BARBARA G. WERTHER

I litigate claims on behalf of owners, general contractors and subcontractors in federal and state courts and before arbitral tribunals. I also draft and negotiate construction and architect contracts for developers and construction contracts for contractors. Notwithstanding that my training and experience is as a litigator, my principal goal is to assist clients in finding a path to resolve issues, eliminate disputes and to find sensible solutions to complicated legal issues.  Separately, in the same vein, I also am trained as a mediator and arbitrator, I am on the current AAA panel, and I perform those services when requested either through the AAA or ad hoc.

I also routinely represent government contractors in claims against the federal government.  This includes performance and payment bond disputes; representing government contractors in False Claims Act investigations and disputes; and representing government contractors in bid protests and claims at the various Boards of Contract Appeals and in the Court of Federal Claims.

I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and received my Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University. I am admitted to practice in Virginia and the District of Columbia. I co-founded the Women In Construction, Inc organization, a 501 C (6), and have served as President of the annual conference from 2006 to 2021. In 2018, I served as the President of the Construction Lawyers Society of America, and I continue as a Fellow. Since 2016, I have been a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers and was recently selected to its Board of Governors. Chambers has ranked me since 2008. I have been selected to SuperLawyers from 2006 to the present. From 2016 to 2018, I was Chair of Division 13, Government Construction Contracts, of the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry, and in that capacity edited a recent ABA publication, Federal Government Construction Contracts. I am on the faculty of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (“NITA”) and also on the faculty of the ABA Division 13 Trial Advocacy Program.

In my spare time I enjoy horseback riding, cycling, golf and triathlete competitions. I serve on the Board of the Leukemia Ball in Washington, D.C., on the Host Committee for Active Minds Casino Night, and since 1984 have been on the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women, where I am currently co-chair of the athletics’ subcommittee.

Experience

Member of the Virginia and DC Bar Associations
Member of the Federal Bar Association