Joseph H. Bucci
Counsel
Joe focuses his practice on commercial litigation, with an emphasis in the construction industry. He has experience providing clients with guidance in construction law; government contracting; private contracting; architectural/engineering law matters; surety law; marine construction; energy law; wind farms on land and at sea; solar farms; pipeline projects; road, bridge, and heavy highway; infrastructure; industrial/manufacturing, healthcare, and educational facilities; real estate development; site development and underground utilities; residential construction and housing developments; and more.
Joe serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, a mediator for the U.S. District Court of Western Pennsylvania, an arbitrator for the Allegheny County Bar Association's Construction Dispute Resolution Group, and a mediator for the Court of Common Pleas. He also offers his services as a private arbitrator or mediator to those in the construction, engineering, oil and gas, energy, and real estate development fields.
Joe understands the construction industry from the ground up, having direct experience at various levels. He attended law school at night while being a project engineer on two $100M+ high-rise, ground-up construction projects. He started his career as an apprentice steamfitter and rose to journeyman steamfitter. Joe has also worked as an estimator, construction manager, mechanical/electrical coordinator, designer/builder, and then as in-house counsel for a major general construction company.
Practice Areas
- Duquesne University School of Law, Evening Division, J.D.
- University of Pittsburgh, B.A., cum laude
Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- Pennsylvania Board of Claims
Certifications
- Mediator for U.S. Federal Court, Western District of PA
- Certificate as Journeyman Steamfitter, Community College of Allegheny County
- Extensive experience in the construction industry, including hands-on roles from steamfitter to construction manager
- Served as in-house counsel for a major general construction company
- Provides counsel on construction law and all related matters
- Serves as arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and for the Allegheny County Bar Association's Construction Dispute Resolution Group
- Serves as mediator for the U.S. District Court of Western Pennsylvania and the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County
- Serves as private arbitrator or mediator for the construction, engineering, oil and gas, energy, and real estate development industries
Community and Professional Service
- Community Living and Support Services (CLASS), Board of Directors
- Spina Bifida Association of Western PA, Board of Directors
- Spina Bifida Housing, Board of Directors
- Associated Builders and Contractors, Pittsburgh Chapter, Member, and Trustee of Apprenticeship Training Committee
- Master Builders Association of Western PA, Member
- Italian Sons and Daughters of America, Member
- Associated Builders and Contractors Association, Former Board Member
Professional Affiliations
- Allegheny County Bar Association, Litigation Section; Construction Law Section, Council Member 2024-Present; Panel of Construction Arbitrators; Opinions Editor
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Construction Law Section
- American Bar Association, Forum on Construction Industry
- American Arbitration Association Panel of Arbitrators
- Defense Research Institute (DRI), Construction
Speaking Engagements
- Speaker on construction law matters at various seminars over the years offering CLE credits
- Duquesne University School of Law, Adjunct Professor of Law
- National Business Institute Seminar: Advanced Issues and Answers Construction Law, March 2020
- DRI Conference on Construction Cases of the Year, 2017
- Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Conference on Surety Bonding & Construction Risk Management: Bad Faith Claims Against Sureties, February 2016
External Publications
- "State-By-State Guide to Architect, Engineer and Contractor Licensing," Pennsylvania and New Jersey Chapters, Published by Walters Kluwer Law & Business, New York
- "Construction Law Cases of the Month," Published and Internet-Distributed by HLK Global Communications, Inc., McLean, Virginia
- "2007 Update of the 1997 A201 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction," Breaking Ground magazine of the Master Builders Association of Western PA, January 2008
- "Pennsylvania's Guaranteed Energy Savings Act," Pittsburgh Legal Journal, Vol. 122, No. 135 (Performance Contracting), July 1996
- "Recent Caselaw Affirms the Eichleay Formula for Calculating Unabsorbed Overhead," Pittsburgh Legal Journal, Vol. 121, No. 191, October 1995
- "Double Breasting in the Construction Industry," The Construction Lawyer, Publication of the Forum on the Construction Industry, January 1990
- "Design Professionals and Their Liability to Third Parties," Juris magazine, Winter 1989
- "Double Breasting: Survival in the Construction Industry," Juris magazine, Spring 1988
- Various articles published in Juris magazine of Duquesne Law School on Construction Law Topics from 1984 to 1988
- Various blogs and articles available on LinkedIn.