Thomas R. Krider is an accomplished construction and federal government contracts attorney with Smith Currie in its Washington office.
With more than 23 years of construction litigation experience, large and small companies involved in public and private construction projects come to Tom for his experienced counsel on complex commercial litigation and contract negotiation matters. He is a problem solver who works with his clients to expeditiously and efficiently mitigate risk and navigate their most challenging issues throughout all project phases, from he initial contract formation through project completion, including claims and, if necessary, litigation. Given his extensive experience in representing notable companies in large construction disputes and his own personal interest in the technical/engineering aspects of those projects, Tom understands the actual construction aspects of projects and advises clients on how the law applies to them.
Tom has represented clients in a wide variety of projects across the U.S. and internationally, including projects in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. Tom has been involved with projects involving tunnels, dams, bridges, water treatment, large-scale solar, and various vertical structures.
Tom is ranked by Best Lawyers in America in Construction Law and Litigation-Construction, listed in Who’s Who Legal: Construction, is the co-chair of the Washington AGC Legal Affairs Committee, sits on the AGC ConsensusDoc Document Forum, is a member of The Beavers, and recently served on the Board of Directors for the NUCA of Washington.
Representative Matters
Transactions
- Represented client in a bid protest involving a >$400 million wastewater treatment facility.
Risk Management
- Represents international partner in joint venture involved in the world’s largest tunneling project of its kind.
- Represented international partner in an EPC joint venture in negotiating P3 contract documents for a light rail project.
- Counsel to engineering team providing construction contracting advice to institutional lenders on cutting edge renewable energy
projects, which also included projects internationally.
Litigation
- Represented JV prime contractor and its sureties in a >$100 million twelve-week jury trial relating to claims arising from a large bore tunneling project.
- Represent contractor before the ASBCA involving a construction project for the Army Corps of Engineers on a Navy base in Israel.
Claims
- Represented JV prime contractor in claims against the project owner on seawall replacement project.
- Represented contractor on claims arising from construction of a sewer treatment facility in Hawaii.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Represented JV prime contractor in a >$100 million arbitration relating to a light rail project against the project owner and involving
multiple subcontractors.
Honors and Awards
- Best Lawyers in America, Litigation-Construction, 2017-present
- Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law, 2017-present
- Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2017-present
- Who’s Who Legal: Construction 2019
- Rising Star, Washington Super Lawyers, 2004, 2006, 2007
- Washington Super Lawyers, 2018-2023
Articles & Publications
- Maximizing Overhead Recovery in Changes and Claims, Oles Morrison Construction and Public Contract Law Seminar, Seattle, WA,
2004
Presentations
Classes & Seminars Taught
- Presenter, “Navigating Uninsured Indemnity Obligations,” 2020 Conference on Surety Bonding and Construction Risk Management, AGC of America, Bonita Springs, FL, January 29, 2020
- Presenter, “Critical Contract Clauses,” HCSS User Group Meetings, Houston, TX, January 14, 2020
- Presenter, “Critical Contract Clauses,” HCSS User Group Meetings, Houston, TX, January 15, 2019
- Presenter, “Case Study” NUCA of Washington, Renton 2015
- Presenter, “Unallowable Costs” Desert Bar Association, Richland, WA, 2014
- Presenter, “Construction Disputes Repeat Offenders: What have we learned?“ Chicago, Illinois, 2008
- Presenter, “Unabsorbed Overhead: What Is It? How Is It Proven/Disproven?,”
Professional Affiliations
- National Construction Dispute Resolution Committee, Member
- AGC of Washington, Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee
- Utility Contractors Association of Washington, Past Secretary of the Board of Directors
- Washington State Bar Association
- King County Bar Association, Construction Law Section
- Oregon State Bar Association
- Alaska State Bar Association
- The Beavers, Member