James M. Kwartnik, Jr.

Member

Jim often gets involved in his clients’ projects from the outset, providing project delivery system advice and working closely with clients throughout the contracting process. Aided by his business background, Jim has extensive experience drafting and negotiating a wide array of construction, renovation, architectural services, design-build, engineering, and consulting contracts from both sides of the table on projects and for clients situated throughout the country. Once these projects are up and running, Jim provides ongoing project counseling and dispute avoidance or mitigation advice to his clients.

When disputes cannot be avoided, Jim counsels and represents his clients through the dispute resolution process. Jim has been involved in disputes arising in connection with projects in the public and private sectors.  He has experience counseling his clients through the various types of disputes they face in the construction industry, including bid protests, scope disputes, payment claims, delay and disruption claims, termination claims, defective design claims, mechanics’ lien claims, and bond claims, to name a few.

Jim’s counseling and dispute resolution clients include owners, developers, contractors, construction managers, subcontractors and design professionals. He has worked on projects in numerous sectors of the construction industry, including commercial office towers, luxury condominiums and apartment buildings, hotels, industrial facilities, cannabis facilities, power plants, and infrastructure construction.

While in college, where he was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma (the National Business Honor Society), Jim worked for a construction management firm in its accounting department. After graduating magna cum laude, Jim moved on to become the controller of a regional specialty subcontractor, performing various accounting and management functions. While serving in that role, Jim also attended law school full time in the evening. For four years, Jim continued to gain practical construction business experience by day and earned his law degree by night.

Experience

News

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Legal 500 Recognizes Seven Cozen O’Connor Practice Areas and 16 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its 2024 Legal Guide

July 10, 2024

The Legal 500 United States named Cozen O’Connor’s Aviation, Construction, Immigration, Insurance, Maritime, and Mergers & Acquisitions practices and Cozen O’Connor attorneys Scott Bettridge, Raymond DeLuca, Michael Deutsch, Geoffrey Ferrer, Bruce Ficken, Jonathon Foglia, David Heffernan, Matthew Howell, James Kwartnik, Robert Magovern, Jeffrey Mullen, Patrick Rizzi, Rachel Schwartz, Josh Stein, Jeff Vogel, and Rachel Welford to its 2024 Legal Guide.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Legal 500 Recognizes Six Cozen O’Connor Practice Areas and 16 Attorneys in its 2023 Guide

July 10, 2023

Cozen O'Connor's Aviation (Litigation/Regulation), Construction, L&E, M&A (Midmarket), Shipping (Finance and Litigation/Regulation) practices were ranked by the Legal 500.

Cozen O'Connor Names 11 New Shareholders

September 12, 2022

Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce the promotion of 11 members to shareholders.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Legal 500 Recognizes Six Cozen O’Connor Practice Areas and 14 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its 2022 Legal Guide

July 11, 2022

For 30 years, The Legal 500 has assessed the strengths of law firms in more than 100 jurisdictions. The rankings use a series of criteria, including client feedback, submissions from law firms, and interviews with leading private practice lawyers.

Biomeme, Inc. Office Lease Wins Philadelphia Business Journal's Best Real Estate Deal of 2021

April 04, 2022

Biomeme, Inc., represented by Beth Kearney, was awarded Best Office Lease in Philadelphia Business Journal's 2021 Best Real Estate Deal Awards.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Publications

2017 AIA Contract Documents Update [Construction Alert]

September 25, 2017

James Kwartnik and Fred Jacoby discuss the AIA's changes to A201 (General Conditions of the Contract for Construction) documents.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

2019 Construction SuperConference

December 16, 2019 - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

2018 Construction SuperConference

December 10, 2018 - Las Vegas, NV

Education

  • Temple University—James E. Beasley School of Law, J.D., 2009
  • St. Joseph's University, B.S., magna cum laude, 2003

Awards & Honors

Law360, Rising Star for Construction 2019

Best Lawyers in America 2022-2025

Legal 500 United States "Next Generation Partner" for Construction Law, 2022-2024

  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Supreme Court