Barbara Werther

Barbara G. Werther is recognized as one of the leading construction and government contracts attorneys in the United States, with 35-plus years of experience in construction and government contracts law. She has been recognized as a top attorney in construction law.

Barbara litigates claims on behalf of owners, general contractors and subcontractors in federal and state courts and before arbitral tribunals. She also drafts and negotiates construction contracts for developers and owners.

Barbara brings a unique skill set to business negotiations and litigation, finding a path to resolve issues and eliminate disputes. As a trained mediator and arbitrator, Barbara pursues sensible solutions to complicated legal issues.

In the public sector, Barbara routinely represents sureties and government contractors in claims against the federal government. She has also represented contractors and sureties in performance and payment bond disputes and has represented government contractors in False Claims Act cases.

Further, Barbara represents government contractors in bid protests and claims at the Boards of Contract Appeals and in the Court of Federal Claims.

Representative Matters :

• Winning the largest jury verdict ever in a commercial case in Jackson County, Mississippi, for a subcontractor on a project that involved the dismantling of a fertilizer-manufacturing facility.
• Settling a nine-figure claim for alleged defective windows where the plaintiff had already prevailed in one trial and sought to enforce that judgment in 38 other lawsuits.
• Obtaining a rare summary judgment on behalf of a plaintiff contractor in a default termination case against a subcontractor.
• Securing the first and only case in which the court overturned the Navy contracting officer’s non-responsibility determination and directed an award to a contractor.
• Settling a bet-the-company case for a subcontractor, where the government revoked acceptance of a hospital communications system.

Professional and Community Involvement :

• American Bar Association
• Fellow, American College of Construction Lawyers (2016-present)
• President, Construction Lawyers Society of America
• Trustees’ Council of Penn Women (1984-present)
• Steering Committee, 32nd Annual Greater Washington Region (GWR) Golf Tournament, American Heart Association (2016-present)
• Winner (with her horse), Stafford Place (aka Stanley), Training Level, American Eventing Championships (2012)
• Chair, Women in Construction

EDUCATION :

• George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1978
• University of Pennsylvania, B.A., magna cum laude, 1975

BAR ADMISSIONS : District of Columbia, Virginia

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of Virginia
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• Civilian Board of Contract Appeals