Another Standout Year for Hanson Bridgett’s Construction Practice: National Recognition from Construction Executive, The Legal 500, and Chambers USA

The firm’s Construction Section is ranked among the country’s Top 50 construction law firms, holds a national Legal 500 tier, and retains its 23-year Band 1 standing in Chambers USA. 

Hanson Bridgett’s Construction Section has had another strong year, earning recognition from three of the industry’s leading evaluators and giving construction clients across California a clear read on where the practice stands.

Construction Executive magazine today included Hanson Bridgett among The Top 50 Construction Law Firms™ for 2026. The list is the cover story of the magazine’s July/August issue, and the magazine considered survey data from more than 600 U.S. firms. The ranking weighs construction-practice revenue, the number of construction attorneys on the team, the share of firm revenue tied to construction work, and the number of construction clients served. You can see the full list on Construction Executive’s website.

We also hold a national Tier 3 ranking from The Legal 500 United States in Construction (including construction litigation). The Legal 500’s editors described our practice as one that works across both the transactional and disputes sides of transportation, energy, and real estate development, with a record of resolving high-stakes disputes through litigation, arbitration, and mediation.

They single out Section Leader Michelle Akerman, who advises owners, contractors, and lenders; Lisa Dal Gallo, whose transactional work covers healthcare facilities, office space, and residential high-rises; Joseph Moore, whose disputes practice reaches state and federal courts and international arbitration; and Alex Baghdassarian, who guides clients through project risk. One client told the guide’s researchers that we understand where the construction industry is heading and help structure contracting to match.

All of this builds on our 2026 Band 1 ranking in Chambers USA. With the 2026 guide, we’ve now held a Chambers construction ranking for 23 years running, the longest unbroken streak in the category. Six of our attorneys hold individual Chambers construction rankings: Howard W. Ashcraft (Band 1), Alex Baghdassarian (Band 3), Andrew G. Giacomini (Band 3), Lisa Dal Gallo (Band 4), and Michelle Akerman (Band 5), who earned an individual ranking for the first time this year.

For Michelle Akerman, partner and Construction Section Leader, these continued prestigious accolades reflect the firm’s long-term commitment to clients and the industry. “These rankings recognize more than the depth of our construction practice—they reflect the trust our clients place in us to help them navigate increasingly complex projects and disputes. We’re proud to partner with owners, contractors, developers, and designers at every stage of the project lifecycle, and we’re grateful to see that work recognized by our peers and the marketplace.”

View Construction Executive’s 2026 list here

About Hanson Bridgett’s Construction Practice

Hanson Bridgett’s Chambers USA Band 1–ranked Construction Group represents owners, contractors, developers, and designers on projects and disputes across the country and around the world. From highways and light rail to hospitals, power plants, water treatment facilities, and high-rise development, our attorneys bring deep industry experience to both cutting-edge project negotiations and high-stakes litigation and international arbitration. We are also a recognized leader in advancing new project delivery models—our Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach has earned international recognition, with more than 150 IPD projects completed in the United States and abroad using our proprietary forms.