Our Team

Lindsay Watkins

Contact Information

Direct Dial: 206-529-3017
Assistant: Carol McCutchan
Direct Dial: 209-934-1139

Recent Articles

Contractor Succeeds At the Supreme Court Against Public Owner – Obtaining Fee Award and Determination The City Acted In Bad Faith

A contractor won a rare but much-deserved victory at the Supreme Court on July 8, 2021 in Conway Construction Co. v. City of Puyallup, 197 ...

Governor Inslee Announces First Phase of Construction Re-Opening Plan Can Begin Today – April 24, 2020

Today at 11:30, Governor Inslee made a live announcement that provides for the start of Phase 1 of a multi-phase re-opening plan for construction in ...

Force Majeure Under the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

As COVID-19 disrupts work and life as we know it, the question many contractors have is what protections are available against the inevitable project impacts ...

With Ahlers Cressman & Sleight since 2009 and a Partner of the firm since 2018, Lindsay’s practice involves working with general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in all aspects of day-to-day operation through contract disputes, including bid protests, contract drafting and review, lien and bond claims, REAs, contract claims, appeals, and procurement issues. She has represented clients before state, federal, and local agencies, including the Government Accountability Office, the Small Business Administration, the United States Department of Transportation, the Court of Federal Claims, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, and the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises, as well as before various federal and state courts, arbitrators, and hearing officers.

Having also acquired substantial experience with state and federal small, minority, and women-owned business programs, Lindsay routinely counsels clients in aspects of formation (e.g., drafting corporate governance documents that comply with the WBE/MBE/DBE/8(a) program eligibility requirements), certification, and eligibility issues and appeals. Lindsay has successfully challenged and obtained reversals of negative agency findings with respect to eligibility, personal net worth, size, and NAICS code classification as well as defeated and successfully pursued size and status related bid protests.

Lindsay is currently on the Board of Trustees and was the past Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Washington, which is Washington State’s largest, oldest, and most prominent construction industry trade association, representing and serving the construction industry. The AGC of Washington chapters serve more than 1,000 general contractors, subcontractors, construction suppliers and industry professional. Lindsay was named Associate of the Year by AGC of Washington in 2016.

Since 2022, Lindsay was named a “SuperLawyer” by Super Lawyers® magazine, an award limited to the top 5% of attorneys in Washington. For 2016 – 2020, Lindsay was named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers® magazine, an award limited to the top 2.5% of attorneys in Washington under the age of 40. Lindsay also has an AVVO rating of 10.0 (the highest possible rating).

Since 2020, The Best Lawyers in America has also recognized Lindsay for her high caliber of work in Construction Law. This distinction is given to the top 5 percent of private practice attorneys nationwide.

Personal Awards

  • J.D., cum laude, Seattle University, 2010
  • B.A. in Business Administration, University of Washington, 2006
  • Best Lawyers In America – Construction Law (2022)
  • Super Lawyers (2022, 2023)
  • Super Lawyers Rising Star (2016 – 2020)
  • Associate of the Year by Associated General Contractors of Washington (2016)
  • Associated General Contractors of Washington, Board of Trustees (2018 – Present)
  • Associated General Contractors of Washington, Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee (2017-2022)
  • Washington State Bar Association (Construction Section)
  • Alaska State Bar Association (Public Contracts Section)
  • King County Bar Association
  • National Association of Women in Construction, Member
  • American Bar Association Construction Law Forum, Member
  • Office of Minority and Women’s’ Business Enterprises (OMWBE) Process Improvement Committee (2015)
  • Editor, Seattle University Law Review, 2009-2010
  • Externship, Office of the United States Trustee, 2009
  • Panelist, Legal Considerations for Pass Through Claims (WSBA Construction Law Annual Seminar – 2023)
  • Speaker, Differing Site Conditions (29th Annual Washington Construction Law Seminar – 2022)
  • Speaker, Bid Protests on Public Jobs (The Seminar Group – 2022)
  • Speaker, Litigating Miller Act Claims: Prosecution and Defense (Strafford – 2020)
  • Co-Author, Washington State Bar Association Construction Law Deskbook (2019)
  • Content Editor and Co-Author, King County Bar Association Washington Lawyers Practice Manual, Construction Law Chapter (2015-2017)
  • Swinging Deals – Should Crane Swing Agreements Cost Money? NWLawyer (2015)
  • Construction Contract Draconian Notice Provisions— Is Prejudice Still The Issue? (Part I and Part II), Washington State Bar News (2013)
  • Nothing Natural About It: Still Searching for a Solution to the Chapter 11 Stamp Tax Exemption, 33 Seattle University Law Review 1349 (2010)
  • Frequent Blog Contributer—www.washingtonconstructionlaw.com
  • Lead counsel on multi-week jury trial in King County Superior Court, successfully obtaining a jury verdict in the client’s favor.
  • Obtained, as lead counsel, a multi-million dollar affirmative arbitration award for a subcontractor on a heavy civil public works construction project involving extensive changes and quantity disputes.
  • Lead Counsel on multi-week jury trial in King County Superior Court and received a seven-figure win in client’s favor in the final jury verdict, including award of attorneys’ fees and costs.
  • Lead Counsel on summary judgment dismissal of subcontractor bond claim exceeding $1.5 million dollars on a Washington public works project.
  • Obtained, as lead counsel, a multi-million affirmative arbitration award and fees for a general contractor against developer involving owner-caused delays and changes.
  • Obtained multi-million affirmative arbitration award and fees for a general contractor seeking recovery for differing site conditions against residential plat developer.
  • Obtained multiple affirmative arbitration awards and fees for subcontractors with Miller Act claims against general contractors.
  • Successfully defended against a bid protest before the Court of Federal Claims alleging the GSA impermissibly engaged in discussions with the awardee on a best value award.
  • Obtained attorneys’ fees judgment and dismissal of significant liens (exceeding $12 million) against downtown Seattle condominium project.
  • Obtained affirmative arbitration award and fees for contractor against default subcontractor in breach of contract.
  • Drafted and successfully pursued claims for additional compensation on public and private projects throughout Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
  • Asserted and defended numerous bid protests on public projects in Washington and Alaska.
  • Obtained multiple reversals of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) and Woman/Minority-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) certification application denials and decertifications.
  • Routinely draft, review, and negotiate general contracts, subcontracts, purchase orders and supplier agreements, professional services agreements, teaming agreements, and crane easements.
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