Anthony J. Adams, Jr., a founding partner of the firm, has been in private practice since completing a clerkship for New York State Supreme Court Justice David O. Boehm in 1983. Since then his practice has focused on commercial litigation and all aspects of construction law, including public contracts, private contract negotiation, claims, labor relations, risk management and other general business matters. He has been selected to “Super Lawyers” and is recognized by “Best Lawyers of America” for construction law plus commercial, construction, and trusts and estates litigation. He has been named “Lawyer of the Year” by “Best Lawyers” seven times in either construction law or construction litigation.

Mr. Adams also has significant experience handling other civil disputes, including land use litigation, partnership and corporate disputes and property tax protests. In recent years he has litigated several cases for and against estate and trust fiduciaries, including banks charged with failing to adequately diversify trust assets in their care.

Mr. Adams practices in state and federal courts (both trial and appellate) in New York and elsewhere. He has successfully argued three cases in the New York State Court of Appeals (New York’s highest court), that have limited the reach of the State Prevailing Wage law, established limits on the public use of project labor agreements, and confirmed the liability of financiers that participate in diverting statutory trust funds. He also practices before various arbitral forums and before government agencies, including the New York State Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. He has lectured on construction law, real property taxation and fiduciary litigation.

RESULTS/REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

• G.M. Insulation v. Gardner, 18 NY3d 903
• LeChase Data/Telecom Services, LLC v. Goebert, 6 NY3d 281
• General Building Contractors v. Dormitory Authority, 88 NY2d 56
• R-J Taylor General Contr., Inc. v. Fairport Central School Dist., 170 AD3d 1603
• Matter of Estate of Thomas, 179 AD3d 98
• Matter of Hunter (Chase), 100 AD3d 996
• Matter of Thomas, 179 AD3d 98 (4th Dept 2019)

ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS

• American Bar Association (including its Forum on the Construction Industry)
• New York State Bar Association
• Monroe County Bar Association
• Associated General Contractors, NY Chapter, Government Relations Committee Member
• Rochester Builders Exchange
• Rochester Museum & Science Center, trustee and past-chair
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester, director and current chair

PRESENTATIONS AND SEMINARS

• Covid-19 and Contract Time Extensions to Rochester Builders Exchange, April 28, 2020
• Diversification of Assets to the Estate Planning Council of Rochester, May 14, 2020
• Getting Paid — A Refresher to Rochester Builders Exchange, March 2, 2021
• Construction Litigation to Monroe County Bar Association, March 3, 2021
• What Contractors Need to Know about COVID-19 Vaccinations to Associated General Contractors of New York State, March 22, 2021
• When Do You Consider Stopping Work with Construction Exchange of Buffalo & WNY, Inc., April 22, 2021
• New York Prevailing Wage Law to Lorman Education Services, September 30, 2021

RECENT BLOG POSTS AND PUBLICATIONS

• Commentary: A Final End to an Ungentlemanly Agreement, The Daily Record, March 1, 2021.
• Advocate’s View: Life Insurance Trustee Absolved of Policy Lapse — This Time, The Daily Record, February 16, 2021.
• Workforce Diversity Requirements, Published in Rochester Builders Exchange, Quarter 4 – 2019 and in The Daily Record, February 29, 2020.