Bill Purdy represents commercial building contractors throughout the South. He has also represented government contractors across the United States and has handled matters for them in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Bill has extensive experience in trying construction cases before juries in state and federal court and in arbitrations administered by the American Arbitration Association and other organizations. He has litigated federal contract disputes before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and federal administrative appeals boards and has prosecuted and defended bid protests at the Government Accountability Office and Court of Federal Claims. Bill has represented both construction companies and other types of government contractors in state trial and appellate courts and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits.
Representative Experience
General Experience
Appeal of Tripod, Inc., ASBCA No. 25,104, 89-1 BCA 21, 305 (1989)
Recovery of damages for over-inspection and extra work for services contractor.
Appeal of W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company, ASBCA No. 49,398; 01-02 BCA 31428; 2001 WL 576900 (2001)
Recovery of extra work and delay damages for construction contractor.
Bagwell Coatings, Inc. v. Middle South Energy, Inc., 797 F.2d 1298 (5th Cir. 1986)
Recovery of breach of contract damages for extra work.
Carothers Construction, Inc. v. United States, 20 Cl. Ct. 556 (1990)
Recovery of damages for ambiguous and defective specifications.
CFC Fabrication, Inc. v. Dunn Construction Co., Inc., 917 F.2d 1385 (5th Cir. 1990)
Defeat supplier’s claim for rental charges and for missing form materials.
Hewlett-Methvin, Inc. v. United States, 703 F.2d 585 (Ct. Cl. 1982)
Successful appeal and recovery on changes claim for services contractor.
McKinnon v. Batte, 485 So. 2d 295 (Miss. 1986)
Defense verdict on negligence claim sustained on appeal.
Remza Drywall, Inc. v. W.G. Yates & Sons Constr. Co., 2007 WL 2033047 (S.D. Miss. 2007)
Enforcement of contractual arbitration provision and motion to compel arbitration.
The Clark Construction Co., Inc. v. United States, No. 97-749c (U.S. Claims Court 1997)
Successful defense against bid protest for White Construction Company.
U.S. ex rel Shannon v. Federal Insurance Company, 251 Fed. Appx. 269, 2007 WL 2493666 (5th Cir. 2007)
Defeated employment and Miller Act claims by manager for general contractor.
Design-Build Contracts
Authored contracts for design-builders with Owners, with design professionals, and with subcontractors having design responsibilities.
Ethics Codes
Prepared ethics codes for over 10 federal government contractors.
Miss. Code Ann. §§85-7-189, 85-7-191, 85-7-193
Contributed to and edited revisions to Miss. private work bond statutes.
Mississippi private works bond form
Authored bond form in most prevalent use on Mississippi private projects.
Sale of business with structured buyout
Handled sale of accounting firm with structured buyout.
Standard subcontracts, purchase orders, and related documents
Prepared standard subcontracts, purchase orders, and related documents for over 15 of largest Mississippi prime contractors.
Statute Update: Miss. Code Ann. §31-3-1
Authored update of Contractor’s Board statute.
American College of Construction Lawyers, Fellow American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow International Society of Barristers, Fellow Mississippi Bar Foundation, Fellow 2014 Mississippi Lawyer of the Year Listed in Who's Who Legal, Construction, 2015-2023 Listed in Best of the U.S. Lawyers, Construction Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® Construction Law, 2003-2024 "Lawyer of the Year," Jackson, Construction Law, 2016, 2019 Listed in Chambers USA Construction, 2020-2023 Litigation: Construction, 2006-2019 Litigation: General Commercial, 2009-2011 Listed in Marquis Who's Who in the World Listed in Marquis Who's Who in American Law Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers Construction Litigation, 2007-2023 "Top 50," Mississippi, 2016-2020, 2022-2023 Listed in Super Lawyers, "Top 50 Mississippi Super Lawyers," Construction Litigation and Government Contracts, 2012-2013, 2015 Listed in Outstanding Lawyers in America Appeal of Tripod, Inc., ASBCA No. 25,104, 89-1 BCA 21, 305 (1989) Recovery of damages for over-inspection and extra work for services contractor. Appeal of W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company, ASBCA No. 49,398; 01-02 BCA 31428; 2001 WL 576900 (2001) Recovery of extra work and delay damages for construction contractor. Bagwell Coatings, Inc. v. Middle South Energy, Inc., 797 F.2d 1298 (5th Cir. 1986) Recovery of breach of contract damages for extra work. Carothers Construction, Inc. v. United States, 20 Cl. Ct. 556 (1990) Recovery of damages for ambiguous and defective specifications. CFC Fabrication, Inc. v. Dunn Construction Co., Inc., 917 F.2d 1385 (5th Cir. 1990) Defeat supplier’s claim for rental charges and for missing form materials. Hewlett-Methvin, Inc. v. United States, 703 F.2d 585 (Ct. Cl. 1982) Successful appeal and recovery on changes claim for services contractor. McKinnon v. Batte, 485 So. 2d 295 (Miss. 1986) Defense verdict on negligence claim sustained on appeal. Remza Drywall, Inc. v. W.G. Yates & Sons Constr. Co., 2007 WL 2033047 (S.D. Miss. 2007) Enforcement of contractual arbitration provision and motion to compel arbitration. The Clark Construction Co., Inc. v. United States, No. 97-749c (U.S. Claims Court 1997) Successful defense against bid protest for White Construction Company. U.S. ex rel Shannon v. Federal Insurance Company, 251 Fed. Appx. 269, 2007 WL 2493666 (5th Cir. 2007) Defeated employment and Miller Act claims by manager for general contractor. Design-Build Contracts Authored contracts for design-builders with Owners, with design professionals, and with subcontractors having design responsibilities. Ethics Codes Prepared ethics codes for over 10 federal government contractors. Miss. Code Ann. §§85-7-189, 85-7-191, 85-7-193 Contributed to and edited revisions to Miss. private work bond statutes. Mississippi private works bond form Authored bond form in most prevalent use on Mississippi private projects. Sale of business with structured buyout Handled sale of accounting firm with structured buyout. Standard subcontracts, purchase orders, and related documents Prepared standard subcontracts, purchase orders, and related documents for over 15 of largest Mississippi prime contractors. Statute Update: Miss. Code Ann. §31-3-1 Authored update of Contractor’s Board statute.
