Claramargaret H. Groover

Bio

Claramargaret (“Claire”) Groover is of counsel to the firm, specializing in construction law. She devotes her practice to complex project development, negotiating and documenting performance requirements on condominium, mixed-use, and lease-back transactions as well as public-private partnership projects, and coordinating the client’s construction risk management and financing requirements.

Claire’s experience spans from early stage land development, bidding and bid protests, consultant and construction contracting through contract close-out and claims resolution representing clients in mediation, arbitration and litigation. She also counsels clients applying for licensure or defending their professional licenses before regulatory boards.

She has represented owners, architects, engineers, surveyors, construction managers and owner’s representatives, constructors, suppliers, subcontractors, and their insurers and surety companies over her 35 years of practice. Her early years through college and graduation were spent working in the family construction services, building supply, roadbuilding, and development business enterprises, giving her a unique, firsthand understanding of demands of business owners in the construction industry.

EXPERIENCE

• Practicing construction litigation and transactional law with Becker & Poliakoff since 2011.
• Served as Director of Legal Affairs, Universal City Development Partners, from 1995 to 2000, as project counsel for Universal Orlando $2.5B expansion advising regarding project and interlocal agreements and design and construction claims resolution under more than 1,100 contracts for, among others, infrastructure to be dedicated to City use and maintenance, I-4 ramp and roadway expansion authorized under interlocal agreements with the City of Orlando, Orange County, and the Florida Department of Transportation; design and multiple-prime construction on complex ride and show, resort, retail, and entertainment venues.
• Served as Senior Legal Counsel, Signature Flight Support Corporation (“Signature”) and Aircraft Services International Group (“ASIG”), from 2001 to 2005, handling Signature’s main airport leases at 37 domestic airports; design and construction contracting and claims resolution at domestic general aviation terminals, main airport fuel facilities, and deicing stations; corporate realignment of commercial services from Signature to ASIG, real estate leasing for hangar tenants; and other operational, corporate, and risk management concerns including but not limited to stock and asset acquisitions of smaller fixed base operators.
• Served on the Board of Directors for National Semi-Trailer Corporation (2005-2011), a 35-year-old, Orlando-based corporation that is a market leader in overland trailer leasing and sales.

RECOGNITION

• The Florida Bar
• Construction Law Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022
• Construction Law Committee, Construction Transactions Subcommittee Chair (2016 to present)
• Board certified in construction law since 2008
• Chair-Ninth Circuit Grievance Committee “D” – 2000-2004
• American College of Construction Lawyers – Fellow since 2022
• The ACCL is a national organization of construction lawyers who have demonstrated skill, experience, and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice or teaching of construction law, and who are dedicated to excellence in the specialized practice of construction law. Fewer than 25 Fellows have been selected from Florida.
• Chambers USA, Construction Law, Band 4
• Construction Lawyers Society of America – Fellow Emerita since 2017
• American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law- Governing Committee (2017-2020); Division 12 Owners & Project Finance Steering Committee (, Chair (2015-2017); and Division 11, Corporate Counsel, Steering Committee Member (1998-2000)
• America Bar Association Foundation since 2020
• Thompson Reuters Practical Law Real Estate Advisory Board since 2018
• Florida Super Lawyer since 2009
• Oxford University qualification to enroll in the Roll of Solicitors, Law Society of England and Wales (2007)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated by since 2005
• Certified as a Circuit Civil and Appellate Mediator since 1995 and 2000, respectively
• Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, listed arbitrator (2023), qualified as Florida Arbitrator since 2000
• American Arbitration Association, Panel Arbitrator since 2017

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

• Report to Florida Construction Law Committee – Case law update on behalf of the Construction Transactions Subcommittee – September, 2023
• “Understanding Design Assist and Delegated Design: Distinction and Differences” A Case Study, Florida Bar Construction Law Institute, Orlando, Florida, Spring 2021
• “COVID-19: Key Considerations for Privately Owned Construction Projects”, Practical Law, Thomson Reuters April 2020
• “2019 Market Trends and Developments”, Practical Law, Thomson Reuters, February 2020
• “Lessons Learned: The Construction Manager as Agent’s Program for Success in Contracting for Insurance Coverage”, CMAA Annual Meeting – Orlando, Florida – September 2019
• Forward written to Prevent and Turn Around the Troubled Construction Project, John R. Manning, P.E., 2019
• “Contractor Default and Bond Claims: Helping the Owner Survive”, CMAA Capital Projects Symposium – Denver, Colorado – March 2018
• “Changes to AIA Contract Documents and ConsensusDocs”, The Seminar Group – Miami, Florida – April 2018
• The 2017 A201 Deskbook, co-authored Chapter 2 – Owner, American Bar Association, April 2017
• “Diversity in the Construction Industry: Making the Business Case” – Construction Lawyers Society of America – Palos Verdes, California – September 2017
• Stetson University School of Law – Guest Lecturer on Public-Private Partnerships and In-house Legal Practice – Tampa, Florida
• “Triage for Troubled Projects: Lessons Learned” – Construction Management Association of America – Annual Meeting – San Diego, CA October 2016
• “Transition from In-house Counsel to Private Practice” – ABA Forum on Construction Law – Nashville, Tennessee – April 2016
• “Completing Your Project Successfully or Salvage Operation” – Construction Management Association of America – Capital Projects Symposium – Austin, Texas – May 2016
• “How to Build Your Career as Corporate Counsel” – ABA Forum on Construction Law – Boca Raton, Florida, 2015
• Case Note: “JBD Constr., Inc. v Mid-Continental Cas. Co, Construction Defects, Coverage Consideration, and Practice Points,” Insurance Matters”, Vol. 3, Issue 1 2014-2015
• “Owner’s Discovery of Defective Work” – ABA Forum on Construction Law – Washington, D.C., 2014
• “Contracting Considerations under Florida’s Public-Private Partnership Law” – Miami, Florida
• Value Engineering: Bain of Existence or Benefit to All -American Bar Association 2010
• Working with Your Insurance Broker – Insurance and Indemnity Consideration” – Edson Agency Seminar Series 2009
• “So You Want to Build a Hotel?” – AAHOA Lodging Business Magazine 2007
• “OCIPs, CCIPs, and other Insurance Considerations in Contracting” – ABA Forum on Construction Law – Bonita Springs, Florida 2007
• Advocacy in Partnering: Do Lawyers Have a Place at Partnering? ABA Forum on Construction Law – Dallas, Texas 1998
• “Reconsidering the Statute of Repose: A Reasonable Reduction”, Florida Architect 1992

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

• Building for Good, initiative of the ABA Forum on Construction Law to provide pro bono legal services to non-profit organizations: Christian Service Center for design and construction under Accelerate Orlando grant (2024); pro bono services to Black Bottom House of Prayer, Orlando (2021)
• Orange County Government M/WBE Ordinance External Task Force member and Chair, Joint Ventures and Credit Program Committee; Chair, Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Advisory Board (1993-1995)
• Orange County Government Citizen Review Board (2005-2009), Chair (2008-2009)
• City of Orlando Municipal Planning Board (2001-2005), Chair 2005 – Received Volunteer of the Year Award
• George C. Young First American Inns of Court (2012-2015)
• Christian Service Center, Board member (1998-2002), President of the Board (2000)
• Rollins College, adjunct professor, paralegal studies (civil procedure, professionalism, construction law (1994)
• University of Central Florida, adjunct professor, paralegal studies in construction law (1988-1989)