DALLAS, TX — Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) announces Bob Hancock and Adam Richie have been selected as Co-Chairs for the firm’s construction practice. Hancock will spearhead the controversy side of the practice, while Richie will simultaneously lead the transactional side of the practice. Together, they will find ways to grow the team in both size and profitability. Tom Barber, the former Practice Chair, will remain active at the firm, continuing to work with his existing clients and with Richie and Hancock as they take on this increase in responsibility.

“Since Tom joined Munsch Hardt and took over the reins of the firm’s construction practice, we have seen substantial growth in the groups numbers, depth, experience, diversity, and presence in the construction arena. In my opinion, this group has been, and continues to be, incredibly successful,” said Phil Appenzeller, CEO of Munsch Hardt. “I am confident that Adam and Bob, whom Tom recruited to the firm several years ago, will continue to build upon Tom’s tradition of excellence.”

Hancock, who joined Munsch Hardt in 2017 after serving as a Director of the Construction and Surety section of a Houston-based mid-size law firm, represents clients, including owners, general contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and suppliers, in commercial litigation, construction contract negotiations, defect lawsuits, and insurance coverage matters. In addition to his legal career, Hancock also brings several years of construction management experience in commercial, heavy highway, and industrial process construction.

“As a practice, we aim to take a proactive, holistic approach to our clients’ needs,” Hancock said. “Our goal is to partner with clients early and often. There is a lot of potential liability associated with the construction industry, and by working with clients at the onset of a project, we are able to help them control the situation and minimize risks from every angle. At the end of the day, we strive to turn potential dispute issues into non-issues.”

Richie, who joined the firm in 2016, focuses his practice on construction transactions and insurance matters. When advising clients throughout the phases of development, he routinely drafts and negotiates complex design, construction, and development contracts for commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects, with a focus on evaluating insurance coverage issues. In addition, Richie leverages his background as a Mechanical Engineer in the construction industry to provide comprehensive understanding of the entire transaction process.

“It is no secret the construction industry is experiencing unprecedented market conditions — shortage of materials, shortage of labor, escalating prices, increasing delays, tightening insurance coverage, and much more,” Richie said. “This disruption is reshaping the industry before our eyes, forcing all players to collaborate, compromise, and get creative on how they approach new projects and rethink existing agreements. Our goal is to make sure our clients are in the best position to continue business as usual while preparing for the new normal in construction. It is a challenge, but it is a challenge we enjoying working on with our clients.”