Robert S. Peckar

• Chambers USA, 2003-2016
• The Legal 500: United States, 2009-2016
• The Legal 500’s Inaugural Hall of Fame list, 2017
• New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2005-2016
• New York Super Lawyers-Metro
• Best Lawyers in America, 2003-2016
• Leading Construction Lawyer in the World, International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, 2005-2012
• Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated

Mr. Peckar’s unique level of service to the construction industry is exemplified by his tenure over many years as general counsel to the New York Building Congress (currently general counsel emeritus), the Building Trades Employers’ Association of New York, the Building Contractors Association of New Jersey and the national Construction Financial Management Association. In addition, he has contributed his efforts to educational programs for the Associated General Contractors of America, the American Arbitration Association and many other organizations throughout the United States.

Service to the construction bar has also been an important element of Mr. Peckar’s dedication to the betterment of the construction industry. He has been an active member of the construction-related sections of the American Bar Association (ABA), and has presented papers and programs at bar association events in the United States and abroad throughout his career. He is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, where he has chaired its ADR and International Law Committee.

Robert S. Peckar is a founding partner of Peckar & Abramson. Mr. Peckar has devoted his career to serving the construction industry and bar. For decades, he has represented contractors throughout the United States and the world, gaining a widespread reputation for his legal acumen, his energetic representation and his creative approach to solving contractors’ most challenging problems. In that regard, he was among the pioneers of creative dispute avoidance and dispute resolution techniques in the construction industry. Mr. Peckar is currently continuing that service to the firm’s clients, but also bringing expertise to clients around the globe in regard to corporate integrity programs and anti-corruption issues (with particular emphasis on the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).

Associated General Contractors of America, Building Trades Employers Association of New York, Building Contractors Association of New Jersey, Construction Management Association of America, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, American College of Construction Lawyers (Fellow), American Bar Association (Construction Industry Forum), Construction Financial Management Association, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, The Moles, and the International Bar Association.

• General Counsel, Building Contractors Association of New Jersey
• General Counsel Emeritus, Building Trades Employers Association
• General Counsel, National Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA)
• General Counsel Emeritus, New York Building Congress (NYBC)
• Fellow, American College of Construction Lawyers
• Member, New Jersey State and American Bar Associations

Mr. Peckar has authored many articles on construction law topics and dispute resolution in the industry, is a contributing author in several construction law textbooks and is the author of New Jersey Practice: Construction Law. He also serves as the Editor of Getting the Deal Through – Construction, an international survey of construction and construction law topics published by Law Business Research in coordination with the International Bar Association and the ABA Section of International Law.

• Author, “Choosing Arbitration Over Trial”, New Jersey Law Journal, March 2007
• “A Path to Disaster, How E-mails Can Be Dangerous”, Constructor, September/October 2005
• “Technical Mediation, A New Tool for Resolving Complex Construction Disputes”, Dispute Resolution Journal, May-July 2005
• Author, Construction Law (New Jersey Practice, Vol. 41), 1998, West Group
• “Team Players – Not “Partners!”, Punch List, Summer 1997
• “Audit Letter Angst”, Journal of Construction Accounting and Taxation, Fall 1997
• “A Current View on the Role of Lawyers in the Partnering Process,” American College of Construction Lawyers, February 1996 Partnering Program
• “How To Get Paid: A Lawyer’s View”, New York Construction News, December 1995

Speeches, Panel Discussions, and Seminars:

