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Theodore D. Levin, P.E.

Senior Counsel
fax +1 213.417.5346

Theodore (Ted) D. Levin focuses his practice on design professional liability, construction law and general liability litigation.

Ted is a practicing lawyer and registered civil engineer, and specializes in the representation of architects, engineers, contractors, owners and insurers in all aspects of construction law, including contract and defect claims, risk management, contract analysis and advice, and mechanics lien/design professional law. He also represents numerous private and public entities in tort liability claims.

Ted has lectured and written extensively on a broad range of topics, including design professional and construction risk management issues, recent legal developments affecting the design and construction industries, sustainable/“green” design, strategies involving project delivery methods (including Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM)), ownership of design professional plans and designs, and insurance issues affecting the construction industry.

Ted also acts as a neutral mediator and arbitrator.  His experience as an attorney, with an engineering background, makes him uniquely qualified to mediate and arbitrate disputes.  In addition to Ted’s extensive experience as counsel in hundreds of mediations and court supervised settlement conferences, including complex and multi-party issues, he has acted as the mediator in a broad spectrum of cases including those involving professional negligence, construction/real estate disputes, business issues, personal injury, the Americans with Disabilities Act and intellectual property.

His experience as a mediator includes serving through the mediation programs of the American Arbitration Association, U.S. District Court – Central District of California, Los Angeles Superior Court, and CourtCall ODR, and obtaining mediation training from the American Arbitration Association and U.S. District Court – Central District of California.

Education

J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California, 1986
B.S., University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 1980, Architectural Engineering

Recognitions

Registered Civil Engineer, State of California

University of San Francisco Law School, Law Review Editor

In 2006, Theodore Levin was named a Southern California Super Lawyer in a survey distributed by Thomson Reuters, a distinction honoring the top 5% of lawyers in the region

Named among The Best Lawyers in America® – Construction Law by Best Lawyers (2023-2024)

Memberships

Steering Committee for the Design Professionals Division of the Forum on the Construction Industry, American Bar Association

Membership Committee for the Forum on the Construction Industry, American Bar Association

American Institute of Architects, Affiliate Member

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) – California

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) National Risk Management Committee

American Institute of Architects California Council, Affiliate Member

Associated General Contractors of California

aecKnowledge Editorial Board

State Bar Licenses

California

Court Admissions

U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
U.S. District Ct., C.D. of California
U.S. District Ct., E.D. of California

