James E. Frankel, Esq.
Partner, Arent Fox

Jamie E. Frankel is a partner in the construction group. His practice focuses on front-end project structuring, transactional documentation and contentious dispute resolution within the owner, architect, engineering and construction communities. He also provides business advisory services, including mergers and acquisitions structuring, within the architect, engineering and construction arena.
Client Work

With his multi-disciplinary background and strong belief in realistic approaches to problem solving, Jamie brings leading-edge business solution techniques and resolution-oriented methods to serving the needs of clients.
Previous Work

Prior to joining Arent Fox, Jamie was a partner at the New York office of a regional law firm. He was founder and co-chair of the firm’s construction practice group.

Jamie’s 30-year practice within the built environment has served owners, architects, engineering and construction clients. He developed a transportation infrastructure practice which has worked on such projects as the New York City Transit Authority’s Subway System. In addition, Jamie created the Distressed Asset Recovery Program which serves insureds who have suffered large scale losses in man-made and natural disasters. He also developed a Failure and Collapse program. Projects he has worked on include the Schoharie Bridge on the New York State Thruway, the John Hancock building in Boston, and 7 World Trade Center building in New York.

Jamie has participated in projects such as New York's Grand Central Station, the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall. He has negotiated design contracts for the Miami International Airport and the American Airlines Arena in Miami as well as major international facilities. He has assisted clients in the export of American construction and design work on projects in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. He also led a team in negotiating the construction-related agreements for a major New York professional sports facility, as well as a major $500 million program for a homeland security project for the City of New York.

For three years prior to entering into private law practice, Jamie served as an assistant attorney general for the State of New York. In that capacity, he served as a member of the Claims and Litigation Unit defending state agencies engaged in developing highways, buildings and other infrastructure programs. In addition to his M&A work, he counsels design firms through their internal transitions.
Professional Activities

A strong advocate of the architectural and engineering professions, as well as the construction community, Jamie serves as general counsel and board member of the NY/NJ Port Authority Regional Alliance, the New York chapter of Design-Build Institute of America, the Regional Alliance for Small Contractors and the Salvadori Center. He is a member of the American Bar Association Construction Industry Forum and the New York State Bar Association Construction Law Committee. Jamie served for more than 10 years as general counsel to the New York City Chapter of the AIA and also served as a board member of the New York Building Congress. He is the immediate past chairman and a current board member of the American Friends of the Jerusalem College of Technology.
Publications, Presentations and Recognitions

Jamie has been a frequent speaker at the Construction Law Superconference and a contributing author to Wiley Publications on the subject of construction collapse and failure. In addition, he has lectured throughout the country on the subject of “Avoiding Commoditization Within the Professional Services Industry.”
Bar and Court Admissions

New York Bar
US District Court, Northern District of New York
US District Court, Southern District of New York
Education

Albany Law School of Union University, JD, 1973
Ohio University , BBA, 1968