Mr. Manuel is an Officer of the Firm and Manager of the Construction Law Practice Group. Mr. Manuel has substantial experience with large, complex mediation, arbitration and litigation matters, including a 100-day jury trial in St. Louis and a four-week international arbitration held in Chicago. He has handled claims involving design malpractice, defective workmanship, schedule delays and inefficiencies, differing site conditions, insurance coverage and extra work. Mr. Manuel's practice covers the spectrum of issues involving the construction process on behalf of contractors, design professionals and owners, from green construction issues to drafting and negotiating construction contracts to providing real time advice to clients during a project.
Mr. Manuel has been named a Missouri Super Lawyer in the area of construction litigation since 2006, and selected as a Best Lawyer by St. Louis Magazine in the area of construction law since 2007.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Manuel worked for ten years as a mechanical engineer/project manager for Brown & Root, a large engineering and construction company in Houston, Texas. Mr. Manuel is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas, and an Arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.
Mr. Manuel currently serves as the Firm’s Chairman of the New Technology Committee. He is also the Firm’s primary contact with Meritas, the worldwide association of independent law firms, and is currently a member of the Meritas Board of Directors.
Publications
Seminars
- “Missouri Construction Law: What Do You Do When…”, National Business Institute (2007 - 2005).
- “You Can Pay Me Now, Or You Can Pay Me (More) Later”, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2006).
- “Everything You Need to Know About Mechanic’s Liens”, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2005).
- “A Practical Guide to Construction Arbitration”, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2004).
- "Construction Claims", Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2003)
- "Let’s Make a Deal: Understanding Construction Contracts" Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2002).
- "Payment Issues on Construction Projects", Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (2001).
- "Advanced Construction Law in Missouri", National Business Institute (2000).
- Conducted numerous "in-house" seminars for clients on contracts and construction law.
- "How to Prevent The Potential Hazards of Green Design", Lorman (2008).
Cases
- Light Rail Transportation System. Multi-month (100 day) jury trial in Missouri state court (longest in St. Louis County history). Defense verdict for designer/construction manager joint venture client against claims by public agency owner in excess of $100 million on allegations of breach of contract, professional engineering/architectural malpractice and fraud concerning project for an 8-mile extension of light rail system. The jury also awarded client over $2.5 million on counterclaim for extra work. Prior to appeal, settled favorably for client with substantial payment of attorneys fees.
- Steel Mill Slag Processing Facility. Four-week international arbitration in Chicago and federal court arbitration award confirmation proceeding. Defense verdict for international owner client against claims by design/build contractor alleging over $15 million of claims for delay, disruption and extra work arising out of the design and construction of steel mill slag processing facility. Arbitrator also awarded client over $2.8 million on counterclaims, including attorneys fees. Federal court also awarded client additional attorneys fees as part of arbitration award confirmation proceeding.
- Condominium – HVAC Systems. Two week arbitration, single day mechanic’s lien Missouri state court hearing, and two appeals. Defense verdict for mechanical design/build subcontractor client against owner alleging over $3 million of claims for improper design and defective workmanship arising out of the design and construction of 30-story condominium tower. Arbitrator also awarded to client over $600,000 on counterclaims, including attorneys fees.State Court also awarded client mechanic’s lien in contested bench-tried mechanic’s lien proceeding. Separate appeals of arbitration award and mechanic’s lien judgment settled favorably to client before opinions issued.
- Public Cemetery. Three week arbitration. Award for general contractor client against subcontractor arising from subcontract termination and claims for additional costs due to defective and incomplete work performed by subcontractor. Also successfully defeated fraud and wrongful termination counterclaims by subcontractor.
- Litigated, arbitrated and mediated numerous engineering and construction disputes on behalf of clients in proceedings of less than one week in duration involving a wide variety of projects, including office buildings, retail centers, shopping malls, data centers, nursing homes, hotels, hospitals, schools, water treatment plants, sewer systems, power plants, brewery, various industrial facilities, airport and environmental remediation site.
- Reported Appellate Matters
- Metro Demolition & Excavating Co. v. H.B.D. Contracting, Inc., 37 S.W.3d 843 (Mo.App.E.D. 2001). Represented contractor in arbitration enforcement action involving construction of public housing project.
- Church of God in Christ Congregational of Missouri v. Secured Housing, Inc., 39 S.W.3d 55 (Mo. App. E.D. 2001). Represented private prison developer in real property title dispute.
- Dunn Industrial Group, Inc. v. City of Sugar Creek, 112 S.W.3d 421(Mo. 2003). Represented owner in arbitration enforcement action involving design and construction of cement manufacturing facility.