• Speaker, “Contract Dispute Resolution/Alternative Dispute Resolution,” The Associated General Contractors of America Advanced Management Program, 1998-Present
• Guest lecturer to local and national construction industry groups as well as in continuing education programs
•  Moderator, “America: The Home of the World’s Leading Infrastructure?”, Construction Superconference, December 2012
•  Moderator, International Construction Roundtable, AAA/ICDR Legal Update, November 2011
•   Speaker, “Discovery in Construction Arbitration:  When is Enough, Enough?”, American Arbitration Association, May 2011
• Speaker, “Compliance and Integrity in the Construction Industry – the New Paradigm” Workshop, Groundbreaking Women in Construction, McGraw Hill Companies, May 2011
• Moderator, “Lawyers, Clients and Consultants in the Construction Industry – A Collision of Ethical Issues”, Construction Superconference, December 2010
•  Moderator, “How Much is that Doggie in the Window? Choosing and Using your Legal Eagle”, a joint program of the AGC and the Construction Forum Section of the ABA, March 2010
• Speaker, “Strategic Considerations and Differences for an International Construction Dispute Resolution Matter – The Practitioner’s Roundtable”, AAA/ICDR International Arbitration Conference, Resolving International Construction Disputes, March 2010
• Moderator, “Minority Business Enterprise Programs in the Construction Industry,” Construction Superconference, December 2009
•  Speaker, “The Culturally Sensitive Aspects of International Mediation”, International Bar Association Conference Madrid, October 2009
• Moderator, “The Inside/Outside Counsel Relationship:  Best Practices”, ABA Forum on Construction Industry, The Two-Way Street of Construction Counseling: Learning the Ins and Outs, October 2009
• Speaker, “Public Private Partnerships and New Jersey… Where Are We Going”, Building Contractors Association of New Jersey, October 2009
• Speaker, “Controlling the Discovery Monster”, American Arbitration Association University, Construction Conference:  Maximizing ADR Advocacy for Today’s Economy, May 2009
• Speaker, “Managing the Expectation of Parties-Best Practices in Construction Arbitration”, AAA and ICDR Neutrals Conference, February 2009
• Moderator, “The Economic Crisis, Budget Cuts and Infrastructure – Will PPPs become King?”, Construction Superconference, December 2008
•  Moderator, AAA Construction Conference:  Making ADR Work for You and Your Projects, May 2008
• Moderator, “The Government vs. The Construction Industry – Is it Time to Fasten Our Seatbelts?”, Construction Superconference, December 2007
• Session Chair, The Changing Face of Organized Labor in the Construction Industry, Construction Superconference, Current Trends Shaping the Next Generation of Construction Industry Business, December 2006
• Speaker, Making Construction Arbitration Work  Starting at the Beginning, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution & Construction Litigation Committees CLE Seminar, November 2005
• Speaker, Optimizing the Hearing in Arbitration, American Arbitration Association, Straight Talk About Construction Arbitration Program, September 2005
• Speaker, Total Cost Claims Loss of Efficiency, The Contractor and Construction Manager Issues International Superconference, May 2005
• Moderator, What a Construction Mediation Really Looks Like  A Demonstration, American Arbitration Association, National Forum on Conflict Management in the Construction Industry, November 2004
• Speaker, American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry/TIPS Fidelity & Surety Law Committee, Construction Dilemmas Caught Between The Rock And A Hard Place Program, January 2004
• Session Chair, Techniques of Dispute Avoidance for International Infrastructure Projects, The Second Global Project Superconference, May 2003
• Moderator, Is ADR Right for Public Contract Dispute Resolution? The Public Construction Superconference, December 2001
• Moderator, Presenting and Winning the Claim in International Arbitration: (When ADR and Risk Avoidance Have Failed), The Global Construction Superconference, London, November 2001
• Speaker and Author, The Attorney’s Options When Grounds for Challenging an Arbitration Award Arise,” ABA Forum on the Construction Industry, April 1999
• Speaker, Contract Dispute Resolution/Alternative Dispute Resolution, The Associated General Contractors of America Advanced Management Program, 1998-Present
• Speaker, “Accounting Aspects of Claims,” AGC/CFMA Construction Financial Management Conference, October 1998
• Co-Chairman, The Alternative Dispute Resolution Superconference, Visions for America’s Businesses, Corporate Counsel and the ADR Community, October 1998
• Speaker, “Accountants Role in Construction Litigation” and “Alternative Dispute Resolution,” AICPA National Construction Industry Conference, December 1996
• Speaker and Author, “Default Termination for the Perspective of the Contractor’s Indemnity to Its Surety,” ABA Construction Law Summit, October 1996
• Summit Facilitator, “Labor/Management Summit,” New York Building Congress, Construction Industry Development Board, 1994, 1995, & 1996 Construction Industry Summits
• Lecturer in Beijing, The Peoples’ Republic of China, to the Ministry of Construction, the China Association of Engineering Corporation (BPEC), on resolution of claims and disputes, 1994 and 1995
• Speaker, “Looking East-Construction Opportunities in China,” The Associated General Contractors of America, 1994 Annual Convention
• Guest Lecturer at CONTEO Conferences in Mexico for Mexican/US Contractors
• Chairman of ENR “Constructive Resolution of Construction Disputes” and “Building Successfully   with Disputes” Conferences, 1991 and 1992

• State of New Jersey
• State of New York
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Courts of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
• United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

• National Chair, Project Interchange
• President, Jewish Home at Home (Managed Geriatric Care)