Brendan J. Peters
Brendan uses his architectural experience and 25 years of building-industry knowledge to help clients with complex construction and design transactions and disputes.
Brendan Peters advises clients about building projects, annually negotiates hundreds of millions of dollars in sophisticated design and construction contracts, and has litigated and arbitrated some of the largest transportation and infrastructure disputes in the Pacific Northwest.
Brendan represents a broad range of clients, including public and private building owners, technology companies, developers, architects, engineers, contractors, and product suppliers. He also assists clients with real estate disputes and general commercial litigation. Brendan’s construction-related experience includes e-commerce facilities; data centers; chip fabs; green and sustainable buildings; nuclear, wind, solar, and hydroelectric energy projects; healthcare; schools and universities; processing plants; design-build and EPC projects; aerospace; sports venues; hotels and resorts; modular housing; and condominium and residential projects.
In his prior career as an architect, Brendan worked in all phases of design and construction on complex commercial, civic, and residential projects. Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and a member of the American Institute of Architects, Brendan is also a Construction Specifications Institute Construction Documents Technologist and a U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional.
Before joining the firm, Brendan served as a law clerk to the then-chief federal district court judge in Seattle. Brendan taught construction law for over a decade as an adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Stanford Law School, J.D., Executive Editor, Stanford Law Review; Senior Editor, Stanford Journal of Law, Business & Finance
- Princeton University, School of Architecture, M.Arch., Second in Class
- University of Virginia, School of Architecture, B.S., Architecture, First in Class
Bar and Court Admissions
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Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
Related Employment
- Seattle University School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Construction Law
- Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Seattle, WA, Associate
- Michael Graves & Associates, Princeton, NJ, Architect
- SWBR Architects PC, Rochester, NY, Project Designer/Intern Architect
Clerkships
- Hon. Robert Lasnik, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Professional Recognition
Listed in Chambers USA "America's Leading Lawyers" for Construction, 2022-2024
Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Construction Law; Litigation - Construction, 2016-2025
Listed in Super Lawyers Magazine, "Super Lawyer," 2014-2024
2015 Pro Bono Honoree - Columbia Legal Services
Construction Lawyers Society of America, Fellow
Impact
Professional Leadership
- American Institute of Architects (AIA), Member
- Editorial Board, Washington Civil Procedure Deskbook, Washington State Bar Association (3d ed.)
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® Accredited Professional
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
- Licensed Architect (WA, NJ)
- Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), Construction Law Section
- American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry
- The Jefferson Society Inc., Member
- University of Virgina Alumni Association, Board of Managers
- WSBA Construction Law Deskbook, Chapter Author
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Construction
Arbitration: RCI-Herzog v. Sound Transit
Private Arbitration of Washington
Defended claims for design errors, delays and additional costs exceeding $100 million through an eight-week arbitration.
Arbitration: Manufacturing Facility Delay and Impact Claims*
Defended international engineering firm in $20 million dollar cost overrun, lost labor productivity and delay claims arising out of the construction of a polypropylene plant.
Arbitration: Construction Defect and Purchase and Sale Agreement Claims*
Represented food processing company in multi-million dollar breach of purchase and sale agreement and welding defect claims.
Arbitration: Condominium Construction Disputes*
Represented condominium homeowners association in claims against commercial association arising out of condominium restoration project and condominium declaration disputes.
Litigation: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy v. Energy Northwest
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
Defended Energy Northwest against claim exceeding $50 million arising out of a condenser replacement project at the Columbia Generating Station.
Litigation: Construction Wrongful Death Claim*
King County Superior Court (Washington)
Obtained summary judgment in favor of civil engineering firm against wrongful death claims exceeding $11 million arising out of a construction site accident.
Litigation: Seismic Tie-down Construction Product*
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Represented defendant against trade secret, patent and breach of contract claims including the rights to a patented seismic tie-down device.
Litigation: Cellular Telephone Facility*
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Defended major cellular telephone company against breach of contract claims arising out of construction of cellular telephone facility.
Litigation: Airport Expansion Project*
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Defended major airline in breach of lease and environmental claims arising from airport expansion project.
Litigation: Construction and Lease Agreements*
King County Superior Court (Washington)
Defended landlord against a claim exceeding a million dollars arising out of the construction of tenant improvements.
Litigation: Surety Bond Claims
Superior Court of Washington, Snohomish County
Defended school district against subcontractor’s retainage and bond claims.
Litigation: Marina Construction Contract and Lien Foreclosure*
Represented marina float supplier in breach of contract and lien foreclosure litigation.
Litigation: Apartment Building Construction and Design Defects*
King County Superior Court (Washington)
Represented building owner in $2 million construction defect claim against general contractor and design professionals.
Litigation: Design Professional Negligence and Breach of Contract*
Superior Court of Anchorage
Defended design professional against multi-million dollar professional malpractice claim arising out of Alaska school renovation project.
Litigation: Hotel and Condominium Disputes
King County Superior Court (Washington)
Defended owner against multi-million dollar claims by prime contractor and subcontractors and represented owner in multi-million dollar claim against the project architect.
Litigation: Real Estate Purchase & Sale Dispute
Superior Court of Washington, Snohomish County
Defended seller against claim by real estate agent for commissions; settled at mediation.
Litigation: Indemnity Agreement Claims
Superior Court of Washington, Spokane County
Defended developer against surety claims for breach of indemnity agreement.
Architect Licensing Board Claims
Advised building design firm in complaint proceeding before the Washington State Board for Architects. Claim dismissed with no action.
Mediation: Design-build
Defended builder against claims by engineer for termination of government design-build contract; settled at mediation.
Mediation: CAD and Design Errors and Omissions
Represented owner against project architect and structural engineer in multi-million dollar claim involving CAD and design errors and omissions; settled after mediation.
Mediation: Engineering Fee and Bond Claims
Defended public owner against claims by engineer and surety for additional fees and breach of contract.
Transactions: Design Professional Corporate Formation*
Advised design professional firm in corporate restructuring to obtain corporate architectural certificate of authorization from the Washington State Board for Architects.
Transactions: Complex Commercial and Residential Projects
Draft and negotiate complex design and construction contracts for public and private owners, architects and engineers.
* Prior Experience
Litigation
Litigation: Parallel Networks, L.L.C. v. Priceline.com Inc., et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Defended OfficeMax Inc. and Walgreen Company in multi-defendant patent case relating to systems and methods for managing dynamic generation of web pages.
Litigation: Software Development Contract*
Represented e-commerce company in breach of contract claims arising out of software development contract.
Litigation: Marine Supply Contract*
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Defended Norwegian seafood company against multi-million dollar breach of contract and trade secret claims arising out of salmon supply contract.
Arbitration: Domain Name Portfolio*
Defended respondents against claims in excess of $20 million arising from purchase and sale of portfolio of Internet domain names.
* Prior Experience