People

Joseph A. Turri
Member

Mr. Turri is a member of the firm and current co-leader of the Construction and Surety Practice Group; and he also practices in the Business and Commercial Litigation and the Commercial Real Estate Practice Groups and with the Real Estate Developers Industry Team.  Selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America, Mr. Turri has also been named by New York Magazine for the third consecutive year as one of New York state’s “Top Construction Lawyers,” and is one of only five upstate attorneys to be designated “Super Lawyer” in the field of Construction Litigation.  His legal practice is focused on all aspects of construction law, including contract drafting, administration and dispute resolution through arbitration or litigation, but he also is active in commercial litigation, including employment, partnership and corporate disputes, and commercial real estate counseling. 

Mr. Turri serves as chief counsel and legal affairs coordinator for the largest Rochester-based accounting firm, and for one of the three largest hospital/health systems in upstate New York.  He also has extensive experience with municipal and zoning law, commercial workouts and intra‑company litigation.  He represents a broad range of public and private sector employers, owners and contractors, as well as architects, engineers and surety/insurance companies.  He represents several of the largest construction‑related companies in the area and a number of real estate development corporations, manufacturers and retailers.

Recent Cases:

The following cases are representative of the matters in which Mr. Turri either acted as chief legal counsel or as co-counsel:

Reported Cases (Recent):

  • O’Connell Electric Co. vs. Hunt Construction: Awarded $1.4 million judgment by NYS Appellate Division (4th Dept. 2008), plus over $1 million additional arbitration settlement in cash and shared recovery against Oneida Indian Nation.  (Mr. Turri served as chief trial and appellate counsel.)
  • Frontier Kemper Constructors vs. American Rock Salt Company LLC: Co-counsel on defense of claims and on counterclaims totaling combined value in excess of $40 million.  Successful pre-trial motions and strategy included punitive damage issues, liquidated damages and partial summary judgment applications, reported at 224 F. Supp. 2d 520, and 2005 WL 3018720 (WDNY).  Case favorably settled.

Unreported Cases (Recent):

  • Windpower Construction: Collected $1 million.
  • Fraud Case (successful defense and positive collection of account receivable due professional client, New York State Supreme Court).
  • Suits vs. Subcontractors: Successful or in-process.
  • Dept. of Labor Claims: Reduced from million-plus dollars exposure to less than 30 percent of initial assessment of claim for unintentional underpayment of wages. (U. S. Federal District Court)

Professional & Community Activities

Mr. Turri is a past member of the firm’s Management Committee and has chaired both its Litigation and Construction Departments.  He has also served as the firm’s federal court pro bono civil section coordinator for volunteer legal services, and as a member of its Diversity Council.

Mr. Turri is a member of the Trial Lawyers Section, Insurance Section (Construction and Surety Division), and the Health Services Section of the New York State Bar Association.  He has served on the Professional Performance Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the International Law Committee of the Monroe County Bar Association.

As the firm’s former representative to the National Association of General Contractors and the New York State General Building Contractors Association, Mr. Turri lectured extensively to public facility administrators, other attorneys as faculty for Continuing Legal Education, and to contractor associations and surety groups as well.  He is a former director of the Rochester Downtown Development Council and was a member of its Commercial Development Committee.  As a panelist for the American Arbitration Association (Commercial and Construction Disputes), Mr. Turri has acted as sole arbitrator in resolving numerous claims.

Active in preservation efforts, Mr. Turri recently served as president of the Thousand Island Park Corp., a private resort community on the St. Lawrence River.  He has also served as volunteer counsel to the Thousand Island Park Landmark Society.

Recognized as a New York State Super Lawyer