Overview
Kathy Tuznik has significant experience working on design and construction contracts under different project delivery methods, including design-bid-build, design-build and CM/build. For more than a decade, Kathy served as an in-house construction attorney, and she brings a unique blend of legal skill and industry insight to every project. Her proactive approach to problem-solving and dedication to collaboration have resulted in successful, sustainable and impactful projects. Drawing on her experience, she guides clients through the complexities of construction law, ensuring compliance, mitigating risks and fostering collaborative environments.
Prior Experience
Before joining Faegre Drinker, Kathy was a senior deputy general counsel for the Department of Design and Construction, New York City’s primary capital construction project manager. She advised on public procurement matters, negotiated contracts, and provided general guidance on a variety of legal matters including bid protests and procurement disputes, insurance, risk management, compliance, and conflicts of interest. During her 12 years with the agency, Kathy was instrumental in crafting new processes for procuring and awarding design-build contracts and helped the City of New York embrace the use of design-build, creating a seismic shift in the city’s ability to deliver projects. She was a foremost contributor to the development and implementation of New York City’s multibillion-dollar design-build Borough-Based Jail program, the largest vertical program of its kind in the country.
Personal Interests
In her free time, Kathy enjoys walking everywhere, hiking with her husband and their dogs, and discovering new vegan restaurants in New York City.
Related Legal Services
Credentials
Bar Admissions
New York
District of Columbia
Court Admissions
New York State Courts
Certifications
Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) — Associate Design-Build Professional, 2019
Clerkships
Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Hon. Anthony Epstein, 2009-2010
Languages
Polish
Education
American University Washington College of Law
J.D. cum laude, Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law (note & comment editor) (2009)
New York University
B.A. in Economics, magna cum laude (2004)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
Other Perspectives
- Progressive Design-Build
Panelist, Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), New York City (June 5, 2024) - How NYC Executed Its First Design-Build Project — It’s Not a Fuhgeddaboudit Project!
Panelist, Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), National Harbor, Md. (Nov. 2, 2023) - The Debut of Progressive Design-Build in New York Public Works Projects: Perspectives From Owners, Contractors and Design Firms
Co-author, American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law (Division 10) (Summer 2023) - Labor and Employment Law: Tools for Prevention, Investigation and Discipline of Staff Sexual Misconduct in Custodial Settings
Co-author, National Institute of Corrections, Washington, D.C. (2009)
Leadership & Community
Professional Associations
- Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) — Progressive Design-Build Committee
- American Bar Association — Forum on Construction Law, Division 2 (Contract Documents) and Division 13 (Government Construction)
Civic Activities
- Muddy Paws Rescue — Volunteer
- Astoria Food Pantry — Volunteer
- Choices Women’s Medical Center — Volunteer
Honors
- Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) — Distinguished Leadership Award (Owner Category), 2023
No aspect of these recognitions has been approved by the highest court of any state.