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 and fiduciary litigation and all aspects of construction law, including public work contracts and regulation, private contract negotiation and disputes, claims, labor relations, risk management and other general business matters affecting the construction industry. He has been repeatedly selected to “Super Lawyers” and is recognized by Best Lawyers of America® for construction law and for commercial, construction, and trusts and estates litigation. He has been named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers of America® multiple times in both construction law and construction litigation.

Mr. Adams also has significant experience handling other civil disputes, including land use litigation, partnership and corporate disputes and litigation involving trust and estate matters.

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 government agencies, including the New York State Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. He is also on the American Arbitration Association’s panels of commercial and construction arbitrators. Mr. Adams is a frequent lecturer on construction law and litigation, 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
• Borelli v. New York State Fence Co., 195 AD3d 1491

ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS

• American Bar Association (including its Forum on Construction Law)
• New York State Bar Association
• Monroe County Bar Association
• Rochester Builders Exchange
• Rochester Museum & Science Center, past trustee and past-chair
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester, past director and past chair
• Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York
• Associated General Contractors, NY Chapter
  • Government Relations Committee
  • NYS Dept. of Transportation Specification Committee

RECENT BLOG POSTS AND PUBLICATIONS

• NYS DOT Changes the Rules on DBE Compliance – and They Mean It, Blog post, January 9, 2025
• The New Retainage Law: What Contractors Need to Know, Blog post, March 11, 2024
• Living with the Construction Wage Theft Law: Know Your Options, Blog post, May 17, 2022

RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• New York State Dept. of Transportation’s New DBE Bid Rules, Feb. 26, 2025, for Construction Exchange of Buffalo and WNY
• Working Under a PLA, Jan. 17, 2025, for Construction Exchange of Buffalo and WNY
• New York Prevailing Wage Update Seminar, Dec. 17, 2024, for Lorman Education Services
• What’s New (and Not New) About Retainage, March 14, 2024, for Rochester Builders Exchange
• Living With the New Wage Theft Law, Sept. 8, 2022, for Construction Exchange of Buffalo and WNY