Alex Baghdassarian

Practice Areas

Construction

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Infrastructure

Career

Alex focuses his practice on construction contract administration, development agreements, and claims and litigation, including construction defects and delays, and claims involving defaults and terminations. Alex handles binding arbitrations, and jury and bench trials in Federal and State Court, and represents clients in Northern and Southern California.

Alex enjoys advising clients on project risks so that they can make informed decisions, whether it is at contract formation or during the course of construction. He has been involved in several significant public infrastructure projects, including dams, bridges, landfills, waste water treatment plans, solar power generation facilities and pipelines for gas and water distribution.

As part of his diverse construction litigation practice, Alex has handled bid protests involving municipal agencies as well as the Office of Hearings and Appeals for small business administration matters, and disputes involving commercial general liability policies, excess insurance and reinsurance issues, as well as surety coverage.

Alex served as an extern to the Hon. William J. Rea, United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Professional Memberships

Construction Lawyers Society of America, Fellow

Los Angeles County Bar Association – Construction Subsection

AGC California – Legal Affairs Committee

Southern California Development Forum

Publications

"As Steel Tariffs Come Into Play, Contractors Should Review Contracts," Daily Journal (May 2018)

"Waiving the Right to Sue," Construction and Design Newsletter, Vol. 8 (2002)

"Tactical Disqualification for Attorneys," ABTL Report (May 1992)

Experience

Completed a 79 day court trial in San Francisco Superior Court.

Obtained a $152 million jury verdict for the owner in the Royal Palm Resort litigation and a 10-month jury trial in Guam involving the structural collapse of a high-rise hotel during an earthquake.

Represented the owners of the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in connection with $60 million in claims asserted by the contractors, working closely with the County of Los Angeles’ in-house and outside counsel to resolve the county’s property rights with respect to the completed concert hall.

Obtained a $30M arbitration award in a claim for defects in construction of a landfill.

Secured a defense verdict at arbitration on behalf of a general contractor in a breach of contract claim involving the renovation of a historic building in which the client was also awarded its attorneys’ fees.

Lead counsel for mechanics’ lien claimants on various matters pending before the Superior Court of California Complex Litigation Panel.

Negotiated the construction contracts the Wilshire Grand Center, which, upon completion in 2017, became the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

Negotiated the construction contracts for the Midfield Satellite Concourse project, the first all new terminal construction at the Los Angeles International Airport since the 1960’s, which will house 22 new aircraft gates.

Acted as Project Counsel for several complex construction projects, including the L.A. Stadium & Entertainment District (SoFi Stadium) project completed at the end of 2020.

Education

Awards

Work Highlights

California Commerce Center, San Fernando. Represented owner/lessor of a 400,000 sq. ft. industrial warehouse in connection with a successful $6 million claim for defective installation of a rooftop solar power generation facility.

Desmond Gerald Bridge Replacement Project. Successfully represented and settled $6 million in claims against design-build contractor of the bridge travelers maintenance system.

San Francisco Virgin Hotel. Obtained a $5.3 million decision for the general contractor, plus attorneys' fees, in a 79-day Court trial as a result of the owner/developer's breach of the construction contract.

Fox Theater Oakland. Secured a defense verdict for the contractor at arbitration in a breach of contract claim involving the renovation of a historic building in which the client was also awarded its attorneys’ fees.

Nu-Way Live Oak Landfill. Obtained a $30 million arbitration award for the owner in a claim for defects in the construction of an inert debris landfill.

Walt Disney Concert Hall. Represented owners in connection with $60 million in claims asserted by the contractors, working closely with the County of Los Angeles’ in-house and outside counsel to resolve the county’s property rights with respect to the completed concert hall.

Royal Palm Resort. Obtained a $152 million jury verdict for the owner in a 10-month jury trial on Guam involving the structural collapse of a high-rise hotel during an earthquake.

Represented owners and general contractors on several high-end (i.e. in excess of $10 million) residential home construction projects on claims involving defects, design issues, and schedule impacts.

Project Counsel for the general contractor on the L.A. Stadium & Entertainment District (SoFi Stadium).

LAWA Midfield Satellite Concourse project. Negotiated construction contracts for the first all-new terminal construction at LAX since the 1960s.

Wilshire Grand Center. Negotiated construction contracts on behalf of general contractor.