Shareholder
Environmental
Litigation

Reading
610.478.2210
610.988.0845 fax
drb@stevenslee.com

David counsels clients in the areas of construction law and asbestos risk management. He represents and works closely with contractors, sub-contractors, public and private owners, developers, suppliers, construction managers and design professionals in all aspects of the construction process, from contract negotiation through claims resolution.

David regularly negotiates and drafts RFPs and contracts for construction projects and advises construction professionals on public and private projects on a wide variety of issues that arise during the design and development phases of construction projects, including public bidding and bonding requirements, change orders and construction change directives, bid protests, ad disputes involving unpaid contract balances, acceleration/delay/inefficiency damage claims, liquidated damage assessments, mechanic’s liens, performance and payment bond claims, indemnity claims, termination and suspension of contracts, and construction defect claims. David assists clients in resolving construction disputes in a variety of forums, including mediation, arbitration and state and federal courts. He counsels clients on the prevention and defense of construction related mold, asbestos and lead paint claims. He represents projects that include convention centers, hotels, office buildings, industrial plants, bank branches and assisted-living facilities.

In addition, David counsels clients on asbestos risk management. On the litigation side, he serves as national coordinating counsel, coverage counsel and local litigation counsel for manufacturing and institutional clients named in thousands of asbestos personal injury and wrongful death cases pending throughout the continental United States. His work as an asbestos litigator also includes representing clients in defense of claims filed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act and he assists creditors' insurance carriers with estimation issues in asbestos reorganizational bankruptcies.

His asbestos transaction work includes focus groups engagements to help companies avoid reorganizational bankruptcy. David has also assisted clients with actuarial assessments of their asbestos litigation risk and often serves in a merger and acquisition support role to assess acquisition candidates' asbestos litigation risk. David has assisted school districts in their effort to comply with AHERA, and has advised business owner clients on the development of asbestos management plans to promote compliance with OSHA’s “hazardous communication” asbestos requirements and minimize the risk of liability arising from renovation and demolition projects.

Education:
Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1988
Albright College, B.A., summa cum laude, 1985

Bar Admissions:
Pennsylvania

Selected Speaking Engagements:

"Asbestos in Schools: Keeping School Districts Compliant Amid an Upturn in EPA Enforcement Activity." Berks County Bar Association, May 11, 2005.
"Asbestos 101 for Lawyers with Client who Own, Manage or Lease Commercial Property: How Asbestos Regulations and Asbestos Litigation Impact the Ability of Your Clients to Purchase, Renovate, Manage or Demolish Commercial Property." Berks County Bar Association, January 21, 2004.

Professional and Civic Associations:
Berks County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 1999-2001; Environmental Section, Chair 1997-2000 and 2003; Bench Bar Committee, Chair 1994-1996
Pennsylvania Bar Association, Environmental, Mineral and Natural Resources Section
American Bar Association, Natural Resources Section
Berks County Chamber of Commerce, Environmental, Health and Safety Committee, 1996-2001
Alternate Delegate, Lehigh Valley/Reading Ozone Stakeholder Working Group, 1999
Pro-Berks Brownfields Task Force, 1997-1998