Attorney Profile
Admitted
Founding
Partner (Retired)
Moye, O’Brien & Masterson LLP
James Moye
James Moye founded Moye, O’Brien & Masterson, LLP in 1989, growing it into a nationally recognized construction law firm with projects throughout the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Middle East, North Africa, and Canada. With an engineering background, he specializes in complex legal matters on high-value construction projects, representing general contractors, owners, and design professionals in disputes involving contracts, delays, wall-to-wall disruption, design negligence, and construction defects.
His recent work included handling claims in the hundreds of millions of dollars on major infrastructure projects, such as an over $675 million claim on a $1.3 billion light rail project in Los Angeles, a $1B claim on a light rail project in Ottawa, a $225 million claim on a $500 million power plant in Maryland, and a $250 million claim on a public-private heavy civil project in Denver. His other high visibility representations include representing the design consortium on the multi-billion-dollar Third Lock project in Panama, representing different contractors on the retrofit projects on the Golden Gate Bridge and the design-builder on the electrification of the Amtrak Acela project from Boston to NY.
Admissions
- Florida
- Georgia
- Texas
- Virginia
- England and Wales
- Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
- Northern District of Georgia
- Eastern District of Virginia
- Fifth, Eleventh, and the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- The Supreme Court of the United States
Biography
Jim was one of only a handful of individuals ranked by Chambers and Partners Nationwide for Construction from its inception in 2007 to 2023 and achieved the highest rating for construction lawyers in Chambers & Partners – Florida from 2004 to 2023. Jim is regarded by his clients as indispensable for his unmatched expertise and unwavering commitment, and has been recognized with numerous awards from leading construction law organizations and publications. Jim is also a Certified Arbitrator by the Florida Supreme Court and has co-authored several major publications related to construction law.
Education
- University of Florida, Juris Doctor, 1981
- University of Florida Law Review
- University of Central Florida, B.S.E., cum laude, 1978
- Eta Kappa Nu (Electrical Engineering National Honor Society)
- Tau Beta Pi (Engineering National Honor Society)
- Omicron Delta Kappa
- President’s Leadership Council
Professional Associations and Recognitions
- Florida Blue Key Leadership Honors Society
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (England)
- American Bar Association
- Forum on Construction Law
- Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar
- AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell as well as appeared in “Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers”
- Top Ranked Leader in Construction by Chambers and Partners, 2004-2023
- One of only a handful of Individuals Ranked by Chambers and Partners Nationwide for Construction from 207 to 2023
- One of only 14 Leading Lawyers Ranked by Legal 500 for Construction (including Construction Litigation)
- The Best Lawyers in America – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- The Legal 500, Construction “Hall of Fame”
- Legal Florida Elite – Construction
- Florida Super Lawyers – Construction Law
- Orlando’s Top Lawyers – Construction Law
- Who’s Who Legal – Construction
- Best Lawyers’ 2017 Orlando Litigation – Construction “Lawyer of the Year”
- Orlando’s Top Lawyers 2021
- Best Lawyer “Lawyer of the Year” 2022, 2024 – Construction Law in Orlando
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- Canadian Construction Lawyers, 12th Annual Conference, May 2009
- International Road Federation Executive Seminar, Orlando, November 2009
- Construction Law Institute’s Law Certification Review Course, March 2012
- DRBF 17th Annual Meeting & Conference, Miami Beach, September 2013
- The Seminar Group – Construction Project Scheduling & Delay Claims, August 2014
- DRBF Connections Conference, October 2020
- Numerous construction law seminars for clients