Architects - Architecture Expert Witnesses: 10

John (Jack) P. Diehl, AIA NCARB LEED AP, has over 40 years of experience as an Architect. Mr. Diehl currently specializes in Forensic Architecture and Construction Defects. He is licensed to practice in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Mr. Diehl is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and the International Code Council (ICC). He is also a LEED AP Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional, Construction Document Technician, and General Contractor California, "B" License. As President of The Diehl Group Architects, Inc., Mr. Diehl is:

• Responsible for field investigations, failure analysis, building code research, and development of repair solutions
• Performs technical investigations and research of suspected design and construction problems
• Verifies and compares as-built conditions, design parameters, building jurisdiction requirements and applicable industry standards of care
• Provides construction administration and quality control review for Type I and Type V building types
• Provides quality assurance, evaluation, and supervision of in-progress construction for major commercial and high rise structures for conformance to design, material, and workmanship standards

Litigation Support: Jack Diehl has provided trial preparation services and expert witness testimony in over two hundred (200) cases, residential or commercial, in support of construction defect litigation. He offers his expertise to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. His services include arbitration and mediation. 

Areas of Expertise:

Forensic Architect Architectural Professional Liability Building Envelope Water Intrusion and Damage ADA Consulting Slip and Fall Building Code

Construction Defects Waterproofing Roofs Fenestration Construction Administration EIFS Consulting Construction Standards

View Jack Diehl's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Randy Atlas AIA , CPP is a Registered Architect, NCARB certified, and he practices Criminal Justice Architecture and Environmental Security Design. Atlas is a certified protection professional (CPP) with the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), and is an appointed member of the ASIS Security Architecture and Engineering Committee. Atlas has his doctorate in criminology and a masters of architecture. Dr Atlas is a Fellow  member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Dr. Atlas has taught CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) and criminal justice courses at Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Miami, Keiser University, and he is a trainer with the National Crime Prevention Institute at the University of Louisville. Dr. Atlas has been a technical Assistance consultant with the National Institute of Justice, National Institute of Corrections, and the Florida Department of Corrections and U.S. HUD Drug Elimination CPTED Program.

He has conducted ADA accessibility compliance audits for private and public sector clients, and served as an expert witness on over 200 premises liability lawsuits.

Dr. Atlas has been a speaker and trainer at security conferences from New Delhi, India to Seattle, Washington and has written over 200 articles in various publications on security, safety, and counter terrorism issues.

Anthony Bruttaniti, AIA LEED AP BD+C, is a registered Architect in business for 30+ years in Philadelphia with experience in both Residential and Commercial Building Design.

For the last three decades, Mr. Bruttaniti has offered space planning and design, site planning, and zoning, architectural detailing, construction drawings and construction administration. His responsibilities and duties have included project acquisition and marketing; Project Development from concept ideas thru to construction; Client interaction, communication, and proposal writing; Zoning and Construction drawings for building permits; Managing structural and MEP engineers for the project; and problem-solving during construction.

Mr. Bruttaniti was honored with an award for Excellence in Planning & Design from the Montgomery County Planning Commission, PA for an adaptive building re-use and sustainable design for a new Public Library in North Wales, PA.

Litigation Support  -  Mr. Bruttaniti has Architect licenses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and has vast experience and knowledge of the architectural profession, with the expertise and qualifications to speak with integrity and proficiency in all aspects of building design and construction. He has education and training as an expert witness and is available for case consultation, case review and analysis, expert witness reports, depositions, and trial testimony, for both plaintiffs and defendant cases.  

Areas of Expertise:

Construction Defects Slip and Fall Accidents ADA Compliance Building Product Liability Building Personal Injury Building Collapse Building Envelope Construction Accidents Building Demolition Building Code Analysis

New Construction Rehab Projects Fire Damage Moisture Problems Zoning and Land Use Building Material Specifications Energy Compliance On-site Problem-Solving During Construction Historical Renovation LEED Design

 

James Rappoport, AIA, NCARB is Principal and Architect of Record at Daroff Design Inc. + DDI Architects PC, a full service Planning, Architectural & Interior Design practice founded in 1973 and specializing in ground-up, renovation and historic adaptive reuse projects for office facilities, hotels, resorts, restaurants, meeting, conference and training facilities, aviation terminals and entertainment projects throughout the USA and Internationally. Mr. Rappoport has successfully provided technical consultation, expert witness opinions, affidavits, certificates of merit, depositions, mediation presentations, testimony and trial support in more than 190 legal cases, engaged by both defendants' and plaintiffs' legal teams. Areas of Expertise:

Architecture Architectural Codes / Design & Standards Architectural Design Architectural Practice ADA - Accessibility Compliance ADA - Accessibility Design Building Codes & Ordinances Construction & Architecture Construction Claims Construction Disputes Facility Programming Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment Specifications Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment Failures

Hotel & Resort Design & Planning Interior Design & Planning Office Building Design & Planning Owner – Architect Agreements Owner – Contractor Agreements Professional Liability (Architecture & Design) Project Planning Slip – Fall Accident (Causes) Site Assessment & Development Site Planning & Design Standard of Care (Architecture & Design) Urban Design Urban Development & Planning

View James Rappoport's Consulting Profile.

