Steven J. Slawinski

For 30 years Steve has represented his clients in complex construction, business, and real estate litigation. His practice emphasizes the areas of construction litigation and construction law—representing general contractors, subcontractors, owners, design professionals, lenders, and title insurers in construction disputes, both in court and in arbitration.

His recent work has included defending complex multi-million dollar lawsuits arising from failed commercial construction projects located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and in Kansas City, Missouri. He has litigated cases arising from both public and private construction projects, including such high-profile projects as Miller Park and the WE Energies Elm Road Power Plant. Steve has defended contractors in construction accident personal injury cases, and has represented both owners and engineers in design professional malpractice cases. Steve has represented contractors regarding objections and protests to competitive bids for public construction projects. He drafts and reviews construction contracts and subcontracts; and represents contractors, owners, and title insurers regarding construction lien and payment bond claims. He also represents client in insurance coverage disputes.

Mr. Slawinski is the chair of the Wisconsin State Bar Construction and Public Contract Section Board. He was named one of “Wisconsin’s Top Construction Attorneys” by the Wisconsin Law Journal/Daily Reporter. He is a frequent speaker at seminars for attorneys and construction industry professionals on construction law topics.

Steve Assists Clients With

• Construction Litigation and Arbitration
• Commercial and Business Litigation
• Construction Law
• Real Estate Litigation
• Construction Lien Law
• Construction Bond Claims
• Insurance Coverage Disputes
• Title Insurance Coverage Disputes
• Commercial Creditors’ Rights

Examples of Steve’s Recent Client Work

• Won summary judgment, and subsequent appeal before United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, dismissing general contractor’s Federal Court lawsuit against subcontract bidder that declined to execute a subcontract in connection with the construction of a downtown Milwaukee high-rise office building, C.G. Schmidt Inc. V. Permasteelisa N. Am., 825 F.3d 801 (7th Cir. 2016)
• Won summary judgment, and subsequent appeal before United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, in key case regarding title insurance coverage under loan policy for construction liens due to inadequate project funding, BB Syndication Services, Inc. v. First American Title Insurance Co., 780 F.3d 825 (7th Cir. 2015)
• Won summary judgment dismissing general contractor’s Federal Court lawsuit against subcontract bidder arising from the construction of a downtown Milwaukee high-rise office building
• Won jury trial in franchise dispute, resulting in jury verdict awarding all damages claimed by client franchisor and rejecting defenses and counterclaim of franchisee, plus an award of all attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by client
• Won trial and appeal in multi-million dollar will contest case, protecting client’s inheritance under will and dismissing objections to will alleging undue influence
• Won summary judgment dismissing mortgage lender’s multi-million dollar Federal Court lawsuit against client title insurer, arising from financial collapse of a $100 million commercial real estate development
• Won a jury trial and recovered a $1.2 million award, representing full recovery of all damages claimed plus interest, for an eight unit condominium association in an engineering malpractice case
• Successfully defended a lender’s lawsuit against a title insurance company seeking over $20 million in damages arising from the failure of a high-rise condominium development
• Successfully represented Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. in a multimillion dollar arbitration with one of its subcontractors in a contract dispute arising from the Miller Park Stadium construction project
• Defended Bechtel Power Corporation in two separate lawsuits filed by subcontractors arising from the WE Energies Power Plant project, the most  expensive private construction project in Wisconsin history, resulting in favorable settlements in both cases
• Successfully represented close corporation and its majority shareholders in litigation against minority shareholders resulting favorable settlement.
• Successfully represented franchisor in arbitration against franchisee, resulting in favorable settlement
• Successfully represented a precast concrete supplier in a multi-party dispute during construction of an apartment building, resulting in a favorable outcome for the client
• Lobbied the Wisconsin Legislature on behalf of a construction equipment supplier resulting in the adoption of a favorable amendment to recent revisions to Wisconsin’s Construction Lien Law
• Prevailed in a direct action by a title insurance company against a title agent’s errors and omissions insurer, winning a favorable insurance coverage ruling resulting in a substantial recovery for the title company client
• Won summary judgment dismissing all claims against a contractor in an asbestos wrongful death case
• Successfully defended an equipment supplier in a construction accident personal injury case venued in Illinois, resulting in a favorable settlement at trial
• Won a jury verdict in favor of a lender as assignee of an owner, in a lawsuit seeking damages arising from a fire during construction
• Defended an engineering firm in a professional malpractice lawsuit arising from a grocery store roof collapse, resulting in a favorable settlement for the client
• Successfully defended an engineer in a lawsuit by the purchaser of a contaminated property alleging malpractice in connection with a Phase I environmental study
• Won a jury verdict in favor of the developer of a residential subdivision in a home purchaser’s lawsuit alleging failure by the developer to enforce restrictive covenants
• Won a jury verdict in favor of a home builder in a lawsuit by an owner alleging construction defects
• Defended a contractor in a construction accident personal injury lawsuit arising from the collapse of the structure during construction, resulting in the pretrial dismissal of all claims against it
• Won partial summary judgment dismissing a city’s delay counter-claim for substantial liquidated damages, and recovered payment for the contractor
• Defended an electronic component manufacturer against a product manufacturer’s lawsuit alleging manufacturing defects and breach of warranty, resulting in a favorable settlement for the manufacturer

Admissions

• State Bar of Wisconsin (1986)
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois