Franklin Smith

Franklin J. Smith, Jr., is a shareholder of Richardson Plowden. His practice primarily focuses on managing risks for entities involved in the construction industry, including construction litigation and arbitration, contract drafting and negotiation, claims resolution and avoidance, design professional malpractice, fidelity/surety law, coverage issues and insurance defense. A substantial part of Mr. Smith's practice involves mediation and arbitration on construction and business-related disputes. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Smith was a design engineer for Wilbur Smith & Associates.

Mr. Smith's experience includes:

• Extensive experience in drafting custom construction contracts for all construction-related entities, as well as Dispute Review Board procedures for the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
• Extensive experience in risk transfer and risk avoidance for all construction related entities.
• Serving as mediator in over 300 construction related matters
• Serving on American Arbitration Association’s National Panel of Arbitrators for more than 25 years and serving as sole arbitrator and panel member arbitrator on numerous complex construction related matters
• Representing owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers and other construction-related entities.
• Handling a wide range of construction-related cases in litigation, arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution procedures.

Certifications

• Certified Circuit Court Mediator by the S.C. Supreme Court and U.S. District Court
• American Arbitration Association Panel Member

Lectures and Speaking Engagements

• Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker at seminars relating to public procurement, design professional liability, risk transfer, design build, construction manager at risk, mechanic's liens, and other related issues and alternative dispute resolution procedures.