Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo is a leader in advising California school districts, community college districts, and other public agencies throughout the state in all areas of school construction and facilities matters.  Our firm possesses a comprehensive base of knowledge on the complex legal and procedural obligations unique to public school construction.  We provide our clients with a full array of services, including:

Preparing and negotiating professional services agreements with architects, engineers, construction managers, project and program managers, inspectors, and specialty consultants;

Preparing bid documents and general conditions for construction;

Advising clients on the competitive bidding process, evaluating bid protests, and awarding construction contracts;

Handling construction administration issues such as change orders, unforeseen conditions, stop notices, delays, prevailing wage and labor compliance enforcement, payments, and disputes;

Evaluating contractor performance, handling contractor termination, and negotiating completion of projects with sureties; and

Handling and resolving claims and litigation arising from school construction projects.

Our firm also assists school districts in coordinating with the State Allocation Board and the Office of Public School Construction, including resolution of funding and audit issues.  Our attorneys keep abreast of new legislative changes and industry developments impacting school construction, and regularly make presentations and write articles dealing with school construction topics.

The firm has a core team of attorneys dedicated to assisting school districts and other public agencies with all aspects of real property and land use law.  We have assisted school districts, community college districts, and county offices of education statewide with a broad range of real property issues, including:

Negotiating and preparing agreements for acquisition, use and disposition of property including purchase and sale agreements, escrow instructions, lease agreements, licenses, and joint use and occupancy agreements;

Assisting clients with acquisition of property by eminent domain and handling claims and lawsuits over inverse condemnation and pre-condemnation damages;

Advising clients on all aspects of environmental law, including the California Environment Quality Act (“CEQA”), school site hazard investigation and mitigation, and California Coastal Act compliance;

Representing school districts in funding issues such as the adoption of developer fees, negotiation of mitigation agreements, local bonds and assessments, and resolution of state funding disputes and audits; and

Assisting clients with land use issues, including zoning, redevelopment, civic center use, and fees and assessments.

In addition to assisting clients with individual matters, our attorneys regularly publish articles and offer presentations on real property issues and developments in the law.