Robert Herrmann
Contact
PRACTICE FOCUS
Robert F. Herrmann is the Chair of the firm's New York Construction Law Practice. He represents design professionals, and other construction-related firms, privately held businesses, and New York City housing cooperatives and condominiums. He acts as general counsel to a number of architects, landscape architects, interior designers, lighting designers, engineers, owners, developers, and contractors, advising them on general business matters and representing them in litigation, arbitration, and mediation.
Prior to joining Offit Kurman, Mr. Herrmann was, for thirty-four years, the managing partner of the New York City law firm of Menaker & Herrmann, where he advised a number of the most prominent architecture and design firms in the country.
Mr. Herrmann is a graduate of Yale College and Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He clerked for Judges Harold R. Medina and Sterry R. Waterman of the U.S. Court of Appeals and began his private practice career at Hughes Hubbard & Reed. He is trained in mediation and is on the American Arbitration Association panel of construction mediators. He also serves as a mediator for the New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division.
Mr. Herrmann is an Adjunct Professor at the Columbia University School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation where he teaches Advanced Professional Practice to third-year Master students. He is also a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute where he teaches Special Topics in Professional Practice to undergraduate architecture students. Mr. Herrmann has also led numerous seminars for design professionals on a variety of topics.
Peer Review Rating: AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5
REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- "Understanding Issues in Construction Administration," Half Moon Education, (Speaker)
- “Managing Risk: What You Need to Know,” Architect Lady Networking Group (Speaker)
- "Managing Risk: What You Need to Know.” LA.IDEA/AIADC (Speaker)
- "Art of Negotiation,” National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Scholars in Professional Practice Conference in San Luis Obispo, California (Speaker)
- “Expanding Business Ownership,” Brick & Wonder Roundtable (Panel Member)
- "10 Provisions Every Owner Architect Agreement Should Include," EntreArchitect (Speaker)
- "Insurance and Indemnification: Two Critical Issues in Contract Negotiation," Maryland Construction Network's Legal Resource Group (Presenter)
- "Critical Legal Issues Every Small Firm Architect Needs to Know," EntreArchitect (Speaker)
- "Design Professional Agreements in Light of COVID-19: what Changes Should be Considered?” ACEC Virtual Construction Business Practice Committee Meeting (Speaker)
- "Starting Your Own Firm: Challenges, Risks, and Rewards," AIA Tri-State Convention - Albany, New York (Speaker)
- "Owner-Architect Agreement: Selection and Negotiation of Key Issues at Contract Document Practicum," sponsored by ABC Keystone/AIA PA (Presenter)
- Design Firm Management in the Gig Economy, New York Build 2019 Expo (Speaker)
- "Design Firm Management in the Gig Economy," AIA New York State Small Firm Symposium in Rochester and Happauge, New York (Speaker)
- "Risk Management," National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Scholars in Professional Practice Conference in Washington D.C. (Speaker)
- "Managing Risk for Architects," Brooklyn AIA Custom Residential Architects Network Knowledge Community Seminar (Presenter)
- “Transitions: Considerations When the Design Professional is Replaced” and “Avoiding Pitfalls When Doing a Condominium Development," Design Professionals Symposium, sponsored by the Marquis Agency (Panel Member)
- “Avoiding the Perfect Storm (Minimize Risk During the Design and Construction Process," Power Up Your Practice AIA Continuing Education System Course (Panel Member)
- “Controlling Risk for Architects," Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (Co-Presenter with John Rusk, Rusk Renovations Inc.)
- "Eugene J. Mackey Jr. lecture," Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis co-sponsored by the School of Law (Lecturer)
- “Managing Risk When Negotiating an Agreement with Your Client," Annual Society for Design Administration Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee (Speaker)
- "Book Talk: Law for Architects: What You Need to Know," American Institute of Architects - New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles chapters (Presenter)
- "Risk Management," New York State AIA Convention (Panel Member)
- “Managing Risk for Design Professionals," Construction Specifications Institute, Los Angeles Chapter (Presenter)
- Has taught Professional Practice classes at City College School of Architecture, the University of Pennsylvania, Parsons The New School for Design, Pratt Institute, and New York Institute of Technology
- “Professional Liability and Management Issues for New Consultants," sponsored by the Professional Practice Committee of the American Institute of Architects, New York Chapter (Panel Member)
- Numerous Programs (Risk Management, Contract Negotiation, Ownership transition, and Dispute Resolution), New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (Panel Member)
PUBLICATIONS
- "Law for Architects: What You Need to Know"
- "Legal Dimension of Practice and Regulatory Agencies’ Role in Control of Design and Practice of Architecture: Managing Risks and Liabilities for Architects chapter," The Routledge Companion for Architecture Design and Practice (Author)
- “The Pitfalls of ‘Scope Creep,’” Architectural Record, January 2012
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