Robert A. Prentice is chair of Duane Morris' Construction Group. Mr. Prentice has substantial experience in construction litigation, having represented contractors, subcontractors, owners, architects and sureties since 1977. In addition to litigation, arbitration, mediation, mini-trials and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, he advises clients in connection with the preparation of contract documents and related matters. Mr. Prentice is admitted to practice before numerous local and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

In addition to representing general contractors and construction managers, Mr. Prentice also is currently special counsel for construction-related issues for the Kennett School District, Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and the Chester County Intermediate Unit. Mr. Prentice's responsibilities for school districts and public contractors have encompassed all aspects of the construction process, including drafting architect agreements, drafting of construction contracts and bid packages, monitoring construction contract administration during construction, negotiating change orders, negotiating take-over agreements with sureties, interviewing and retaining completing contractors and handling post-construction arbitration and/or litigation.

Mr. Prentice has given seminars under the auspices of such organizations as the National Business Institute, Construction Education Management Corporation, Practising Law Institute, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and has written numerous articles for their publications. Mr. Prentice is a past chairman of the Real Property Section and of the Construction Law Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and a former trustee for Trinity College of Vermont.

Mr. Prentice is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. and is a member of the American, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and District of Columbia bar associations. He is listed in Who's Who in Practicing Attorneys and was named a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" for 2004 through 2008. Mr. Prentice is a 1970 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, a graduate of Harvard Law School (LL.M., constitutional law) and a graduate of Middlebury College.

Professional Activities

American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association
- Chairman, Real Property Section
-- Former Chair, Construction Law Committee

Admissions

District of Columbia
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
New York
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Supreme Court of the United States
Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of Massachusetts

Education

Harvard Law School, LL.M., 1977
University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1970

Experience

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Partner, 1992-1999
Hoyle Morris & Kerr, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Partner, 1986-1992
Conrad, Kerr, Bloom, Hitchner & O'Brien, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Partner, 1982-1985
Pepper Hamilton & Scheetz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Associate, 1977-1982
Duane Morris LLP
- Chair, Construction Litigation Practice Group, 1999-present
- Partner, 1999-present
United States Army, Judge Advocate General Corps
- Active Reserve, September 1976 - September 1980
- Active Duty, February 1971 - September 1976

Civic and Charitable Activities

Construction Law Advisor to Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership

Honors and Awards

Listed in Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, May 2009
Named a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer," 2004, 2005 and 2006
Listed in Who's Who in Practicing Attorneys

Selected Publications

Co-Author, "FAR Rules for Stimulus-Funded Contracts: Alert 5 - Federal Publication of Contract Actions," Duane Morris Alert, May 26, 2009
Co-Author, "FAR Rules for Stimulus Funded Contracts: Alert 4 - GAO and Inspector General Oversight," Duane Morris Alert, May 15, 2009
Co-Author, "FAR Rules for Stimulus Funded Contracts: Alert 3 - Enhanced Contractors' Internet-Quarterly-Reporting Requirements," Duane Morris Alert, May 14, 2009
Co-Author, "FAR Rules for Stimulus Funded Contracts: Alert 2 - Enhanced Whistleblower Protections," Duane Morris Alert, May 6, 2009
Co-Author, "FAR Rules for Stimulus Funded Contracts: Alert 1 - Buy-American Provisions," Duane Morris Alert, May 5, 2009

Selected Speaking Engagements

Speaker, "Money Talks: Using Pennsylvania Law to Protect Your Rights to Payment," Construction Expo 2007, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, April 11-12, 2007
Speaker, "Change Orders, Changed Conditions and Cardinal Changes: the Devil is in the Details!" Public Construction SuperConference, San Francisco, California, December 13, 2001
Presenter, "Pennsylvania Law for Design Professionals," seminar sponsored by Lorman Educational Services, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 18, 2000, October 2, 2001, and October 30, 2002.
Presenter, "Claim Prevention for design Professionals," seminar sponsored by Lorman Educational Services, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 21, 2002.
Faculty Member, "The Ever Evolving Changes to the Mechanics' Lien Laws of Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pittsburgh, November 1, 2007