Ryan Jezdimir is a construction lawyer with a particular focus on contract negotiation, claims, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation.

Ryan has counseled owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts and has counseled clients during all stages of a construction project relative to bids, adequacy of work, sufficiency of plans or specifications, extra work, delays, warranties, and other related issues. Ryan has also spent a great part of his practice representing construction clients in resolving disputes through litigation, arbitration, or other dispute resolution procedures. Ryan has succeeded as lead counsel in numerous trials and arbitration hearings. His vast litigation experience includes arguments before appellate courts as well as complex commercial litigation involving claims over theft of proprietary company information and claims for misrepresentations underlying a commercial transaction.

Starting in 2018, after he was appointed to the American Arbitration Association Roster of Arbitrators for construction and commercial disputes, Ryan expanded his practice to include service as an arbitrator in numerous disputes involving commercial and construction contracts and as a mediator of construction disputes.

Ryan has been honored by inclusions in Michigan Super Lawyers magazine, a top construction litigator by the magazine, dbusiness, and a Fellow in the Construction Lawyers of America Society.

Honors & Activities

• Top Lawyer in Construction Litigation (dbusiness Publication)
• Super Lawyer in Michigan for Construction Litigation (Super Lawyers Publication), 2019-2024
• Rising Star in Michigan (Super Lawyers Publication), 2010-2018
• Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America Construction Law
• Seminar speaker, Making Changes and Resolving Disputes during the Construction Process; Reviewing Bidding Documents; Best Practices for Negotiating Indemnification Provisions; Distinguishing Between Construction Defects & Failures; Contract Law Primer for Engineers; Best Practices for Claim Submissions and Legal Aspects to Consider; Understanding Construction Contract Essentials; Contract Issues on Sustainable Design and Construction Projects; and Managing Construction with AIA Document A201: General Conditions. Mason Contractors’ Association speaker, The Contract Change Clause, Types of Changes: Ordered and Constructive Detroit Ceramic Tile Contractors Association speaker, Documenting and Perfecting Changes and Claims Michigan Mason Contractors’ Association speaker, “Tracking Your Money,” The Contract Change Clause Associated General Contractors of Michigan speaker, Documenting and Perfecting Changes and Claims Construction Association of Michigan speaker, Contract Clauses to COVID-Proof Your Project
• Author, The Pay-If-Paid Clause and Chinks in its Armor, Cross-Section Magazine of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association Author, The Pay-If-Paid Clause and Defenses to its Enforcement, Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) Magazine
• Contributor, Construction Liens in Michigan, Institute of Continuing Legal Education
• Liaison to American Institute of Architects for the 2017 Revisions to the A201 and B101 Documents

Illustrative Results

• Zero dollars awarded in arbitration against a client general contractor on a multimillion-dollar claim by a subcontractor for extra work and loss of productivity during an automotive production facility construction project.
• Nearly million-dollar settlement in favor of the client owner against the architect and construction manager stemming from the design and construction services provided for a new apartment complex.
• Recoupment of payments and attorneys’ fees for a client owner against a general contractor that had misappropriated project payments and abandoned a contract to construct an industrial building.
• Nearly two-million-dollar settlement in favor of a client contractor of claims related to substantial project delays and owner caused inefficiencies on a large multi-year public works project.
• Multimillion-dollar jury verdict in favor of client builder against a developer and its principal for fraud related to the development of an upscale subdivision.
• Over a million-dollar settlement in favor of client owner against an architect related to the deficient construction of a sanitary sewer system.
• Arbitration award in favor of client general contractor, including an award of attorney fees, against an owner for construction delays and a change in site conditions.
• Substantial settlement in favor of client owner of a claim for fraudulent billing against a nearly one-million-dollar construction lien and claim for breach of contract by a general contractor.
• Contract balance awarded in arbitration to client piling subcontractor and zero dollars awarded to defendant general contractor for damages arising from allegedly deficient performance in connection with two MDOT construction projects.
• Contract balance and attorney fees as a prevailing party awarded in arbitration to client earth and utilities subcontractor after client was wrongfully terminated from a large mixed-used project stemming from a dispute over the interpretation of its subcontract and its performance.
• Jury verdict for contract balance to client steel contractor and zero dollars awarded to defendant owner for damages arising from allegedly deficient performance.
• Zero dollars awarded in arbitration against client owner on a claim by a contractor for change orders exceeding one million dollars related to alleged additional work, EIFS coating, additional equipment, and extended general conditions on a forty-story building.
• Zero dollars awarded in arbitration against clients general contractor and its surety on a claim by a public entity for damages of several hundred thousand dollars related to allegedly deficient construction.
• Zero dollars awarded in arbitration against client owner on a claim by a general contractor for breach of contract. The client owner received an award of attorney fees for prevailing in the arbitration.
• Judgment in favor of client supplier against prospective purchaser for discovery violations that included deletion and manipulation of electronic evidence.

Professional Associations & Memberships

• Michigan Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association, Litigation and Contract Documents, Dispute Resolution, Member
• American Arbitration Association (AAA), Arbitrator Panel Member

Past Experience

• Federal District Court Judge, Student Clerk
• Oakland County Circuit Court Judge, Student Clerk
• Free Legal Aid Clinic, Student Attorney

Education

• Ryan Jezdimir graduated cum laude from Wayne State University Law School in 2004. He served as a member of the Moot Court Outside Competition Team and received a Top Oralist award while also serving as a member of the Journal of Law in Society.
• Ryan obtained his undergraduate degree from Alma College in 2000 with dual majors in Economics and Political Science.