Gene Farmer, AIA, NCARB, LEED-AP, is president of Gene Farmer and Associates, Architects and Planners an award winning architecture firm. He has over thirty years of experience in the Design of numerous Residential and Commercial Projects in Florida, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota. His work has been published both locally and nationally and he has received numerous awards including two F.A.M.E. awards and the prestigious Price Waterhouse South Florida Business Journal "Up and Comer Award for 1990."

Mr. Farmer holds a license to practice architecture in the State of Florida, an N.C.A.R.B. Certification, and a Dade County Sub-Builder Certificate. He is also a certified Florida Building Inspector, a certified Florida Building Plans Examiner, a certified International Code Council ICC Commercial Building Inspector and a certified International Code Council ICC Building Plans Examiner. Mr. Farmer currently holds an OSHA 30 hour certification and has been a certified OSHA 500 instructor.

Mr. Farmer has served as an Expert Witness in numerous cases ranging from Construction Defects to Construction Claims Analysis.

Gene Farmer is a Professor Emeritus in the Moss School of Construction, in the College of Engineering and Computing at Florida International University. His teaching specialties include Principles of Construction Management, Building Construction Materials, Sustainable Construction, Building Codes, Quality Control in Construction, and Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Systems in Buildings.

In addition to his book entitled Architectural Detailing for Commercial Construction, published by McGraw Hill in 1991, he has a book entitled “A Contractor’s Guide to LEED Certified Construction” which was published in 2013 by Delmar-Cengage.

Gregory (Greg) J. Burke, FAIA, NCARB, an accomplished and respected Architect, recognized for his nearly 40 years of leadership in advocacy, diversity, and mentorship, is one of only 3% of architects nationwide who have been elevated by the American Institute of Architects to the College of Fellows, (FAIA).

Mr. Burke is an award winning architect with a track record in design, project management and delivery of building, planning, and interior architecture projects for more than 10,000,000 square feet at a cost of more than $2B on time and on budget. Clients range from small families to several Fortune 500 companies.

Mr. Burke held senior management roles with major architectural firms in Houston, Dallas, Princeton, New Jersey, and New York. His projects can be seen all over the United States and as far away as Abu Dhabi. Closer to home, his local Florida projects include the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, Jetson’s in downtown Vero Beach (phase one), St. John of the Cross Parish Hall, and St. John of the Cross Church. 

Mr. Burke was appointed to the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design in August 2022, and has won numerous awards for his work nationally, regionally, and locally.

Litigation Support - With a wide range of expertise and experience across a spectrum of architectural services, Mr. Burke has served as an expert witness offering legal firms and their clients independent, expert, and unbiased opinions. His services are available to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant and include on-site inspection, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Architectural Standard of Care Ineffective Building Informational Modelling Plans Construction Defects Architectural Malpractice Architectural Specifications

Schematic Design Bidding Administration Building Code Analysis Construction Document Review Design Development Review

J. Anthony "Tony" Huggins, AIA, cGC, has more than 30 years of experience as an Architect and over 15 years as a General Contractor including design and administration of more than one billion dollars worth of large, technically complex facilities.

Mr. Huggins is a former partner and Director of Florida Operations, served for 6 years with a North East firm, and earlier as Vice President for 18 years with a large national firm. His experience includes design-lead, business development, feasibility studies; detailed architectural, and project management on more than $900 million, in projects throughout the United States. 

In the last five years, Mr. Huggins has played a major role in the completed design of more than $100 million of complex Pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical, Office buildings, Residential Town-homes and condominiums, and has been involved in the planning and master planning of an additional $100 million in commercial facilities.

Architectural Specialization: Urban Planning, Commercial / Hospitality, Community, Historic Preservation, and Life Sciences projects.

Litigation Support:: Mr. Huggins provides expert witness services to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant including on-site inspection, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Building Design Construction Defects ADA Compliance Building Collapse Building Envelope Building Code Analysis Construction Accounting and Costs

Zoning and Land Use Building Product Liability Historical Renovation Building Material Specifications Fire Damage Water Damage Building Demolition

Selected Case List:

• Clearwater Housing Authority vs Parker - Associates: Jim Parker, AIA; Snowden Engineering Inc; GM Tile & Roofing of Florida, Inc; RS Thomason Building Corporation; The Morganti Group, Inc; Dapau Enterprises, Inc; Farris Flooring, Inc; Future Capital Holding, Corporation; Florida Design Consultants, Inc; Terra Excavation, Inc. with Allen Dell, PA – Prepared Reports, and rebuttals for Housing Authority - 2009- 2015
• Bush Gardens Morocco Theater vs XXX - Wells Law Group, PA – Prepared reports for defendant 2012-2013
• Andre Franklin Inc and Andre Franklin vs Herb Case No. 12 018689- Division F-Wax and Jill Wax with Paul J Kelly, PA –Prepared Reports and rebuttals for defendant (contractor) - 2013
• Towers of Channelside vs XXX – Reviewed documents and provided opinion on construction defects. 2015
• Starr v. Bayfront Tower Condominium Association: 2018-2019: Reviewed documents and provided reports

David J. Brotman, FAIA, is an accomplished Senior Executive with proven career and solid experience in all aspects of Architectural and Engineering Firm Management, including project management, profit and loss, business development, mergers and acquisitions, sales and marketing, and strategic planning. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, with over fifty years of practical experience. 

