Email

Direct Dial: 206-340-4616
Ph: 206-287-9900
Fx: 206-287-9902


Practice Areas:
Construction Law
Real Estate Law

Practice Description:

Mr. Sleight is an original partner with Ahlers & Cressman pllc.  His practice emphasizes construction, including representation at the front end, during and after the conclusion of projects.  Over the past several years, he has drafted and negotiated construction contracts for owners and contractors for projects well in excess of $2 billion in combined value, and has participated in development and negotiation of new contracting methods, including three-party integrated agreements joining the owner, architect, and contractor under a single agreement and utilizing joint ventures to facilitate sales tax and B&O tax exemptions in Washington.  Mr. Sleight has litigated construction disputes in state courts, Federal District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington, and the United States Court of Federal Claims.  He has participated extensively in creative and effective methods of dispute resolution.  Mr. Sleight has also drafted and consulted on bid protests.  Mr. Sleight’s experience extends to insurance coverage matters, including obtaining coverage for builder’s risk claims, for policy holders and monitoring insurance-appointed defense counsel.

In 2008, Mr. Sleight was recognized as a top-10 real estate lawyer by Washington CEO magazine and is rated 10.0, superb, by Avvo.com.  Mr. Sleight was named an "Amazing" construction lawyer in the March 2006 edition of Washington CEO magazine.  From 2004 through 2009, Mr. Sleight has been named a "Rising Star" by Washington Law & Politics magazine.

Representative Work:

• Obtained summary judgment dismissal of subcontractor/bond and retainage claims in excess of $4,000,000 on Stadium High School Renovation Project.
• Negotiation of contracts and claims management for significant mixed-use retail/office/residential projects in Seattle and Bellevue on behalf of general contractor, including the Bravern, Advanta and 9th & Stewart.
• Negotiation of contracts and claims management for significant healthcare expansion projects, including Virginia Mason, Good Samaritan and MultiCare.
• Negotiation of contracts on behalf of contractor for data center projects owned by Verizon, IBM, eBay, Intel, and Goldman Sachs.
• Negotiation of design-build agreements for Amgen Development in Seattle, Washington.
• Negotiation of GC/CM contract for the development of City of Puyallup City Hall.
• Negotiation of Integrated Agreement joining owner, architect, and contractor under single agreement utilizing lean method of delivery for significant hospital project in California.
• Negotiation of several joint venture structures to facilitate sales tax and B&O tax exemptions on projects in Seattle and Bellevue.
• Negotiation of contracts and claims management for several large downtown Seattle hotel and condominium projects.
• Prosecution and defense of claims for additional compensation on public and private projects, including Stadium High School Renovation, C710 and C800 Sound Transit Projects, Marion Oliver McCaw Symphony Hall, IDX Tower, University of Washington Tacoma Campus, multi-phase condominium projects, Federal Correctional Institute in Fort Worth, Texas, governmental housing project in Alaska, Washington Mass Transit Authority Highway Project, and the Golden Gate Bridge Retrofit Project.

Reported Decisions:

• American Best Food Incorporated, et al. v. Alea London, Ltd. – (Decision Issued March 18, 2010) (establishing duty to defend policyholder and bad faith as matter of law)
• Am. Best Food, Inc. v. Alea London, Ltd., 138 Wn. App. 674, 689, 691, 158 P.3d 119 (2007 ) - Appeals Court No. 57181-8-I (Review Granted 163 Wn.2d 1039 (2008))
• Pacific Industries, Inc. v. Singh, 120 Wn. App. (2003) (establishing lien not frivolous)

Professional Associations:

• Trustee, Construction Law Section of Washington State Bar Association (2006–2011)
  
• Speaker, Lean Construction Institute - "Introduction to Lean Construction" Vancouver, B.C. January 22-23, 2009
  
• Instructor, AGC Supervisory Training Program "Contract Documents and Construction Law"
  
• Co-Chair, Contract Solutions Group "Improving Construction Change Order Management Workshop"
  
• Speaker, Associated General Contractors of Washington "Fundamentals of Construction Law"
  
• Speaker, Lorman CLE - "AIA Contracts in Washington" (2005-2008 and 2010) (including 2007 Design-Build Forms and A201 General Conditions)
  
• Speaker, Lorman CLE - "Change Orders in Washington"
  
• Speaker, Lorman CLE - "Construction Delay Claims in Washington"
  
• Speaker, National Business Institute CLE -"Advanced Construction Law in Washington"
  
• Speaker, Various Topics for Associated Builders & Contractors
  
• Externship, The Honorable Barbara Jacobs Rothstein, Federal District Court 1996
  
• Editor, Seattle University Law Review

Education:

• 1997 - J.D., cum laude, Seattle University
  
• 1994 - B.A., cum laude, University of Washington, Earning the Distinction of Phi Beta Ka