Clients look to Melia Preedy for legal counsel on a wide variety of construction related matters from small private construction disputes to complex public engineering, building, heavy construction and insurance issues. Melia has handled multimillion-dollar complex construction disputes including terminations, differing site conditions, delay, and change order claims; GC/CM alternative procurement disputes; construction defect litigation; and insurance recovery claims. She draws on her experience in the construction industry working for a Fortune 500 company drafting multimillion-dollar proposals for both state and federal contracts to apply legal solutions to technical issues to the construction and government contracts issues her clients face. Her litigation experience includes arguing litigious matters in Washington state court, federal court, mediation and arbitration.
Deeply involved in the legal industry and local community, Melia is on the steering committee of the Associated General Contractors of Washington’s Construction Leadership Council in addition to her involvement with Women Leaders in Construction. She is also an active member of the King County Bar Association where she has presented on ethical issues in bankruptcy. In addition to her legal practice, Melia is deeply committed to social justice and advocating for Washington’s disabled community.
Publications & Presentations
Speaking Engagements
- Co-presenter, “Deal with it, counselor! An overview of common ethical issues in bankruptcy,” King County Bar Association, January, 2016
Publications
- Co-Author, “High court decision deals a blow to contractors’ submittal process,” Daily Journal of Commerce, October 11, 2018
- Author, “Risk Management: Insurance Coverage to Cover Possible Risk of a False Claims Act Claim,” Procurement Playbook, September 26, 2018
- Co-Author, “50 State Survey of Licensed Design Professional’s Stamping and Sealing Obligations,” Washington, ABA Forum on Construction Law, April 2018
- Author, “ASBCA Reports High Appeal Success Rate for FY 2017; Accelerated and Expedited Appeals Double,” Procurement Playbook, December 2, 2017
- Author, “GAO Reports Decrease in Department of Defense Commercial Item Acquisitions,” Procurement Playbook, September 12, 2017
- Co-Author, “The Legal Maze of the Keystone XL Pipeline,” Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, May 2016
- Aspen Construction Law Update, 2015, 2016
- Co-Author, “Public-Private Partnerships in the U.S.,” Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, May 2015
- Author, “Subminimum or Subpar? A Note in Favor of Repealing the Fair Labor Standards Act’s Subminimum Wage Program,” 37 Seattle U. L. Rev. 1097, 2014
Affiliations
- Board Member, Steering Committee, Construction Leadership Council, Associated General Contractors of Washington
- Member, King County Bar Association, Construction Law Section
- Member, Women Leaders in Construction
Awards & Honors
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2018 – present
News & Insights
- Congress allows tax deductibility for Paycheck Protection Program expenses
- Oles Morrison Announces Three Attorneys Promoted to Partner
- Got a PPP loan? IRS says you can’t deduct expenses from them — at least for now
- Oles Morrison is Ranked Among Nation’s Top Law Firms by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® 2021 List
- Super Lawyers Selects Fourteen Oles Morrison Attorneys for inclusion in the 2020 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists.
- The 2020 Edition of The Legal 500 Nationally Ranks Oles Morrison’s Construction and Government Contracts Practices
- Washington’s Version of “Shelter in Place”: What it Means for the Construction Industry
- COVID-19 and Impacts on Construction
- Oles Morrison and Women Leaders in Construction Celebrate Women in Construction Week
- Oles Morrison is Ranked Among Nation’s Top Law Firms by U.S. News – Best Lawyers®
- Ten Attorneys Selected to the 2019 Washington Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Legal 500 Recognizes Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker’s Government Contracts Practice In 2019 National Guide
- Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker Receives Rankings In 2019 Issue Of Chambers USA Guide
- Oles Morrison hosts a Women in Construction Week Happy Hour
- High court decision deals a blow to contractors’ submittal process
- Nine Oles Morrison Attorneys Named to 2018 Washington Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
- Serving Our Clients for 125 Years
- Oles Morrison and Clark Construction to host Women Leaders in Construction at their annual spring event
- AGC of WA announces the 2018 CLC Steering Committee
- Women Leaders in Construction Summer Social June 15
- Melia Preedy to Co-Present on Ethical Issues in Bankruptcy