Publications and Presentations

  • Presenter, “The Battle of the (Paper) Bulge: Document Retention Issues and Best Practices for Design Professionals,” ACEC Webinar, August 30, 2016
  • Presenter, “Uninsurability: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Avoid It in Your Contracts”, American Council of Engineering Companies Annual Meeting, April 2016
  • Co-Author, “Preparing for the Big One: Los Angeles’s New Seismic Retrofit Ordinance and Recommendations for Mitigating Risk,” Dealy, Renton & Associates Newsletter, Volume 22, April 2016
  • “Copyrights and Wrongs: Who Owns Your Documents?,” webinar for American Council of Engineering Companies (September 2015)
  • “Cybersecurity Risks For Design Professionals,” co-presented at the ACEC Legal Counsel Forum, ACEC Annual Convention (April 2015)
  • “Design Professionals and the Economic Loss Rule: State Ready Mix v. Moffatt & Nichol (2015) 232 Cal.App.4th 1227,” co-presented at the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry Division 3/Design (March 2015)
  • “Significant Ruling for Design Professionals Secured by MPP,” Email Alert, January 2015
  • Co-author: An Overview of Indemnification and the Duty to Defend, American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), 2014
  • “Protect Your Business: Legal Tools and Strategies for Keeping Your Business in the Black,” co-presented seminar for design professionals, Los Angeles, April 2013
  • “Recent Modifications Related to Indemnity Law,” co-presented at the ACEC 2012 Fall Conference
  • “Design Professional Liability in Construction,” Strafford live phone/web seminar
  • “Indemnity and the Duty to Defend in Design Professional Contracts,” presented at ACEC Executive Committee Meeting
  • “Modification of California’s Mechanic’s Lien and Stop Notice Law Commencing July 1, 2012 – A Guide for Enforcement of Mechanic’s Liens, Stop Notices and Payment Bonds Pertaining to California’s Modified Law,” co-presented seminar for design professionals, Los Angeles, April 2012
  • “Managing the Legal Risks of Sustainable Design,” kTalk video from “Risk Management Best Practices” aecKnowledge continuing education course
  • “Emerging Legal and Risk Management Issues Arising from Sustainable Design,” presented at i2i Performance Driven Solutions for Environmental Sustainability seminar
  • “Getting Paid? Tricks of the Trade for Tough Economic Times – Mechanic’s Liens, Stop Notices & Design Professional Liens,” co-presented seminar
  • “Digital Jeopardy: What Every Design Professional Needs to Know to Avoid a Lawsuit,” presented at AEC Technology Strategies 2011 Conference
  • “Advanced Sustainable Design: New Developments and How to Manage the Risk,” co-presented webinar
  • “Sustainable Design and CALGreen: Legal Issues and Risk Management,” presented to the AIA|LA Practice Committee
  • “Sustainable Design in the U.S.: California LEEDs the Way,” presented at Lloyd’s of London
  • “UPDATE: UDC-Universal Development, L.P. v. CH2M Hill – California Supreme Court Denied Design Professional’s Petition”
  • “Legal Issues Affecting Sustainable Design,” presented to the the American Institute of Architects / San Fernando Valley Chapter
  • “Legal Tools that will Ensure Your Business Remains in the Black,” Consulting Structural Engineers Society
  • “Legal Tools/Issues in 2010 that will Ensure Your Business Remains in the Black,” ACEC California Annual Conference
  • “LEED Us Not Into Temptation,” presented to the American Institute of Architects California Council – California Practice Conference
  • “Fear and Loathing in Architectural Practice: Legal Case Studies and Risk Management,” a risk management seminar for a major architecture/interior design firm
  • Design Professional and Construction Manager Law, American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry – co-authored the chapter “Design Professional Contract Responsibilities – Pre-Design, Design, and Pre-Construction Phases”
  • “Condominium Risks of the Designer: The Perfect Storm,” American Institute of Architects California Council – Monterey Design Conference
  • Construction Law Litigation Strategies, Aspatore Books – authored the chapter “Avoiding Problems and Solving Disputes – Construction Law”
  • Construction Checklists: A Guide to Frequently Encountered Construction Issues, American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry – co-authored the chapter “Preparing for an Architect’s Deposition”
  • “Nevada Law for Design Professionals,” National Business Institute Seminar
  • “Risk Management Basics for Architects,” RNL Design, Los Angeles
  • “The California Architects Practice Act: Obligations of and Protections for the Practicing Architect,” Relevance Newsletter of the American Institute of Architects California Council
  • “Legal Trends and Issues for Architects,” presented to the American Institute of Architects / San Fernando Chapter
  • “Developments in the Economic Loss, Duty and Joint Tortfeasor Defenses,” presented to XL Design Professional Insurance Company
  • “Evidence in the 21st Century: A Construction Lawyer’s Guide,” presented to the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry
  • Evidence in the 21st Century: A Construction Lawyer’s Guide, a paper presented to the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry
  • “Negotiating Workers’ Compensation Liens,” presented to Carl Warren & Co.
  • “Legal and Insurance Developments Facing Design Professionals,” presented to the American Institute of Architects / San Fernando Valley Chapter
  • “Design Professional’s Contracts and Liability, and Copyrights and Liens,” Lorman Education Services, Pasadena, CA
  • “Contractual Issues and Risks & Legal Trends Facing Design Professionals,” presented to ACEC California/CELSOC Board of Directors’ meeting
  • “Continuing Trends in Claims Against Design Professionals,” Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals
  • “Copyright Protection by Design: The B141 Document,” The Construction Lawyer, American Bar Association, Vol. 21, Number 2
  • “Ownership and Copyright of Design Professional Plans and Designs,” Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals
  • “The 1997 Revised AIA Contract Documents,” Risk Management Seminar for Design Professionals
  • “An Analysis of the Major Changes to the AIA-B141 Agreement Between Owner and Architect – 1997 Edition,” presented to a roundtable of Southern California Design Professionals