Peter Halls is in the construction law practice and formerly served as group leader. He represents a variety of participants in the construction industry, including architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, owners, and sureties.

In serving construction industry clients for more than 25 years, Peter has handled a wide range of construction issues, including drafting contract documents, identifying potential claims, negotiating claims, conducting mediations, and handling arbitrations and trials. He has represented clients in construction projects in most U.S. states and in several foreign countries, including Russia, Germany, China, India and Canada.

Peter has been involved in negotiating, reviewing, or drafting several billion dollars worth of construction contracts, including contracts for:

• Power projects
• Ethanol plants
• Industrial facilities
• Hospitals
• Sports facilities
• Theater facilities
• Concert halls
• Museums
• Libraries
• Office buildings and office parks
• High rises
• Condominiums
• Computer facilities
• Shopping centers
• Manufacturing facilities
• Laboratories

He has prepared contracts for some of the largest owner, designers, and contractors in the world.

Peter's published court decisions include:

• United Power Association v. L.K. Comstock, Inc., 1992-2 Trade Cases 70,055 (D. Minn. 1992). The court held that client was entitled to add its interest costs to its bid rigging damages and then to treble that total as part of its RICO and antitrust causes of action against various bid riggers.  
• David Company v. Jim W. Miller Construction, 444 N.W.2d 836 (Minn. 1989). The court held that arbitrators had the authority to issue an award in favor of client requiring the contractor to buy back a failed townhouse project from client even though a court of law would not have had authority to issue such an award.  
• Gilbert Builders v. Community Bank of DePere, 407 N.W.2d 706 (Minn. App. 1987). The court held that lender had extinguished its own mortgage, thereby giving client's mechanic's lien priority in the project.

Pro Bono

• LAP Clinic

Honors

• Minneapolis Best Lawyers Construction Lawyer of the Year, 2012
• The International Who's Who of Construction Lawyers, 2011–12
• Law & Politics, Top 40 Alternative Dispute Resolution Attorneys, 2010
• Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Construction, 2010–11
• Super Lawyers, Construction/Surety, 2003–11
• The Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law, 2003– 12

Professional Associations

Presentations

• Triple P: Public-Private Partnerships - Issues for Contractors and Suppliers
  Construction Law Seminar, Minneapolis (2011)
• Discovery in Arbitration: International and Domestic (San Diego, CA)
  American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry Annual Meeting (2006)
• The Key Elements and Modifications Necessary in a Design/Build Construction Contract - Including Revolutionary Changes to the AIA Form
  Minnesota State Bar Association, The 23rd Annual Real Estate Institute (2005)
• Preventing Deficiencies in Water and Wastewater Systems
  University of Wisconsin, College of Engineering, Department of Engineering Professional Development (2005– 07)
• Special Issues Involved with Obtaining Evidence in Foreign Countries for U.S. Litigation (Orlando, FL)
  American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry Annual Mtg. (1998)
• Panel on Political Risk Insurance and Embargoes (Vancouver, B.C.)
  American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry Annual Mtg. (1995)
• Construction Claims--Accounting and Litigation Support Services
  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (1988)

Legal Updates