Joel Halverson is a trial lawyer and transactional counselor adept at resolving clients’ legal problems and guarding them against losses. He focuses his practice in the areas of professional liability, construction, and real property.
Joel Halverson is an experienced trial lawyer and transactional counselor committed to servicing the design, construction, real estate, and insurance communities. With over 25 years of practice primarily focused on the representation of design and construction professionals, which followed years of experience working in the trades and family electrical contracting businesses, Mr. Halverson serves as Chair of Severson & Werson’s Construction Practice Group.
In the construction and design arenas, Mr. Halverson represents design professionals, contractors, owners and contractors in claims as well as transactional and risk-management counseling, helping the Firm’s clients avoid disputes and limit exposure through strategic planning. He serves as outside general counsel to many firms and has successfully represented the Firm’s design and construction clients in jury and bench trials in state and federal courts, arbitration, mediation and other dispute resolution procedures.
Mr. Halverson is a published author in the design and construction fields and a frequent presenter and lecturer on legal topics and has made appearances as a legal analyst on KRON 4 News, San Francisco. He has been named among the “Best Lawyers in the Bay Area” for construction litigation based on a survey conducted by Bay Area Lawyer Magazine.
Mr. Halverson is active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California (ADC).
Mr. Halverson joined Severson & Werson in 1996 and has been a member of the Firm since 2002. He obtained his J.D. (1994) from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and his B.A. (1990), cum laude, from Pomona College.
Areas of Practice
Insurance
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Directors & Officers Liability
- General Liability Defense
- Insurance Coverage & Underwriters Representation
- Insurance Defense
- Intellectual Property Advice & Defense
- Products Liability Defense
- Risk Management Counseling
- Sports & Athletics
- Contract Review, Preparation & Negotiation
Education
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., cum laude 1994
- Pomona College, B.A., cum laude, 1990
Admissions
- California
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Results
- Successfully resolved via trial/settlement over $500 million of claims for the prime design professional responsible for the entire tower of design consultants for the $2.2 billion Transbay Transit Center Project in San Francisco, one of California’s largest construction projects.
- Wins Unanimous Defense Jury Verdict in Legal Malpractice Action
- Wins Unanimous Defense Jury Verdict in Medical Malpractice Action
- Defense Judgment Obtained In Products Liability Trial Involving LDPE Piping
- Defense Judgment Obtained In Professional Negligence Trial For Land Surveyor
- Defense Judgment Obtained In Products Liability Trial
- Defense Judgment Obtained For Law Firm In Professional Negligence Action
- Defense Judgment Obtained For Engineer In Professional Negligence Action Involving LNG Plant
- Defense Award Obtained In Professional Negligence Arbitration For Engineer
- Judgment Obtained At Trial On Contract Claim For Engineer
- Defense Judgment Obtained For Mechanical Contractor In SB 800 Action
- Defense Judgment Obtained For Architect In Wrongful Death / Mold Case
- Defense Judgment Obtained For Insurer In Coverage Litigation
- IPD Contract Negotiation
- Favorable Settlement In Elder Abuse Case
- Favorable Settlement In High Profile Action Against MLB Team
- Favorable Settlements In Geotechnical Cases
- Design/Build Contract Negotiation
Publications
- Severson & Werson’s Construction Practice Group Presents, “Master the Master Service Agreement”
- Halverson, J. L. (October 2015). “The Design Professional as Advocate in Construction Claims Processes: Is This the Wild West?”
- Halverson, J. L. (January 2015). “California Court of Appeal Holds Economic Loss Rule Bars Indemnity and Contribution Claims against Professional Engineering Firm”. E-Alert
- Halverson, J. L. (January 2004). “Abolition of Standard of Care in Residential Design? Study of SB 800’s Impacts on Design Professionals”. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice © ASCE
- Halverson, J. L. (June 18, 2013). “A Victory for the Freedom of Contract, at Least for Sophisticated Parties”
- Halverson, J. L. (December 19, 2012). “A ‘Beacon’ of Hope for Purchasers of Real Property, at the Expense of Design Professionals”
Events
- Severson & Werson’s Construction Practice Group Presents, “Master the Master Service Agreement”
- Joel L. Halverson Presents Seminar on Contract Negotiations
- Severson & Werson’s Construction Practice Group Presents, “Limitations of Liability: The Real, The Imagined, The Many!”
- Joel L. Halverson Presented at FEWA National Conference
- Joel L. Halverson Lectured on Tactics for the Construction Professional’s Close of a Favorable Contract at WESTCON