Biography

Mr. Barra is a partner in the Construction Practice Group at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, focusing on construction and environmental law. His legal practice includes representation of public and private owners, developers, construction managers, EPC contractors, general contractors, subcontractors, design builders, material suppliers, architects, engineers, surveyors, interior designers, sureties, MBE/WBE/DBE contractors, steel suppliers and construction lenders. He handles both disputes and transactional matters involving the design and construction of office buildings, hospitals, shopping malls, highways, bridges, hydro-electric dams, utilities (water, gas, electric, fiber optic & sewer), prisons, primary and secondary schools, universities, condominiums, waste-water, water and scavenger waste treatment facilities, waste-to-energy facilities, landfill gas-to-energy facilities, gas-fired electrical power plants, on-shore and off-shore natural gas pipelines and electric substations. Mr. Barra also represents owners, developers and design professionals in disputes involving the environmental impairment of real property.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Barra worked as a civil engineer assisting public and private owners achieve regulatory compliance for solid and hazardous waste management facilities. He investigated ground water quality and subsurface geology at Superfund sites, drafted permit applications and grant funding requests, prepared closure plans and feasibility studies, developed site selection analysis and performed subsurface investigations. Mr. Barra also conducted forensic investigations on several structural failures and suggested restrictions for the continued use of impaired buildings, vehicular and pedestrian bridges. His work also included analyzing wastewater treatment facilities for adequacy of design and suitability for expansion and development of preliminary utility designs for large commercial and institutional development projects.

Education

J.D., Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center (1989)
B.S.C.E., Virginia Military Institute (1983)
American Arbitration Association Course for Construction Arbitrators (2004)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers School, Fort Belvior, VA (1985)

Admissions

• New York
• Massachusetts

Courts

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
• U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts