Heidi Rowe

Heidi Hennig Rowe is a partner in Schiff Hardin’s Construction Law Group. She has significant experience in contract drafting and negotiation, handling more than a billion dollars in contracts on an annual basis for projects throughout the country.

In addition, she regularly assists project owners with contract administration, contract enforcement, and claims management, helping project owners to resolve claims efficiently and expeditiously, before they become formal disputes.

Heidi focuses on finding effective business solutions to construction-related risks. She has represented project owners, contractors, and design professionals and understands the various concerns and priorities of the parties around the negotiation table.

Her approach is also informed by her experience as a construction litigator, having prosecuted and/or defended construction defect claims, complicated delay claims, and claims for non-payment, among other things, in mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

Heidi also advises clients in construction-related bankruptcies. Her experience includes advising claimants of their lien rights in bankruptcy, helping lenders to rid collateral of lien claims, and implementing strategies for effectively managing numerous lien and trust fund claims within a single bankruptcy.

EXPERIENCE:

• Serves as lead counsel for drafting and negotiating all major design and construction contracts for development arm of an S&P 500 REIT.
• Serves as construction counsel to prominent real estate developer and investor based in New York City for drafting and negotiating design and construction contracts for office towers, residential property and industrial facilities throughout the U.S.
• Negotiates over $1 billion in design and construction contracts on an annual basis.
• Successfully mediated $40 million delay and lost productivity claim arising out of utility construction, the result of which was overall cost savings to the project.
• Successfully defended architectural design firm in arbitration, resulting in a zero dollar verdict against the client.
• Successfully settled multiple condominium construction defect claims in early stages of litigation.
• Drafted and advised major convention center owner regarding best practices and procedures for public procurements.
• Served as a Public Interest Law Initiative Fellow for the Cook County Commission on Human Rights.
• Earlier in her career, she served as a staff associate for the United States House of Representatives International Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

EDUCATION:

• IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2001
• Valparaiso University, B.A., 1997

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Forum Committee on the Construction Industry
• Chicago Bar Association