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GFL Consulting - Associate Director
Construction Litigation & Program
Management Services
EXPERIENCE:
GFL Consulting Associate / Independent Consultant 1994 - Present
Consulting on a variety of major disputes, primarily performing early and initial evaluation of
the grounds for a request for additional compensation; appraising the magnitude of such a
request; measuring the schedule impacts; preparing an initial work plan, schedule and
budget; and, providing ongoing request-preparation oversight and strategy advice.
Assignments have included:
• preparation of the United States Agency for International Development and general
contractor response to a turbine-supplier/installer request for additional compensation
exceeding $100 million on the Baghdad South Power Station;
• preparation of an extensive analysis of the university's exposure and a detailed road
map and delay analysis for claim avoidance and mitigation for the construction of the
entirely new $300 million university campus near Cairo, Egypt;
• preparation of the full road map and work plan, and complete preparation of over 200
pages of complex written advocacy, for a contractor's demand for $30 million in additional
compensation on the construction of a large luxury resort in the Rocky Mountains;
• initial review and evaluation, establishment of a work plan and strategy, and
oversight of the preparation of a contractor's detailed request for a contractor's claim of $60
million on the construction of a delayed coker for a 500,000 bpd oil refinery in the Caribbean;
• evaluation and full preparation - including writing all advocacy, schedule analysis
and cost analysis - of a $16 million contractor's request for additional compensation on a
chemical refinery in Eastern Malaysia;
• review, evaluation, establishment of a work plan and strategy, and full-time
oversight of the preparation of a contractor's detailed request for a $228 million adjustment
in the contract value on the modernization of an Alumina Plant in Western Australia;
• preparation of a contractor's request for $8 million additional compensation and
establishment of a defense and preparation of rebuttal to an owner's $25 million counter-
claim on a nickel mining and processing facility in Northern Quebec Province, Canada;
• review, evaluation and full preparation of a contractor's $6 million request on a
copper mine plant in Arizona;
• initial review and evaluation, establishment of a work plan and strategy, and
oversight of the preparation of a contractor's $75 million request for additional
compensation on a project for the modernization of a pulp and paper mill in New Zealand;
and,
• complete preparation of an owner's defense and $40 million counterclaim to a
contractor's request for additional compensation on a 67 story poured-in-place high-rise in
Chicago.
Contracts Manager 1992 - 1993
Bechtel Corporation, San Francisco, California
Prepared and resolved claims and provided contract administration advice for various
Bechtel business lines. These efforts included both projects where Bechtel was the
contractor - constructor and/or designer - and projects where Bechtel served as the owner's
representative.
Manager, Contracts Administration 1991 - 1992
Eurotunnel, Sutton Surrey, United Kingdom
Primary responsibilities included the investigation, analysis and preparation of written
defense to the contractor's claims on behalf of the tunnel's owner, Eurotunnel, Ltd.
Managed a diverse staff of British, French, and American professionals composed of
quantity surveyors, engineers and lawyers located at both the terminal site and in
Eurotunnel's project office. A first major effort involved the preparation of written rebuttal to
the contractor's US$270 million claim for extra work, delay, acceleration and disruption at
the British Terminal. A second major effort involved analyzing and preparing rebuttal to the
contractor's US$1.4 billion "total cost" claim for the tunnel's mechanical and electrical
works. Negotiations ultimately concluded with satisfactory resolutions to all disputes.
Project Manager 1987 - 1991
O'Brien-Kreitzberg & Associates, Inc., San Francisco, California
Directed a staff of managers, engineers and paralegals for the company's claims division.
Set the groundwork for the defense of a pending contractor's claim and prepared a major
cross-complaint by the owner on the construction of the new Prudential Plaza in Chicago.
For a $20 million claim defense on the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice, managed staff in
the preparation of the as-built schedule, time-impact analysis, prime and subcontractor
issue analyses. Prepared the analysis to support a $13 million claim related to the
construction of a luxury condominium development in Northern California. Provided delay
and issue analysis and negotiated a settlement of the contractor's claim on the construction
of the Elmwood Correctional Facility in California. Managed the preparation of a complex,
multi-issued delay, acceleration and disruption claim by the designer on the Medium
Capacity Transit System in Taipei, Taiwan. Prepared a contractor's $10 million claim on a
wastewater treatment plant for commercial impracticability resulting in disruption and
acceleration of the work. On this dispute, as with most, a negotiated settlement was
reached prior to litigation.
Project Manager / Senior Engineer 1985 - 1987
Jacobs Associates, San Francisco, California
Reviewed, prepared and negotiated a variety of claims for contractors and defenses for
owners. Prepared the owner's expert witness report for use in arbitration on a sewer project
in Stockton, California. Prepared a claim for protraction of work, disruption and direct costs
on a multi-story office complex in Tucson, Arizona. Conducted evaluations of claims on
three hydroelectric power plant construction projects in California, involving differing site
conditions, defective design, excessive design changes and delays. Evaluated claims for a
freeway and bridge project in Georgia that entailed detailed schedule and cost analysis for
the contractor. Prepared and presented a complex differing site condition claim for a major
contractor on the New Bonneville Locks Project in Oregon.
Contracts Administrator 1976 - 1985
Guy F. Atkinson Company, South San Francisco, California
Managed the company's home office contracts administration department requiring
involvement in most projects under consideration or being constructed by Atkinson.
Pursued $100-$200 million annually in claims from conception through negotiations and
settlement. Monitored project costs, schedules and construction methods to insure that the
scope of work was maintained within the intent of the contract. Regularly communicated
and negotiated with the owner and the engineer. Coordinated with both in-house and
outside legal counsel. Owners included private firms (domestic and foreign),
municipalities, states, federal agencies (Corps, Bureau and U. S. Navy) and foreign
governments.
Engineer 1975
Washington State Department of Transportation, Vancouver, Washington
Supervised field and laboratory inspections for all federally funded contracts in southwest
Washington State.
Project Engineer 1971 - 1974
Peter Kiewit Sons' Company, Omaha, Nebraska
Job site assignments on various heavy construction projects in the Pacific Northwest.
Managed field and office engineering, planning and scheduling, and handled
communications with owners and subcontractors. Supervised project staff and field
personnel. Owners included the northwestern states, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers,
and city and county governments.
Engineer 1970 - 1971
The Ralph M. Parsons Company, Los Angeles, California
Construction of the 100,000 bpd ARCO refinery at Cherry Point, Washington. Provided
general engineering support, quantity take-offs, scheduling and cost forecasting.
Associate Research Engineer 1967 - 1969
The Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington
Boeing Think Tank aerospace research and preparation of Master's thesis, which included
creating and remodeling programs for Airborne Warning and Control Systems, Lunar
Orbiter follow-up, and various missile systems. Clearance: Top Secret.
EDUCATION:
Full graduate studies and thesis, Mathematics and Physics, University of Washington
Bachelor of Science, with honors, Mathematics, Washington State University
Technical Seminars, Primavera Critical Path Scheduling, Contract Law, Construction
Claims and Advanced Claims
Management Seminars: O'Brien-Kreitzberg, Atkinson and Kiewit
EIT, California
Dan Finch
