Bernard has more than 40 years of experience in highway, bridge and road construction and maintenance; project management; construction engineering; design; quality; and technical aspects of large and small projects.
He has been involved in public-private partnerships with state DOT’s for highway, bridges and roads throughout the United States; water and waste water projects; prisons; laboratories; hospitals; mechanic’s liens; surety claims; trade (union and nonunion) staff; and False Claims Act actions.
His experience includes several decades as an in-house attorney for a large international engineering consulting firm in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Central America. International matters included the drafting and negotiation of contracts involving USAID, The World Bank, foreign governmental agencies funding sources and host country contracts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Southern Sudan, Saudi Arabia, India, Europe, Asia, South America, Kuwait and Algeria.
Bernard’s international transactional and litigation experience includes matters related to qualification to do business overseas; customs, duties and export license requirements (OFAC, ITAR); federal boycott reporting; foreign ownership; FIDIC conditions of contract; claims involving transportation facilities, roadways, bridges, buildings, schools, medical clinics and the construction and rehabilitation of hydroelectric power plants; and client contract reviews involving issues of liability, indemnification, insurance, terms and conditions.
Bernard is also highly experienced in international and domestic dispute resolution procedures (mediation, arbitration and litigation) involving design, design-build contracts, subcontracts, joint venture agreements and build-operate-transfer (BOT) and build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) agreements.
He also has extensive knowledge regarding large international infrastructures (power, energy) as well as at-risk asset management of highway, bridges and other transportation facilities for routine and capital maintenance obligations.
His domestic experience also includes large nuclear and conventional power generation (coal, oil, hydroelectric/diesel), high-voltage (500-765kV) transmission, instrumentation and control (NUREG survivability); sale, lease and purchase of real estate (commercial and residential); and state professional board licensure and practice issues, including New York "grandfathered" corporations.
