Maurice A. Bergeron

Of Counsel

• mbergeron@steptoe.com
• vCard
• Washington Office

Mike Bergeron, of counsel and director of Steptoe’s Construction Mediation Practice and operations director of the firm’s Complex Litigation and Discovery Center, brings over 30 years of experience as an attorney and operations executive, including many years working in the construction industry. Mr. Bergeron has handled all phases of mediation, arbitration, litigation, and other dispute resolution processes including Disputes Review Board claim preparation, presentation, and defense. He also has extensive experience litigating construction claims, handling risk analyses, and providing advice on labor, employment, and safety issues. In addition, he brings a depth of experience managing all aspects of construction operations throughout his career.

During his tenure at a large, public, international heavy and building contractor, Mr. Bergeron served in several capacities including Corporate Counsel (Chief Counsel), Assistant Project Manager, and Senior Project Manager. As Assistant General Counsel and then Chief Counsel, he was responsible for handling contract negotiations, disputes of all types in many different fora (litigation, negotiation, Dispute Review Boards “DRBs”, mediation, etc.), labor and employment, and safety issues, among others.

As Assistant Project Manager, he worked on a $400M tunnel and utility relocation project on Boston's Big Dig and participated in all facets of the project including operations and various technical issues. He was also responsible for changes, change orders, construction claims, and DRB presentations involving various issues including scheduling, delays, design issues, maintenance of traffic, value engineering, payment, means and methods, labor issues, and DBEs.

As Senior Project Manager, Mr. Bergeron had five Project Managers reporting to him on a Navy Emergency Response Contract. This contract involved major hurricane reconstruction in Puerto Rico, new construction of Navy Seals and Special Operations facilities, and construction of runways in Italy, all while the bases were fully operational.

While serving as Vice President and General Counsel at a private, $150M Boston-based heavy and dredging contractor, Mr. Bergeron handled contract negotiations and various disputes in litigation such as delays, schedule issues, design issues, and payment. He also served as Project Executive on an experimental dredging and reuse of material project in Newark, New Jersey.

In addition, during his tenure as President of a trucking and landfill management and construction company, Mr. Bergeron handled all contract negotiations, disputes, technical and contractual issues and personally managed a large, fast-tracked landfill expansion project.

Mr. Bergeron also distinguished himself as a Captain in the United States Air Force JAG Corps winning several awards while serving at Luke Air Force Base as the Legal Advisor to the Contracting Office while the base was being renovated and expanded and as the Chief, Government Contract Law for the Washington Area Contracting Center.

Representative Matters

• Washington Metro Area Transportation Authority (WMATA): Managed federal litigation over two large subway projects involving many issues including scheduling, delays, and design issues. Resolved 120 bond claims when the construction joint venture partner could not meet obligations, resulting in savings of $8 million.
• Central Artery Project, Boston, MA: $378 million project at time of award, the largest in Massachusetts’ history beset by design issues, site complications, and owner-directed changes, resulting in contract value in excess of $500 million with over $100 million in claims and changes including scheduling, delays, and design issues.
• Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT): Made presentation to selection committee, negotiated contract, and assisted in financial modeling.
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority: Wrote and negotiated design-build contracts for Route 128 Intermodal Transportation Facility.
• PCB Cleanup, New Bedford Harbor, MA: Reviewed and assessed risk/reward for environmental contractor working for US Army Corps of Engineers, negotiating major subcontractor and supplier contracts. Participated in termination for convenience negotiations with Corps as
  well as close-out and liquidation of subcontracts.
• Paris Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, NV: Assisted in mission-critical (3-day) development and execution of Letter of Authorization and writing of general contract on $750 million hotel and casino.
• Widener Building Renovation Project, Philadelphia, PA: Negotiated profitable joint-venture contract for $14 million renovation of historic building.
• Multi-Party Lawsuit, San Francisco, CA: Managed and resolved litigation of design-and-construction defects lawsuits involving three separate condominium associations, subcontractors, and the real estate development and contracting divisions of a single company.
  

Noteworthy

• 2010 40-hour Harvard Law School Negotiation Institute Mediation Workshop, Certificate
• Listed in the 2007 BTI Client Service All-Stars

Select News & Events

• Steptoe & Johnson LLP Launches Construction Mediation Practice
• Webcast: Electronic Data Discovery Technology & Terminology – A Primer for In-House Counsel, July 26, 2007
• Steptoe Names Partners, Counsel in 2007

Professional Affiliations

• Air Force Association
• Renaissance Community Development District Board of Supervisors