Leslie K. O'Neal

Cornerstone Award, ABA Forum on Construction Law (2023)

Lifetime Achievement Award, Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, Construction Law Committee (2019)

BTI Consulting Group Client Service Award (1999)

McDonough, O’Neal & O’Dell (1978-1992)

Holland & Knight, LLP (1992-2004) ( National Construction Group Practice Area Leader 1992-2004) (Litigation Practice Area Leader 1992-2004)

Greenberg Traurig, P.A. (2004-2007)

Brasfield & Gorrie, L.L.C. (2007- 2022)

JAMS ( 2023 – present)

American College of Construction Lawyers, Board of Governors (2000-2003)

ABA Forum on the Construction Industry, Chair (1997-1998)

(Governing Committee 1993-1999)

(Chair, Membership Committee) (1994)

(Chair Publications Committee (1995)

Division I Steering Committee (1986-1993) (Chair 1993)

• • ABA Torts and Insurance Practice Section
  • Fidelity and Surety Law Committee (Vice Chair 1991-2000)
  • (Co-Chair, Membership Committee)
  • (Co-Chair, Miscellaneous Bond Committee 1991-1993)
  • ABA Litigation Section, (Construction Law Committee)
  • Outstanding Young Woman of America (1982)
  • Who’s Who in American Law
  • PACE Outstanding Woman of Orlando (2003)
  • Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar (2005-present);
  • Associate, American Board of Trial Advocates (2003 -2006)
  • Listed, “”Super Lawyer,”” Florida Super Lawyers magazine, 2006-2008;
  • Listed, Best Lawyers in America, 2005-2007 Editions
  • Listed, “Best Business Lawyers in Florida,”” Chambers and Partners USA Guide, 2006-2007, 2005-2006 and 2004-2005 editions;
  • Listed, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine;
  • Orange County Bar Legal Aid Society Award of Excellence 2004;
  • Pace Florida Rural Legal Services Myoshi D. Smith Memorial Award, 2003;
  • BTI Consulting Client Service All Star Team, 2001;
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Florida Bar Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, Construction Law Committee (2019)
  • Adjunct Professor, Pepperdine University School of Law (2020 – present)

Publications:

Editor & contributing author:  “Construction Technology–a Legal Guide” (ABA Press 2023)

Contributing author:  “Construction Damages and Remedies” (ABA Press 2004) and second edition (ABA Press 2013); “Managing and Litigating the Complex Surety Case, Second Edition” (ABA Press 2005); “Construction Law Handbook,” (Wolters Kluwer 2009; updates annually); “Risk Avoidance in Construction Contracts,” (HLK Global Communications 1991); “Mold: A Comprehensive Guide to Litigating Mold Damage and Injury Cases,” (Lawyers & Judges Publishing Co. 2005)

Co-editor:  “The Most Important Questions a Surety Can Ask About Miscellaneous Bonds,” (ABA Press 1994)

Articles

• “Consulting Confusion,” The Construction Lawyer, August, 1985
• “Warranties in Construction,” The Construction Lawyer, January 1986
• “Risks Encountered During the Design Stage and How to Avoid Them,” Chapter in Risk Avoidance in Construction Contracts (HLK Global Communications, 1991)
• “They’re Back: Letters of Credit Provided in Lieu of Surety Bonds,” The Construction Lawyer  ( January, 1993)
• Charting the Course: The 1994 Construction Industry Survey on Dispute Avoidance and Resolution–Part I” 15 Const. Law 4 (Nov. 1995) (with Thomas J. Stipanowich)
• “Sick” Buildings and “Toxic” Mold Claims, 181  The Environmental Counselor 2 (September 2003)
• Guidelines for Construction Industry Internal Investigations, 8 JACCL 59 (Summer 2014) (with Paul Bruno, G. Edward Cassady III and Ernest Badway)
• Reflections on the Development  of Construction Law Through the First 30 Years of the ACCL and Beyond, 14 JACCL 77 (Winter 2020) (Editor, with Howard Goldberg, Paul Lurie, Larry Schor and James Nagle)
• Speeches, Panel Discussions, and Seminars:

