Marisa M. Bavand
PEOPLE

Marisa M. Bavand

Partner
bavand.marisa@dorsey.com

Overview

MARISA BAVAND PROVIDES COUNSEL TO CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS CLIENTS.

Marisa has been involved in most of the major construction and remediation projects in the Pacific Northwest for the past 25 years. She has served in contracting and dispute roles in national and international projects and has been nationally recognized for her experience in construction litigation. Her practice includes representing public and private owners, general contractors, and engineers with pre-project planning and risk assessment, contract drafting, claim management and preservation, and litigating disputes. Marisa provides strategic advice and litigation representation on a large variety of projects including heavy civil, light rail, highway, bored tunnels, universities, production facilities, fire stations, mixed use commercial projects, and various vertical construction projects.

Marisa has also represented federal government contract clients for over 25 years. She has helped her clients navigate complicated compliance issues and develop requests for equitable adjustments and various contract claims. She has litigated matters on behalf of her clients in the Federal Court of Claims, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. Marisa also has over 20 years of experience representing clients related to United States Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations and litigation of False Claims Act claims. She has managed extensive DOJ Civil Investigative Demands and succeeded in avoiding fraud-based liability for her clients through negotiated resolutions.

Education & Admissions

Southwestern University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1996), Southwestern Law Review, Special Projects Editor

University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A. with distinction, 1993)

Admissions

  • Washington
  • California
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

News & Resources

News & Press Mentions

200 Dorsey Lawyers Selected for Inclusion in 2024 Best Lawyers in America, Lawyers of the Year, and Ones to Watch
Six Construction Law and Government Contracts Attorneys Join Dorsey’s Seattle Office
  • IR Global International Professional Services Network – Construction Law
  • Marisa Bavand, Allison Murphy, and Evan Brown, "Federal Procurement", Washington Construction Law Deskbook (June 2018)

Events & Speaking Engagements

  • Navigating the Complex World of eDiscovery (2018 Seminar, Seattle; Desert Bar)
  • Understanding the False Claims Act: Recent Changes, Compliance Strategies, and the Devastating Results of Non-Compliance (Construction Super Conference, San Francisco; Seattle; Desert Bar Association)
  • Subcontracting Issues in Government Contracts (2017 Seminar, Seattle; Desert Bar)
  • Contractor’s Design: Risk Liability (Construction Super Conference, San Francisco)
  • Notice and Claim Compliance (2017 Seminar, Seattle)
  • Lien and Bond Claims (2016, 2017, 2018 Seminar, Seattle)
  • Project Financing Risk Management (2015, 2016 Seminar, Seattle)

Industries & Practices

  • Construction & Design
  • Construction Litigation
  • Development & Infrastructure
  • Government Contracts Counseling & Litigation
  • Government Solutions & Investigations

Professional & Civic

Professional Achievements

  • Society of Construction Law North America
    • Regional Director for the Pacific Northwest (2019)
  • Construction Law Society of America
    • Fellow (2018-Present)
  • Washington State Bar Association
    • Trustee, Construction Law Section (2014-2016)
    • Chairman, Washington State Bar Association Construction Law Section (2016-2017)
  • American Bar Association
    • Forum Committee on the Construction Industry
    • Section on Public Contract Law
  • Associated General Contractors of Washington
  • Design Build Institute of America
    • Legislative Affairs Committee (2014-Present)
    • Board Member, Legal Affairs Committee (2016-2017)

Accolades

  • Listed it in “Best Lawyers in America” for Litigation - Construction and Construction Law, 2016-2024
  • Named a "Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters, 2015-2023
Marisa M. Bavand