John Heisse

John R. Heisse, a Pillsbury Litigation partner, was named “Construction Lawyer of the Year” for 2017 by Who’s Who Legal. Guiding global developers, builders, owners and designers through every phase of complex public and private construction.

John has successfully represented clients regarding major transportation, energy, hospitality, professional sports, housing and health care projects around the world.

He draws on his engineering background and deep legal experience to counsel clients on project planning, contracting, contract and delivery issues, and to resolve disputes through negotiation, arbitration, and litigation.

John is a past chair of Pillsbury’s Construction Counseling & Dispute Resolution team, a Fellow and Officer in the American College of Construction Lawyers, and a past Chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE :

• Counseled the Panama Canal Authority on project delivery methods and phasing and contracting strategies for the $5 billion construction of new locks, excavation for lock access and dredging operations. (Panama City, Panama)
• Represented the design-build contractor in negotiations of the GMP contract for the International Arrivals Facility at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Seattle, WA)
• Represented an EPC contractor in the arbitration of over $100 million in disputes arising out of the design and construction of copper and molybdenum mining facilities, settling matter for favorable terms. (Morenci, AZ)
• Represented an EPCM contractor in arbitration before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution with an owner after the catastrophic failure of the internal lining in over 100 miles of desalinated water pipeline. (Santiago, Chile)
• Represented the City and County of Honolulu in litigation with a contractor following the cancellation of a planned $2.2 billion rapid transit system after the initial phase of project development had been performed. (Honolulu)
• Served as an arbitrator in ICC arbitration regarding a dispute over the construction of a solar field in California. (Calexico, CA)
• Assisted in the negotiation and drafting of design-build contracts between the City of San Diego and the San Diego Ballpark Builders joint venture for the construction of PETCO Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. (San Diego, Calif.)

Associations :

• American College of Construction Lawyers, 2005 – Present (Secretary, 2017 – Present; Program Chair 2016 – 2017; Board of Governors, 2012 – 2015; Co-Chair, Public Contract Committee, 2010 – 2012)
• American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry, 1985 – Present (Chair, 2003 – 2004; other leadership positions, 1995 – 2003)
• American Bar Foundation, Fellow
• Giffords (Board Member, 2016 – present)
• American Arbitration Association, National Panel of Construction Arbitrators (Arbitrator and Mediator)

EDUCATION :

• J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 1980
• B.S.C.E., The Catholic University of America, 1976

ADMISSIONS : California, District of Columbia, Maryland