• “Managing & Litigating the Complex Construction Case” (ABA Forum Committee on Construction Industry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, (October, 1988)
• “Florida Focus on A201” (American Institute of Architects/Construction Specifications Institute), Orlando, Florida, March, 1989)
• “Outline of Typical Design/Construction/Financing Problems in Jail Projects” (ABA Section on Urban, State and Local Government Law and Public Contract Law; Scottsdale, Arizona, (April, 1989)
• “Construction Contracts,” (Associated Builders and Contractors), Orlando, Florida, August, 1992)
• “Partnering in Construction” (Construction Management Association of America), Seattle,  WA ,September, 1992)
• “Sick Building Claims” ABA Forum on Construction Fall Meeting (Seattle, WA and Philadelphia, PA; October 1999)
• “Indemnity and Insurance,” ABA Forum on Construction Regional Meeting, (Orlando, FL, Fall 2006)
• “The Inside/Outside Counsel Relationship: Best Practices” ABA Forum on Construction Fall Meeting  (with Robert Peckar and Chip Mitchell)(Philadelphia, PA; October 2009)
• “Hot Topics in Ethics” ABA Forum on Construction Annual Meeting  (with Jim Scott and Andrew Perlman) (April, 2012, Las Vegas, NV)
• “Best Practices in Construction Risk Management” ABA Forum on Construction Mid-Winter Meeting  (with Michael Hastings) (January 2014; Nassau, Bahamas)
• Best Practices in Construction Company Corporate Internal Investigations (ACCL Annual Meeting, February 2014) (with Paul Bruno, G. Edward Cassady & Ernest Badway)
• “Succeeding as In House Counsel” (ABA Forum on Construction Annual Meeting, Boca Raton, FL) (with Claramargaret Groover) (April 2015)
• “Best Practices in Construction Risk Management” ABA Forum on Construction Law Annual Meeting (April 2016, Nashville, TN) (with Michael Hastings & Jennifer Fletcher)
• “Are Opportunities and Challenges for Women as Construction Lawyers and Consultants Changing” (Construction Superconference, Las Vegas, NV, December 2016) (with Carla Christofferson, Wendy Venoit, Mindy Gentile, Monique Cardenas, Tamara Lindsay, Kelly Heuer)
• “Weathering the Storm: Resilience & Sustainability in Design and Construction” (Moderator & Organizer with Michael Gerrard) (ACCL & ACOEL, Columbia University Law School, New York NY, April 2018)
• “Advancing Women in Construction Law” (ENR Groundbreaking Women in Construction, San Francisco, CA; May, 2109) (with Mindy Gentile, Sandra Roche, Alexandra Busch)
• “Enhancing Women’s Skills in Early Dispute Resolution” (ENR Groundbreaking Women in Construction, held virtually, August, 2020) (with Mindy Gentile, Deborah Ballati, Joan Stearns Johnsen,, Carla Rydholm)
• “E-Discovery Challenges from New Construction Technology,” University of Florida 9th Annual E-Discovery Conference, Gainesville, FL (March 2022)
• “What I Wish I Knew Then,” ABA Forum on Construction Law Fall Meeting, Memphis, TN (October 2022) (with Robbie MacPherson, Terry Brookie and Allen Estes)
• “Resolving Construction Disputes More Efficiently:  How In House Counsel Can Enhance Mediation, Arbitration and Other ADR Processes,” AGC Surety Bonding  and Construction Risk Management Conference, In House Counsel Meeting, Bonita Springs, FL (January 2023) (with Dean Thompson, Julia Douglas and Andy Ness)
• “Robot Dogs, Wearables and Collaborating in the Cloud:  Legal Issues and Construction Technology” American College of Construction Lawyers 2022 Annual Meeting, Laguna Beach, CA (February 2022) (with Andy Ness, Deborah Ballati, Ralph Artigliere, Russ Gibbs, Brett Lamb, Elisabeth Malsch)
• “Cutting Edge eDiscovery Challenges and Solutions for Construction Litigation–Collaboration Software,” Florida Bar Construction Law Institute, Orlando, FL (March 2023) (with Ralph Artigliere)
• “Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution Ideas for Sureties,”  Pearlman Conference, Seattle WA (September 2023) (with Andy Ness and Barbara Reeves)
• “Arbitrability–Who Decides?” Georgia Bar ADR and Construction Law Sections Joint Presentation, Atlanta, GA (January 2024)
• “AI and Technology Used in Construction and Impacts on ADR,” JAMS GEC  8th Biennial Meeting, Irvine , CA (February 2024)
• “AI’s Impact on Construction and Construction Lawyers,” Florida Bar Construction Law Institute” Orlando, FL (March 2024) (with Kylan Greenville, Seyran Celik,  Sharnette Tucker)
• “Robots and Lasers and BIM–Oh My!” Construction Law Section of Texas Bar, 37th  Annual Construction Law Conference, San Antonio, TX (March 2024)
• “ADR:  A World of Certainty in a Universe of Uncertainty” Miami-Dade Bar Association, Florida Law Con 2024, Miami, FL (April 2024) (with John Thornton,  Cristina Pereyra, Scott Silverman)

• Florida Bar
• U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Florida
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• U. S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit

• Christian Service Center for Central Florida (Board of Directors 1989-1992) (2015- present) (President 2018-2019)
• Welbourne Day Nursery and Preschool (Board of Directors 2018 – present)
• First Congregational Church, Winter Park, Florida (Board of Trustees (2016 – 2018);  Board of Christian Education, Board of Membership) (1980-1989)
• Orlando Shakespeare Festival Board of Directors (1993-1996) (2005-2008)