Leon F. Mead II

Leon Mead has been handling construction law almost exclusively matters for over 30 years. His practice is primarily devoted to representation of public and private owners, developers, contractors, specialty contractors, construction managers, material suppliers and design professionals, in construction contract preparation, negotiation and implementation; LEED Certification/Green Building compliance, litigation, arbitration and mediation, construction claims, mechanics lien remedies, construction defect defense including residential and commercial deficiency design and construction claims, delay, disruption, acceleration and other impact claims, bid protests, professional licensing, construction related administrative & criminal defense, construction industry issues, commercial and business litigation.

On construction and development related transactional matters, Leon has significant experience in planning, negotiating, drafting and coordinating contracts as unique as design and construction of multi-billion-dollar complex commercial multi-use projects, and as routine as form UCC Article 2 sales transaction / credit agreements for construction goods and materials. His experience has included myriad delivery method options (including Design-Bid-Build (Competitive Bidding), Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk, Construction Management as Agent, Owner-Builder, Design, Build, Operate and Maintain, Fast-Track and Flash-Track), utilizing various financing and compensation methods (including lump sum, cost plus fee, guaranteed maximum price (“GMP”), joint venture funding, public private partnership, etc.). This experience allows him to partner with and advise clients as to various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks that each of these construction methods pose, and recommend strategies to manage the particular issues unique to the project circumstances.

Leon has also advised clients on necessary construction administration and management processes that avoid pitfalls created by legislative enactment.Leon is dedicated to development of Nevada laws that impact construction and to advising his clients and the Nevada construction industry of their implications: Testifying before numerous state legislative committees on construction related topics and cited by the Nevada Supreme Court in support of construction related opinions. Leon is a frequent lecturer and prolific author on construction law and industry issues. He is the author of the first (and only) comprehensive “Nevada Construction law” treatise, published by Thompson Reuters / West, 2009 through 2012; DHG Publications 2013 through 2016 (and cited with approval by the Nevada Supreme Court in multiple published decisions), and numerous articles on construction law topics. He teaches Construction Law as faculty adjunct at the William S. Boyd School of Law (UNLV), an invited lecturer on construction law to the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry, and State Bar of Nevada Annual Meetings. He has served since 2013 on the Editorial Board of the Nevada Lawyer, the official magazine of the State Bar of Nevada. He also serves as an independent mediator and arbitrator of construction disputes.

Leon’s work is recognized by his 2006-2022 consecutive Tier 1 Nevada Litigation:Construction ranking by Chambers USA®; Selection as 2013 & 2015 Construction Lawyer of the Year in Las Vegas by Best Lawyers®; 2007 through 2023 inclusion in Best Lawyers®; 2007 through 2022 listing in Superlawyers®, his 2013-2022 AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubble® in both Attorney and Judicial Editions, selection as a Senior Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America® and Construction Litigation Counsel of America®, as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation®, 2015 Associate Member of the Year of the Nevada Contractors Association®, 2007, Associate Member of the Year of the Nevada Framing Contractors Association®, and as the 2005 Associate member of the Year by the Associated General Contractors, Las Vegas Chapter®. In 2005, he received the distinction as the only practicing lawyer elected to the Nevada Contractors Association (fka Associated General Contractors, Las Vegas Chapter) Board of Directors from 2005 to current and served on its Executive Committee from 2016 through 2017. In 2015 he founded the Nevada Association of Construction Counsel, a group Nevada-based construction lawyers dedicated to the betterment of Nevada construction law.