Principal at Sunset Consultants, Mr. Brotman provides strategic planning and management consulting services for various entities, including those that need help with planning or architectural projects. He has served as Chairman of the City of Malibu Planning Commission where he advised on land use matters including the local coastal program, specific plans, zoning, conditional use permits, and subdivisions. Mr. Brotman spent 25 years with RTKL Associates Inc., one of the World’s largest Architect and Engineering Firms where he eventually served as its Vice-Chairman.

Presentation by: David J. Brotman, FAIA

Litigation Support - David Brotman provides expert witness services to attorneys representing Plaintiff and Defense. His skills include all facets of Architectural practice. His worldwide, multi-million dollar project experience includes retail, office, hotel, institutional, and mixed-use. Mr. Brotman's services include affirmative and rebuttal report preparation, mediation, and trial testimony. 

Areas of Expertise:

Professional Standard of Care Construction Documents Analysis Architectural Design and Coordination Building Code Analysis Scope of Work Definition Errors and Omissions Analysis

Construction Defects & Negligence Change Order Analysis Communication Analysis Construction Administration Slip, Trip & Fall Architectural Detailing

View David Brotman's Consulting Profile.

The Falcon Group consists of Forensic Architects and Engineers who consult on construction claims. We provide claims consulting for: Construction Defects, Architectural Standard of Care, Delay, Errors and Omissions (E&O), Building Codes, Specifications and costs. The Falcon group has Professional Engineers, Registered Architects, Roofing Experts, Stucco Experts, EIFS Experts, and Building Envelope Experts. We perform dispute resolution and prepare expert reports for a wide range of construction issues. Litigation sometimes becomes necessary to resolve construction, engineering, architectural or materials-related disputes. For virtually any type of property or project, we provide a variety of analytic and related services to assist clients in obtaining successful litigation outcomes, related to:

Developer Transition Expert Witness/Professional Testimony Material Defect Claims Construction Defect Reports and Claims Construction Litigation Support and Documentation Education

Municipalities Banks Commercial Property Managers Insurance Companies Attorneys Private Property Owners

Professional Services Provided Include:

Design Plans and Specifications Forensic Engineering Litigation Support Construction Administration and Inspection Specialty Services for Community Associations

Land Surveying Civil Engineering Architectural Engineering Construction and Material Testing Architectural Services Property Condition Assessment (PCA) Reports

Litigation Support - Litigation sometimes becomes necessary to resolve construction, engineering, architectural or materials-related disputes. For virtually any type of property or project, we provide a variety of analytic and related services to assist clients in obtaining successful litigation outcomes, related to:

• Developer Transition
• Construction Defect Reports and Claims
• Material Defect Claims
• Expert Witness/Professional Testimony
• Construction Litigation Support and Documentation

View Falcon Group's Consulting Profile.

Jeffrey Phillip Weinstein, AIA, a California licensed Architect since 1982, with Masters Degree in Real Estate Development from USC, has been involved in the development, design and construction of office buildings, high-rise condominiums, multi-family residential podium-type projects, retail, neighborhood shopping centers and regional malls, hotels and resorts, hospitals, and schools (K-12 and University).

Expert in real estate development, government approvals, entitlements & permits, architect's standard of care, construction management, claims & defects, A/E/C agreements. Expertise includes building envelope & water intrusion, zoning & building codes, errors/omissions, destructive testing & repair, schools (DSA), hospitals (OSHPD), condominiums, commercial/retail/mixed-use projects, high-rise structures, hotels & resorts. Previous employers include Nadel and Callison Architects, Tishman Construction, Trammel Crow Company, Kaiser Permanente, and California State University.

Professional Licenses / Certifications / Affiliations:

• California Registered Architect, License #12822
• Member, American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute, Construction Specification Institute, and Society for Marketing Professional Services
• Member, North Santa Barbara County Board of Architectural Review

Litigation Support: Jeffrey Weinstein has been retained as an expert witness as Owner's Representative, Construction Manager, Contract Administrator, Project Manager and Architect by Developers, Builders, Institutional Owners (Hospitals & Schools), Municipalities, and Corporate Clients. Mr. Weinstein provides professional Architectural and Construction Expert Witness opinion, testimony and services on matters, such as:

Architectural Forensic Architectural Construction Management Building Code Requirements Construction Industry Standards Professional Standard of Care Design Defects, Errors & Omissions

Construction Defects & Failures Architectural Practice & Peer Review Construction Claim Evaluation Change Order Analysis & Cost Overruns Zoning Entitlements, Land-Use, and Permitting Project Delivery - Fast-Track, Design-Build, GMP Design & Construction Accident Claims

View Jeffrey P. Weinstein's Consulting Profile.