New leader has platform of diversity and inclusion

for both legal and construction professions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Oct. 14, 2019) – Effective September 1, 2019, Kristine Kubes, principal of Kubes Law Office, PLLC, Minneapolis, became Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Forum on Construction Law, the largest construction law association in the world. In this post, she will lead more than 6,000 Forum members who represent lawyers, construction company owners, design professionals, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, suppliers, insurers and sureties.

Unlike most of the leaders of the Forum over its 44-year history, Kubes is the owner of a small law firm and one of the few female lawyers to serve. “Kristine’s experience brings fresh perspective as she helps carry out our mission of building the best construction lawyers,” said Pedro Windsor, managing director of the ABA Center for Diversity and Inclusion in the Profession.

“My overall focus this year is on engagement, inclusion, and professionalism, to improve both the legal and construction professions,” said Kubes, who is mid-way through a three-year term as a Forum officer. “The workforce and population are changing rapidly and the same old way of doing things may not work with different participants under new circumstances. The Forum recognizes this and has made great strides in cultivating a more diverse and inclusive environment, outreaching to and supporting construction lawyers who are women, ethnic and racial minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, and those with disabilities.”

Kubes adds that, for the first time in ABA history, the Forum is dedicating its national Fall Meeting to examining the diversity and inclusion issue from the business perspective, helping lawyers prepare their clients for the nuanced workforce issues related to aging workers and intergenerational challenges, intercultural issues, immigration, and the impact of implicit bias as well as professionalism. The program will occur October 23-25, 2019, in Philadelphia. This will be Kubes’ first meeting as Chair of the organization.

Kubes practices in the areas of professional liability defense/litigation, contracts, proactive counseling during the life of a project, payment issues, mechanic’s liens and surety issues. Kubes is also a mediator in the arena of construction and design.

She is also active in several other organizations in the fields of design, construction, and law and is a recognized thought leader on professionalism and ethics for lawyers and design professionals, and on licensing and risk management for design and construction professionals. She is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), American Counsel of Engineering Companies (ACEC), American Institute of Architects (AIA), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the Association of Women Contractors (AWC).

In 2005, the Minnesota Governor appointed Kubes to serve as a Public Member on the state Board that licenses design professionals in Minnesota. During her eight-year term on that state Board, she was elected to serve as Chair, making her the first Public Member – and female – to serve as Board Chair. Since her tenure on the state Board, other public members and other women have been elected as Chair. She has been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell as an AV-rated preeminent attorney by her peers and is rated as a Super Lawyer® based on peer recognition and professional achievement.

The daughter of a carpenter and a teacher, Kubes is uniquely qualified to understand her clients and their businesses. “I grew up in my father’s workshop, learning the trade,” said Kubes, who has been practicing law for nearly 30 years and founded Kubes Law Office 10 years ago. “I’ve taken that deep appreciation and understanding of the industry and combined it with my passion for helping people be heard and understood. Together, we work to break down barriers and find ways to resolve problems effectively.”

Established in 2009, Kubes Law Office is a boutique law firm of seasoned counselors, litigators and mediators exclusively serving design and construction professionals in the U.S. For more information, including content on topics important to the industry, visit KubesLaw.com and follow Kubes Law on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

For more information

Contact: Beth LaBreche

beth@labreche.com

612-578-2834