Christopher Cheatham is an attorney in Crowell & Moring LLP's Washington D.C. office. He practices in the Government Contracts Group, with a focus on construction and green building matters.

Government Contracts
Chris counsels and represents clients in a range of government contract issues, including regulatory compliance and investigations. He conducts internal investigations to ensure compliance with government regulations and he also represents companies in litigation and bid protests.

Construction
Chris represents prime contractors, owners, design professionals and subcontractors in both public and private construction matters, both nationally and regionally. Chris supports companies in all aspects of the construction claims process including assessment, preparation and litigation of complex design defect and delay claims. Significant matters include:

• Representing a consortium of insurance companies in a class action lawsuit related to the design and construction of the New Orleans levee system.
• Representing sureties in a substantial delay claim against the Corps of Engineers stemming from a lock and dam project.

Green Building
Chris represents both established and emerging companies in the green building industry, including contractors, design professionals, consultants, and owners. He provides analysis of green building regulations, prepares contracts to appropriate risk, and resolves disputes arising from green building projects. Significant matters include:

• Preparing contract language allocating risk associated with green building certification for a design professional and government entity.
• Advising a major developer as to green building regulations, incentives and trends in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Chris also maintains a legal blog, Green Building Law Update (www.greenbuildinglawupdate.com), which covers legal, regulatory and policy developments in the green building industry. The blog has been cited for its insight and -analysis in a variety of news media.

Education
University of Kansas, B.A., 2002 - Phi Beta Kappa
University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 2006 - with Honors

Affiliations
Admitted to practice: District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Virginia

In The News
Chris has been quoted as a source in the following publications:

"Mandatory Energy Benchmarking Coming Into Vogue," Law360, Jesse Greenspan, February 2010.

"Green Building Initiatives Becoming More Prevalent," Law360, Jesse Greenspan, August 2009.

"Stimulus bids running 10 percent lower than estimates," Washington Business Journal, Sarah Krouse, July 2009.

Publications
"Greenprints: Hot Potato," Vandana Sinha, OnSite (Fall 2009). Source: Chris Cheatham.

"The Green Building Guide to Waxman-Markey," Greener Buildings (June 2009). Co-author: Chris Cheatham.

"White Paper: Revisions to Performance Bond Requirement of the D.C. Green Building Act" (March 2009). Author: Chris Cheatham.

Speeches & Presentations
"Legal Considerations When Building Green," The National Academies, Federal Facilities Council Standing Committee on Sustainable Acquisition, Design, and Construction (March 2010). Co-Presenters: Stephen McBrady, J. Catherine Kunz, Chris Cheatham.

"Introduction to Green Building and LEED Certification," ALI-ABA (November 19, 2009). Co-Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Green Building in the 21st Century: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Beyond," Construction Users Roundtable's National Conference (November 17, 2009). Co-Presenters: Stephen J. McBrady and Christopher Cheatham.

"Real Green: The Future of Commercial Real Estate," MAREMA 2009 Anual Meeting, Springfield, VA (October 2-3, 2009). Panelist: Christopher Cheatham.

Washington Contractor Awards, Associated General Contractors of D.C. (October 2009). Judge: Chris Cheatham.

"Green Building Legal Issues on the Horizon," USGBC Nashville Chapter (September 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Green Building Law 101," Green Building Institute (April 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham

"What Counsel Should Know About Green Building," Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (April 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Revisions to Performance Bond Requirement of the D.C. Green Building Act," Public Oversight Roundtable on Green Building Practices, D.C. Committee on Government Operations & the Environment (March 2009). Witness: Chris Cheatham.

"Getting Green From the Stimulus," Rutherfoord's Trends in Green Building Seminar (March 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Green Building Risks: A Construction Perspective," GreenTHINK (March 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Suretyship and Green Building," Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (February 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Green Building Regulatory and Legal Update: Opportunity and Risk," National Electrical Contractors Association – Washington, D.C. Chapter (February 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"Regulating Green Building in Virginia," It's Not Easy Building Green, William & Mary Environmental Law & Policy Review Symposium (January 2009). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

"The Emergence of Green Building Litigation," Rutherfoord's Trends in Green Building Seminar (November 2008). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.

Washington Contractor Awards, Associated General Contractors of D.C. (October 2008). Judge: Chris Cheatham.

"Green Building Legal and Regulatory Issues and Update," Project Management Training Program, National Electrical Contractors Association (September 2008). Presenter: Chris Cheatham.