Partner Carol Patterson Named Fellow of ACCL

Zetlin & De Chiara is proud to announce that senior partner Carol Patterson has been named a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers. ACCL Fellowships are extended by invitation to those who have mastered the practice or teaching of construction law and dispute resolution in the complex technical and legal fields pertaining to the built environment; whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, scholarship, professionalism, and collegiality; and who have demonstrated a commitment to "give back" to the construction industry.

"We are delighted that Carol has been invited to join this prestigious forum," said Michael Zetlin, co-founder of Zetlin & De Chiara LLP, who is also a Fellow of the ACCL. "Her particular experience in the construction industry and specific knowledge of construction law will be invaluable to the ACCL's mission to improve and enhance the practice and understanding of construction law and to promote the positive role of lawyers as 'friends of the project'."

For more than 20 years, Ms. Patterson has served as just such a "friend," providing counsel to architects, engineers, owners, developers, and other parties involved in sophisticated construction projects. She represents prominent national and international firms on matters relating to the design and construction of major office and residential buildings, performing arts centers, museums, hospitals, educational institutions, transportation facilities and other public buildings. Ms. Patterson focuses her practice on advising clients in dispute resolution, contracts, and risk management strategies, and is frequently called upon to author articles and deliver lectures on construction law topics.

Ms. Patterson has served on the Governing Committee of the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry, and is currently the Chair of its Diversity Committee. She is the General Counsel for American Society of Civil Engineers – Met Section, and a member of both the New York Building Congress and the Urban Land Institute. Ms. Patterson is also a former President of the Association of Real Estate Women in New York City.

Ms. Patterson holds the notable AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is consistently recognized by Chambers USA and Super Lawyers Magazine as a leading lawyer in construction litigation. She is the co-editor of Construction Law, a textbook published by the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry that provides a comprehensive introduction to the construction industry and the laws that govern it.

Ms. Patterson will be formally inducted during the ACCL's Annual Meeting in late February.