Peter J. Marino

Pete Marino has been practicing in the area of construction and public infrastructure law for more than 30 years and co-chairs Smith Anderson’s Real Estate Development and Construction Law groups. Pete also serves as chair of the Freeways Division for the Regional Transportation Alliance. He has been integrally involved as lead legal counsel in some of the most significant infrastructure projects in North Carolina and the surrounding region, including, among others, the state's first Interstate toll road project and its largest single award design-build highway project, the state’s first and second light rail projects, numerous international airport and land and airside projects, and a LEED-certified World Headquarters campus for a Fortune 500 company. In Chambers USA, clients say he’s "truly an expert in the field," and "incredibly responsive and diligent" (Chambers USA).

His practice includes all facets of construction law arising out of public and private projects, representing owners, developers, general contractors, sureties, design professionals and large subcontractors, and serves upon request as an independent arbitrator in construction disputes. Pete regularly represents clients in various public construction bid, contracting and litigation matters involving highway and other public infrastructure and military projects. He has represented clients in connection with contracting, bid and claim disputes related to reconstruction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan, among many other national and international projects. Pete has served as past chair of the NCBA Construction Law Section, is a Co-Author of the North Carolina Construction Law Deskbook and has held various leadership positions in the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law.

Recognition

• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Construction (2019-2024)
• The Best Lawyers in America®
  
  • Construction Law (2008-2025)
  • Litigation–Construction (2008-2025)
  • Best Lawyers® 2020 and 2021 Construction Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Raleigh
• North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, Power List 2024, Construction
• North Carolina Super Lawyers (2006-2024)
• Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America
• Business North Carolina's Legal Elite, Construction (2008-2015)
  • Hall of Fame since 2011
• Top Construction Lawyer in North Carolina, Legal Elite peer selection edition, Business North Carolina magazine (2011)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
• Continuing Legal Education Volunteer of the Year, North Carolina Bar Association (2009-2010)
• Outstanding Volunteer Attorney Award, Legal Aid of North Carolina (1998)
• Outstanding Volunteer Attorney, The Volunteer Lawyers Program, Wake County (2004)

Education

• University of North Carolina, J.D., with honors, 1990
• Lemoyne College, B.A., 1987

Bar & Court Admissions

• American Bar Association
  • Forum on Construction Law
    • Past Chair, Construction Contract Documents Division II
  • Steering Committee Member
• Court Appointed and Certified Arbitrator for the Tenth Judicial District, North Carolina
• Regional Transportation Alliance
  • Chair, Freeways Division
  • Highway Funding Task Force Member
• North Carolina Bar Association
  • Construction Law Section
    • Past Chair and Vice Chair
    • Past Co-Chair, Lien Law Committee 
  • Real Property Section
  • Past Member, Strategic Planning and Emerging Trends Committee 
• Carolinas Association of General Contractors (CAGC) and North Carolina Bar Association Joint Committee
• Advisory Board, Salvation Army of Wake County
• Past Member, Board of Trustees, East Central Community Legal Services

• Serve as outside counsel to international airport with regard to 11,500 foot runway project and other construction and facilities related projects.
• Represent an international contractor in connection with project close-out claims related to 9.6 mile light rail expansion project.
• Represented a national contractor in a successful bid dispute resulting in award to client of contract for North Carolina’s first light rail project.
• Represented a national contractor on a sustainable roof-top solar project involving a 200,000 square foot Civic Center project.
• Represented a prime contractor on a bid and all other legal issues related to North Carolina’s first Turnpike Authority highway construction project ($800 million I-540 extension project).
• Represented a large pharmaceutical company in connection with construction and development of its LEED-certified world headquarters located in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
• Represented a Fortune 500 company on design-build engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement for construction of the “next generation” nuclear power plant project estimated at $4 billion.
• Represented a national contractor on bid issues and claims arising from a $140 million state and federal interstate highway project.
• Represented a pre-cast concrete subcontractor in federal court litigation involving a $40 million state prison construction project.
• Represented a developer in state court litigation involving construction defect claims in a 140-unit town home complex.
• Represented a national contractor in a dispute involving airport authority and a national concrete contractor in connection with a $10 million airport aircraft taxiway-bridge project.
• Represented an international pharmaceutical company on design-build and EPCM agreements for numerous construction and LEED-certified sustainable retro-fit projects in the U.S., United Kingdom and Puerto Rico.
• Represented an international contractor in litigation with a government prime contractor arising from performance of the Communications Sector Design/Build Services IDIQ Project in Iraq.
• Served as general counsel for a national general contractor on challenging Public Safety Center project including bid, bond and subcontractor default issues, as well as design and scheduling-related claims and project closeout issues.