Founded in 1965, Smith Currie was one of the first law firms in the country to work extensively with the construction industry. Overton Currie spoke on construction law at hundreds of local, regional, and national trade association events. In 1971, Overton was elected Chair of the ABA’s Section of Public Contract Law. Some years later, Overton joined fellow national practitioners to found the American College of Construction Lawyers and served as the College’s first president. Subsequent generations of Smith Currie lawyers have continued Overton’s leadership. In 1983, Tom Abernathy was elected Chair of the Public Contract Law Section. During 1991, Luther House served as Chair of the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry. In 2003, Hugh Bell became the third Smith Currie lawyer to be elected Chair of the Public Contract Law Section.
Smith Currie’s widely-used treatise, Common Sense Construction Law, is now in its 6th Edition. Our companion treatise, Federal Government Construction Contracts, is in its 2nd Edition and, in 2010, was supplemented by Federal Socio-Economic Policies, A Practical Guide for Construction Contractors. Smith Currie also publishes three newsletters covering recent developments of interest to construction and government contractors. Through e-blasts and Common Sense Contract Law, the firm’s legal blog, we endeavor to alert our clients to current industry topics and concerns as they arise. You may subscribe to our newsletters and e-blasts on the Publications page of this website.
Smith Currie’s commitment to industry service includes active participation in numerous industry organizations. Tom Kelleher has served in numerous capacities with the Associated General Contractors of America and, in March 2010, received AGC’s Distinguished Coin award for his extraordinary service. Smith Currie’s managing partner, Bob Chambers, is counsel to the Georgia Highway Contractors Association. Phil Beck is Chair of the AGC Contract Documents Forum, a past member of national AGC’s Board of Directors, and past Chair of the ConsensusDocs Content Advisory Council. Charles Surasky has served on the Boards of Directors for the National Utility Contractors Association and the Georgia Utility Contractors Association. Jim Butler is former Chair of the International Construction Division of the ABA Forum on Construction Law. Brian Wolf serves on the the Board of Directors of the Associated Builders and Contractors – Florida East Coast Chapter and the State Board of Directors of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida. Brian also serves on the legislative committee of the Florida Bar, Real Property Section’s Construction Law Committee. Dan McLennon is Past Chair of ASA of California’s Government Relations Committee and a member of its Board of Directors. Dan is also a member of AGC of California’s Legal Advisory Committee and is past President of and serves on the Boards of the Marin Builders Association and ASA’s Bay Area Chapter. Karissa Fox serves on the Associated General Contractors of America Construction Leadership Council, the California Statewide Steering Committee for AGC’s Emerging Leaders, Chair for AGC Bay Area Emerging Leaders, United Contractors (UCON) Associates Committee, UCON scholarship committee, and serves on the board for Bay Area ASA. Eric Nelson served as Vice Chair of the ABA’s Construction Division-Subcontracting Sub-Committee. Charlie Rogers served on the Steering Committee for Division 5 of the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry and was the Chair of the AGC Contract Documents Committee that drafted a ConsensusDOCS Design Professional-Consultant Agreement. Hugh Bell is Chair of the Education Project of the ABA Section of Public Contract Law and an ex officio member of its Council. Hugh is also a member of the Section’s Finance Committee, overseeing its endowments and investments. Scott Walters is Chapter Attorney for ABC of Georgia and a member of the Attorney Advisory Panel of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers. Garrett Miller is a member of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Construction Law Section. Joe Dinardo is a member of the ABC of Georgia’s Legislative Task Force. Stephen Reams is a national instructor for the Design-Build Institute of America. Chris Horton serves on the Board of Directors for the American Institute of Constructors.
