CHICAGO, IL (March 29, 2021) – Venable LLP is pleased to announce that Virgil R. Montgomery has joined the firm as a partner in the Construction Law Group in the Chicago office. Mr. Montgomery was part of the initial group of attorneys from Schiff Hardin who joined Venable in December 2020. Mr. Montgomery draws on a lifetime of experience in construction. His practice is divided between project development, procurement, project controls, project monitoring and evaluation, and dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration, and litigation.
Mr. Montgomery has drafted and provided key assistance in the preparation of contracts ranging in value up to several billion dollars for construction projects on behalf of owners, contractors, energy, and infrastructure clients. He has advised clients during the development and negotiation phase and works closely with project participants to develop detailed evaluations of scope, bidding, and schedule issues. His vast experience includes projects involving major urban developments, light rail, transportation, breweries, selective catalytic reduction systems, flue gas desulfurization systems, nuclear facilities, heat recovery steam generators, alternative energy projects, sewage treatment facilities, steam and gas turbines, and other new and emerging technologies. Mr. Montgomery regularly mediates, arbitrates, and litigates matters concerning a variety of construction disputes, including performance issues, delays, scope of work issues, and rate disputes. He also utilizes his considerable experience to assist clients in developing project analysis, project controls and risk mitigation strategies.
Kenneth M. Roberts, chair of the firm’s Construction Law Group, said, “Virgil has been a key element of the Construction Law Group’s success over the past 20-plus years. On almost every megaproject the group has worked on over the years, Virgil has provided boots-on-the-ground leadership. His expertise in project controls, for example where a project is in regard to budget and schedule, is well recognized within the construction industry. We are thrilled that Virgil is reuniting with the group.”
Commenting on his move to Venable, Mr. Montgomery said, “The platform offered by Venable is an ideal match for my and our group's practice areas and background as we transition into a more ‘normal’ world. As a group, we have worked on billions of dollars’ worth of construction projects over the years. Having physically worked on megaprojects in the past as a carpenter and millwright has made me sensitive to project issues, as I work to get to the right answer and not necessarily the easy answer. The range of services offered by Venable will make providing those answers easier and more efficient.”
Mr. Montgomery received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Colorado.
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