overview

COLLABORATIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION, LLC (CCR) is based in Princeton, New Jersey, and provides collaborative dispute resolution services for the engineering and construction industry. CCR’s collaborative processes (including negotiation, mediation, consensus building and fact finding) can save project participants significant costs in both time and money, and can help preserve relationships. CCR specializes in mediation of technical, financial and contract disputes, that arise in implementing energy, infrastructure, and environmental projects.

 

CHRIS KANE, P.E., J.D. is Managing Principal of the firm, and has extensive experience with all methods of dispute resolution including mediations, arbitrations, and litigation, including experience as a participant, advocate and as a neutral. He has served since 1994 on American Arbitration Association’s Panel of Construction Mediators and Arbitrators and also serves on New Jersey’s State Court Panel of Mediators. Chris has resolved complicated disputes using collaborative methods on projects valued over $250 million and designed dispute resolution processes for projects exceeding $1 billion.

 

As both a licensed engineer and licensed lawyer, Chris has technical expertise as well as a practical knowledge of the legal and contract issues, but does not render legal or engineering advice as part of CCR’s business. His diverse background in the construction industry gives him broad perspective and background as a neutral including business executive, engineer, construction manager, corporate legal counsel, lawyer in private practice, developer and Corps of Engineers officer. As a former corporate counsel, he also has working knowledge of labor and employment issues.

 

Chris’ dispute resolution experience includes all types of construction contract disputes valued up to $40 million on projects including power plants, rail transit, transportation, school projects, coal gasification, health care facilities, water/wastewater facilities, commercial office buildings, mixed use development, financing agreements, airport projects, environmental remediation, fire stations, historic structures and residential. Cases involve public agencies, contractors, owners, architects and engineers, individuals, professional services, financers, insurance companies, sureties and manufacturers.

 

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

• Mediator in successful settlement of $1 million dispute between State of New Jersey and general contractor involving changes, delays and cost overruns on construction contract for a State water facility.
• Structured multi-step dispute resolution process on a $300 million coal gasification, clean coal power project between utility, construction manager and designer. $40 million in disputes successfully resolved, without litigation.
• Mediator in successful settlement of a $300,000 construction contract dispute for a new school construction between general contractor and school authority.
• Third party neutral fact-finder for schedule, design and cost issues for construction of a $250 million “state of the art” power project.
• Represented remediation contractors in mediation of contract disputes for cleaning up a plastics manufacturing plant following contamination with asbestos, PCB’s, and dioxins, caused by a fire.

SERVICES PROVIDED:

• Mediation
• Consensus Building
• Dispute Review Boards
• Training and Process Design
• Third Party Fact Finding

 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

• Design Contracts
• Construction Contracts
• Environmental Remediation
• Project Development
• Labor and Employment