Richard T. Pledger

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

CONSTRUCTION LAW AND SURETY

Rich began his practice as an insurance defense and surety practitioner, and continues to represent contract and subcontract bond sureties in bid, payment and performance bond claims and litigation, and in the protection and enforcement of their indemnity rights. He has successfully negotiated alternative approaches to performance bond claims, often finding creative solutions when the specifications simply did not work. His practice has expanded to include the representation of public and private owners, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in all aspects of the construction process and in mechanic's lien litigation. As a natural compliment to his construction surety practice, Rich represents sureties in other business and commercial contexts, including fidelity bond and coverage issues, estate matters, financial transactions and procurement contracts. Some of these cases, as well as the construction cases, cross state, national and international boundaries.

Rich is actively involved in the Defense Research Institute's Fidelity and Surety Law Committee, serving on the Steering Committee and as Membership Chair. He is also actively involved with the American Bar Association's Fidelity/Surety Law Committee ("FSLC"), and served for three (3) years as Co-Chair of the Membership Division of the Young Professionals Subcommittee ("YuPS") and a State Representative in Virginia for FSLC's YuPS. He is also a member of the Surety Association of Virginia, the National Bond Claims Association of the Eastern Bond Claims Review, The Virginia Association of General Contractors, and the Virginia Bar Association's Construction and Public Contracts Law Section.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION AND TRANSACTIONAL ACTIVITIES

In addition to his construction, surety and fidelity practices, Rich has often been asked to assist clients with losses in a broad variety of commercial settings. He has handled a variety of business and shareholder disputes, financial and insurance agent and broker issues, real estates tax assessment matters (including a complex hospital tax challenge) Rich is just as much at ease in corporate and business matters as he is in court. Rich's approach in business matters is to find a workable solution in keeping with the client's wishes. Innovation, devotion to detail, and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to bring about the desired result are characteristics seen in each case in which he is involved. Rich is an active member in the Richmond Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, and has continued to expand his practice in the business and commercial context, including technology issues.

Rich has long been affiliated with a number of insurance carriers for whom he has handled the defense of their insureds, their first party actions and their coverage questions. A part of his insurance practice brought him into the arena of mass tort litigation. Rich has managed a caseload of over 10,000 asbestos cases. He has defended cases involving silica and mold. He has appeared across Virginia in most of the state and federal courts to respond to these claims.

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

May 21, 2002 to Present
WALLACEPLEDGER, PLLC
Richmond, Virginia
Partner

May 7, 2001 to May 20, 2002
REEDSMITH, LLP
Richmond, Virginia
Counsel

October 1997 to May 4, 2001
SANDS ANDERSON MARKS & MILLER, PC
Richmond, Virginia
Shareholder

August 1988 to October 1997
SANDS ANDERSON MARKS & MILLER, PC
Richmond, Virginia
Associate

August 1987 to August 1988
CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA
Fairfax, Virginia
Judicial Law Clerk

1983-1984
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington, D.C.
Courtroom Clerk

Summer 1982
MCNEES WALLACE & NURICK, PA
Washington, DC
Law Clerk

ARTICLES, PAPERS, BOOKS AND PRESENTATIONS

Relevant Articles, Papers and Books

Deceptively Simple? Taking the Mystery Out of License and Permit Surety Bonds

• FOR THE DEFENSE, a publication of the Defense Research Institute by Catherine Squillace and Richard T. Pledger
  Anticipated publication in September 2004

Construction Contract and Subcontract Bid Bonds, Payment Bonds, Performance Bonds and The Law of Suretyship in Virginia

• October 1995, August and November 1997, April 2001, and January and August 2003

Contractors' Introduction to Mechanic's Lien Laws and Payment Bonds (co-author of a summary of Virginia law)

• ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF VIRGINIA

• Nota bene: This item is updated and adapted periodically as program materials for presentations to construction groups.

Some Recent Cases of Interest to Sureties
SEVENTH ANNUAL SURETY-FIDELITY SEMINAR
EASTERN BOND CLAIMS REVIEW
Chatham, New Jersey, May 24, 2004

Advanced Construction Law in Virginia (co-author and presenter on various construction issues)NATIONAL BUSINESS INSTITUTE

• Richmond, Virginia June 10, 2004

• Norfolk, Virginia June 11, 2004