Barnes & Thornburg announced today that Eric A. Berg has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in the Litigation Department. Berg is the latest addition to the firm’s Chicago office, following Aaron Gavant and Kenneth P. Kansa, who joined the Finance, Insolvency and Restructuring Department; Jeremy Lewin, who rejoined the Corporate Department; and William V. Essig, who joined the Litigation Department earlier this year. Berg comes to Barnes & Thornburg from Ogletree Deakins, where he led the nationally ranked Construction Law practice.

Berg brings over 30 years of experience litigating and providing counsel on a wide breadth of construction law issues. As a litigator, Berg represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, and lenders in trials, arbitrations, and mediations. Berg’s transactional work includes drafting and negotiating contracts for the design, construction, rehabilitation and construction management of hotels, hospitals, office buildings, apartment buildings, casinos, transit facilities, private residences, retail stores, and distribution centers.

Formerly a deputy general counsel for a large U.S. provider of dredging services, Berg has provided counsel on contract drafting, extras claims, payment disputes, mechanics liens, labor and employment matters, compliance issues, personal injury and workers compensation, public contracts, real estate transactions, insurance and risk management, and surety and bond questions.

“Eric’s in-house experience gives him a unique understanding of his clients’ day-to-day legal needs and the pressures facing the construction industry,” said D. Randall Brown, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Litigation Department. “His diverse range of industry knowledge and his calm, thoughtful demeanor in the courtroom make him a fantastic addition to our team.”

In addition to his litigation and transactional practice, Berg investigates, negotiates and litigates disability access claims under federal, state and local laws, including Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act, and the Chicago Building Code.

“We’re in a period of exciting growth here in Chicago,” said Michael A. Carrillo, managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Chicago office. “Eric marks our fifth addition to the Chicago office this year, and we’re pleased to bring him into the fold and continue to offer our clients access to top talent in the local market and across the U.S.”

Berg earned his J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and his B.A. in political science from Yale University.