Janette G. Leonidou
OF-COUNSEL
University of Nevada, B.A.
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
State Bar of California
United States District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of California
Bar Association of San Francisco
Hellenic Law Society
Legal Aid of San Mateo County
Monterey County Bar Association
San Mateo County Bar Association
Santa Clara County Bar Association
United Contractors, Legal Advisor
Ms. Leonidou has extensive knowledge and experience in construction law, representing owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in a variety of disputes. She has litigated countless complex public and private work projects throughout California and has extensive litigation experience in wide-ranging business disputes. Ms. Leonidou has been recognized every year since 2009 by Northern California Super Lawyer. In September 2015, she was also in Fortune Magazine’s edition among “Women Leaders in the Law”.
Ms. Leonidou also provides pre-litigation services including contract preparation, contract review and negotiation, and advice prior to and during construction to minimize the likelihood of litigation. She is also largely recognized for her unique ability to resolve difficult and contentious cases. Her tenacity, combined with her creative approach to negotiation and settlement, has resulted in consistently positive outcomes in many cases where resolution seemed impossible.
Ms. Leonidou has successfully litigated before state and federal trial courts and appellate courts, arbitration panels, administrative boards, and administrative law judges. She has also argued many legal issues related to projects, both pre-and post-bid, before cities, counties, and other public entities.
A partial list of major projects on which Ms. Leonidou has provided counseling and litigation expertise is as follows:
- Abovenet Service Exchange Facility SJ-4
- Ahmanson Theater Reconfiguration Project, Los Angeles, California
- Alameda Corridor Transit Authority, Mid-Corridor Design-Build Project
- Bay Area Rapid Transit – numerous projects
- Berkeley Central Library
- California Department of Transportation – numerous projects
- Classic Residence By Hyatt
- Disney Tower of Terror
- Griffith Observatory Renovation and Expansion, Los Angeles, California
- High Rise Construction – numerous throughout Northern California including multiple in San Francisco
- Highland Hospital, Alameda, California
- Kaiser-Permanente (Geary Campus and Fremont Medical Facility)
- Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center
- Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital
- Mills-Peninsula Hospital (Cancer Center, Arthritis Rehabilitation Center, San Mateo renovations and Burlingame retrofit)
- Numerous general engineering projects including roadways, highways, bridges, pipelines, and wastewater treatment facilities
- Numerous school and university projects, including Stanford University, San Francisco State University, University of California – San Francisco, University of California – Berkeley, San Francisco Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, Mt. Diablo Unified School District
- Orange County Performing Arts Center – Segerstrom Concert Hall
- PacBell Stadium
- Power Plants – various
- Quarry Lane Schools
- San Bruno Jail, Phase III
- San Francisco – Asian Art Museum
- San Francisco Courthouse
- San Francisco Civic Center
- San Francisco MUNI and Department of Public Works – numerous projects
- San Francisco International Airport (numerous projects)
- San Jose International Airport
- Santa Clara County – Various Projects
- Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
- San Mateo County – Various Projects
- Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, California
- United States of America – various projects
- Valley Presbyterian Hospital, Van Nuys, California
- Valley Transit Authority – several projects
- War Memorial Community Center Daly City, California
In addition to providing legal services on construction-related disputes, Ms. Leonidou serves as an instructor, teaching several classes a year to the construction industry on managing legal issues for complex projects. She is a highly in-demand speaker for various trade and industry groups on subjects such as claims documentation, prompt payment statutes and procedures, construction contract issues and recent legal developments. The following is a partial list of organizations to which Ms. Leonidou has given presentations:
- American Builders and Contractors, Inc.
- American Subcontractors Association
- Association of General Contractors – Legal Advisory Panel
- California Builders Inspectors
- California Landscape Contractors Association
- California Women Contractors
- Concrete Modification Contractors Association
- Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
- Construction Specification Institute
- National Association of Credit Managers
- National Electrical Contractors Association
- Northern California Drywall Contractors Association
- Painting & Decorating Contractors of America
- San Francisco State University – Guest Lecturer
- United Contractors