Experience

Eric Grasberger is a partner of the firm focusing his practice on development and construction law, including development risk analysis and risk shifting, contract drafting and negotiating, insurance review and analysis, construction defect claims, delay and impact claims, lien and bond claims, and public contracts, bid disputes and public improvement exemptions.

Eric joined the firm in 1991. He is Chair of Stoel Rives' Construction and Design group and Co-chair of Stoel Rives Sustainable Real Estate Development Team. Eric has represented numerous private and public owners, developers and contractors in all facets of development and construction law. Significant engagements include energy and industrial plant construction, infrastructure projects, multifamily projects, and both commercial and residential high-rise and mid-rise projects. He is a frequent lecturer to the development industry and the Oregon Bar.

In 2005 the State of Oregon appointed Eric to represent commercial and residential consumers of construction services on the Construction Claims Task Force. He was then elected to chair the Task Force by the other Task Force members. The goal of the Task Force was to research and recommend to the 74th Oregon Legislature (2007) statutory and building code changes that would reduce construction and design defects plaguing commercial and residential construction consumers and industry members alike.

Recent Representative Engagements

• Lead counsel in large litigation matter involving EPC contract for ethanol plant (Oregon)
• Lead counsel in large litigation matter involving EPC contract for wine bottle manufacturing facility (Washington)
• Lead counsel in 45 party litigation matter involving defects in 500 unit apartment complex (Colorado)
• Lead counsel in largest current high-rise project in City of Portland (Oregon)
• Lead counsel in multiple contracts and litigation matters for western states hospitality developer (California/Oregon/Washington)
• Lead counsel in multiple contracts and litigation matters for several national multifamily developers (multi-state)

Professional Honors & Activities

• Recognized in Best Lawyers in America
• Recognized as an Oregon "Super Lawyer"
• Recognized in Oregon Business Journal's Top Forty Under 40 (Oregon's Top Professional and Business Leaders)
• Past lead counsel to the Board, past chair of the Legal Committee, Associated General Contractors
• Past member of the Board of Directors, Oregon State Bar Construction Law Section
• Member: Construction Industry Forum Committee, Public Contract Law Section and Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, Real Estate, Construction and Government Law Sections of the Multnomah Bar Association

Representative Presentations and Publications

• "Green Building/Key Contract Clauses," Oregon District Attorneys Association, 2009
• "Counseling Green," Urban Land Institute, 2009
• "Ten Ways to Mitigate Risk When Going Green," National Expositions, 2009
• "Developers Must Think Carefully When Creating LLCs," Daily Journal of Commerce, 2008
• "The Tension Between 'Collaboration' for Success and 'Liability Allocation' Upon Failure," The Seminar Group, 2008
• "Green and Sustainable Design and Construction," The Seminar Group, 2008, 2009
• "Top Ten Clauses to Get Right in Your Design and Construction Contracts," Oregon District Attorneys Association, 2008
• "Owners and Developers Construction Tips & Traps," Stoel Rives LLP, 2008
• "The Policy & Politics of Change," NEBC, 2008
• "Legal Issues Regarding Green Building," Lorman Education Services, 2008
• "Struggling Condos Present Takeover Issues," Daily Journal of Commerce, 2007
• "State of Oregon's Construction Claims Task Force Brings 11 Recommendations to Legislature," Daily Journal of Commerce, 2007
• "Public Construction in the New Era," Oregon District Attorneys Association, 2007
• "Assume Too Much and A-Team's Work Ends Up an F," Daily Journal of Commerce, 2006
• "Product Warranties Do More Harm Than Good," Daily Journal of Commerce, 2006
• "Construction Defects, Water Intrusions and Other Calamities," The Seminar Group, 2006
• "Understanding the Construction Process from the Developer's Perspective in Oregon," Lorman Education Services, 2005, 2006
• "Top 10 Developer Insurance and Risk Traps," Urban Land Institute, 2005, 2006
• "Developer/Contractor Licensing," NAIOP, 2005
• "Today's Endorsement May Spell Tomorrow's Disaster," Daily Journal of Commerce, 2005
• "Using AIA Contracts on Public Improvement Projects," OSB Government Law Section, 2005
• "Oregon State Procurements," The Seminar Group, 2005
• "Public Contracting Approaches," The Seminar Group, 2004
• "CMGC and Design/Build AIA Forms," Lorman Education Services, 2004
• "Solving Water Intrusion and Mold Problems in Oregon," Lorman Education Services, 2002, 2003, 2004
• "The Mold Epidemic," The Seminar Group, 2003
• "Performing a Fungal Assessment—Legal Issues," NEBC, 2003
• "Construction Contracting for Public Agencies in Oregon," Lorman Education Services, 2002
• "Technology and Construction," Stoel Rives LLP, 2001
• "Federal Bid Protests," Lorman Education Services, 2000
• "CMGC, Design-Build and Other Alternative Approaches to Construction," Lorman Education Services, 2000
• "State and Local Bid Challenges," OSB Public Contracting CLE, 2000
• "Four Steps to Mastering AIA Form Contracts," OSB Annual Meeting, 2000
• "CMGC, Design-Build and Other Alternative Approaches to Construction," Law Seminars International, 1999, 2000
• "CMGC and Other Exemptions from Competitive Bidding" and "Oregon Bid Protests and Recent Developments," Law Seminars International, 1998
• "Oregon Construction Law," American Bar Association CLE sponsored by the ABA Design and Construction Contracts Committee, 1997
• "Contractor Licensing and Registration," Oregon Construction Law CLE, 1997 Edition
• "Challenges to Public Contract Award," Oregon Law Institute, 1997
• "Threshold Issues in Public Construction Projects," Oregon County Counsel Conference, 1997
• "Oregon Bid Protest Law," Law Seminars International, 1997
• "High Technology Marketing for Contractors," AGC Annual Retreat, 1996
• "Theories of Liability and Defenses," The Cambridge Institute, 1994
• "The Basics of Bid Disputes," The Cambridge Institute, 1993
• "The Americans with Disabilities Act," Portland State University, 1993

Civic Activities

• Participating attorney and past Program Manager, MCLAS Pro Bono Clinic
• Member of the Board of Directors, March of Dimes, Lewis & Clark chapter, 2002-2006

Education

• University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1991, cum laude
  Board of Editors, North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation, 1990-1991
• University of Notre Dame, B.A., Economics and Business, 1987
  Dean's List

Admissions

• Oregon
• U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims

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