J.T. Gallagher is a Partner and shareholder with the firm. J.T. grew up in the Lehigh Valley, in Eastern Pennsylvania, and followed his father’s footsteps into the construction industry. J.T. got his start in construction in high school as a plumber’s helper for an Allentown, Pennsylvania-based mechanical contractor and has been working in the industry ever since. J.T. has worked in a variety of roles over the course of his career, from laborer to project manager to his current role as an advisor to and advocate for construction professionals.
J.T. now represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, specialty trade contractors, and design professionals in relation to all aspects of public and private construction projects. Through his 25+ years in construction, J.T. has developed deep knowledge of what it takes to make a project successful and how to overcome the inevitable challenges along the way. J.T. prides himself on guiding clients through the challenges faced on their most difficult projects, mitigating risk, solving complex and high-stakes problems, and developing and executing strategies to prevail in the prosecution and defense of claims.
After practicing out of the firm’s Atlanta, Georgia office for several years, J.T., his wife, Stephanie, and their three boys moved back to J.T’s hometown, Macungie, Pennsylvania. In 2024, J.T. opened HPSS Law’s Allentown, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania office, which is the firm’s first office outside of its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. J.T. believes that the Lehigh Valley is the ideal place to raise a family, build community, and thrive in new ventures. J.T. is excited to bring HPSS Law’s wealth of construction industry experience, knowledge, and expertise to add to the success of the flourishing construction industry in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Representative Experience
- Represented an EPC contractor during the construction of an over $1 billion natural gas liquefaction plant outside of Savannah, Georgia and, thereafter, litigated disputes between the EPC contractor, the owner, and various subcontractors arising from delays, impacts, changes, and construction deficiencies in both Georgia state and federal courts.
- Prevailed on a partial motion for summary judgment on behalf of an EPC Contractor against its subcontractor resulting in extinguishing $5 million of the amounts claimed due by subcontractor in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
- Represented a heavy highway subcontractor and obtained an arbitration award of over $5 million against the design-builder on claims arising from changes, delays, and impacts to the excavation, grading, hauling and paving scopes of work on a North Carolina DOT highway project in Greensboro, North Carolina, while simultaneously wholly defeating the design-builder’s claimed $7 million in backcharges.
- Represented an electrical contractor and mechanical contractor on pass-through claims arising from the impacts of COVID-19 against the United States Army Corps of Engineers before the United States Armed Services Board of Appeals, including defeating the Government’s motion to dismiss the claims on non-compensability of force majeure and sovereign immunity arguments in a first of its kind victory.
- Represented a heavy highway contractor and its subcontractors against the Tennessee Department of Transportation on a significantly delayed highway project in Chattanooga, Tennessee and prosecuted claims for changes, delays, and impacts of over $5 million while defending against TDOT’s assessment of nearly $2 million in liquidated damages.
- Represented an electrical contractor on a hotel and indoor water park project in both arbitration and Pennsylvania state court in bringing lien enforcement actions and breach of contract claims for non-payment against the owner and design-builder while defending against change and inefficiency claims brought by the client’s sub-subcontractor.
- Represented a general contractor against a mechanical contractor in the arbitration of disputes for non-payment, delays, and damages caused by construction defect on the construction of residential apartment tower in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Defended a general contractor against Owner’s claims (exceeding $20 million) of construction defects in relation to the failure of a structural retaining wall at apartment complex in Clemson, South Carolina.
- Represented an electrical contractor in prosecuting claims for delay and non-payment against a developer/general contractor on the construction of student housing apartment complexes in Gainesville, Florida and College Station, Texas.
- Successfully protested the award of a Department of Veteran Affairs MATOC (“Multiple Award Task Order Contract”) on behalf of a service-disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) federal contractor.
- Represented an exterior cladding and panel contractor on a pass-through certified claim against the United States Army Corp. of Engineers resulting from deficient plans and specifications and the Government superior knowledge of the defects on the construction of an air traffic control tower in Palmdale, California.
- Represented a roofing contractor against a general contractor in the prosecution of extra work and labor inefficiency claims on a United States Army Research facility in Silver Springs, Maryland.
- Obtained a reversal of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs denial of architect’s application for re-verification of its service-disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) status through appeal to and decision of the United States Small Business Office of Hearings and Appeals.
- Prepared numerous requests for equitable adjustments and claims for additional compensation and time for changes, delays, disruptions, hinderances, impacts and inefficiencies on private and public construction projects.
- Drafted and negotiated multiple prime contracts and subcontracts of various forms and pay arrangements ranging in value thousands of dollars up to $200 million. Contract drafting and negotiation experience includes traditional design-bid-build delivery and design-build delivery, payment terms including firm-fixed fee, cost plus with a guaranteed maximum, unit rate pricing, and both public and private construction projects.
- Drafted a wide-variety of standard forms to meet the particular needs of specific clients, including master services agreements (for design, design-build, construction, material supply, rental equipment, cranes, scaffolding, and trucking/hauling), task orders, short and long-form subcontracts, purchase orders, change orders, and lien waivers.
- Filed, prosecuted, and enforced mechanic’s liens and bond claims (Miller Act, Little Miller Acts, and others) in several jurisdictions.
Recent Speaking Engagements & Seminars
- “Dealing with Delay and Impact: From Contract Negotiations to Claims” presented to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Eastern Pennsylvania, Allentown Office, Allentown, Pennsylvania, September 10, 2025.
- “Getting Paid – Legal Strategies to Protect the Right to Payment,” presented to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Eastern Pennsylvania, Allentown Office, Allentown, Pennsylvania, December 11, 2024.
- “Dealing with Delay and Impact: From Contract Negotiations to Claims” presented to– Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Eastern Pennsylvania, East Norriton Office, Norristown, PA, March 13, 2024.
- “Common Sense Documentation to Cover you’re A** - A Construction Lawyer’s View of Effective Documentation” presented to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Eastern Pennsylvania, Allentown Office, Allentown, Pennsylvania, February 21, 2024.
- “Dealing with Delay and Impact: From Contract Negotiations to Claims” presented to the National Electrical Contractors Association, NECA 2023 Convention and Trade Show, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 30, 2023.
- “Getting Paid – Legal Strategies to Protect the Right to Payment” presented to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Eastern Pennsylvania, East Norriton Office, Norristown, Pennsylvania, September 14, 2023.
- “Dealing with Delay and Impact: From Contract Negotiations to Claims” presented to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Eastern Pennsylvania, Allentown Office, Allentown, Pennsylvania, June 13, 2023.
Professional Achievements/Affiliations
- American Bar Association, Member
- Forum on Construction Law, American Bar Association, Member
- Associated Builders and Contractors of Eastern Pennsylvania, Member
- Atlanta Bar Association, Construction Section, Former Board Member at Large
- Fulton County Superior Court
Business Case Division - Legal Assistant Specialist
- Atlanta BeltLine Legal Fellow
