme Court of the State of New York over a disputed performance test, a letter of credit draw, and defective work. Represented the engineer who designed a waste-burning power plant in North Carolina against substantial claims by the owner of the plant in a state court lawsuit. Represented a steel erector in a three-day arbitration in Birmingham between a general contractor and a mechanical subcontractor arising out of a power plant project in Alabama. Obtained favorable verdict for boiler tube manufacturer against deceptive trade practices, fraud and breach of contract claims by boiler tube distributer after a two-week long jury trial in Charlotte, North Carolina. Represented a solar project developer against an EPC contractor in a substantial dispute arising out of the cost and schedule for a 100 MWDC solar facility in Georgia and obtained a favorable settlement at mediation. Represented solar EPC contractor against substantial claims for delay and inefficiency by its “balance of systems” subcontractor on a 250 MW solar project in Nevada. Represented solar developer in disputes with module suppliers under long-term supply agreements, with issues including force majeure claims, supply chain disruptions, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act violations, and bribery allegations. Washington Public Power Supply System v. Pittsburgh-Des Moines Corp., 72 F.3d 136 (9th Cir. 1995) Obtained a defense verdict for the general contractor following a two- week-long jury trial in federal court in Spokane, Washington, involving almost $100 million in alleged cost overruns incurred to retrofit a nuclear power plant containment vessel in Hanford, Washington. In re McShane, 2006 WL 4667136 (Bktcy. D. Md. July 27, 2006) Obtained a verdict in favor of the mechanical contractor after a bench trial in federal bankruptcy court in Baltimore, Maryland, involving delay and inefficiency claims by a mechanical subcontractor against a general contractor, arising out of a peak shaving power plant project in Chesapeake, Virginia.
