Ralph A. Finizio

Ralph practices in commercial litigation, with an emphasis on construction-related claims. He is also the managing partner of the firm's Pittsburgh office. Ralph has litigated cases in 31 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, and Australia, and he has served as a private and court-appointed mediator and arbitrator. He has handled disputes ranging in size to $1 billion on a wide array of construction projects, including water and wastewater treatment systems, coal and gas-fired power plants, highways, pipelines, transmission lines, and heavy industrial and commercial construction projects. He represents EPC contractors, equipment manufacturers, owners, construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, and pipeline suppliers and installers.

Ralph has served on the Allegheny County Bar Association Judiciary Committee, which evaluates candidates for state and federal judgeships, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Selection and Administration Committee. He also is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry. He is active in the Civil Litigation and Construction Law sections of the Allegheny County and American bar associations. He has lectured at continuing legal education programs for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the American Bar Association.

Power Plants

Combined Cycle Power Plant – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in disputes with a construction subcontractor totaling approximately $165 million arising out of the construction of a 90 MW combined cycle power plant in Ohio.
Coal/AQCS Upgrades – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in various delay, disruption, defect, and liquidated damage claims totaling $134 million arising out of the design and construction of two flue gas desulfurization retrofit projects at coal-fired power generation facilities in Pennsylvania.
Coal/AQCS/Wastewater Treatment – Litigation counsel to a subcontractor in claims totaling approximately $140 million arising out of the design and construction of a flue gas desulfurization system and associated wastewater treatment system at three coal-fired power generation facilities in Maryland.
Natural Gas – Counsel to EPC contractor for a 1000 megawatt gas-fueled power generation facility constructed on the site of a former coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania.
Supercritical Coal – Arbitration counsel to an EPC contractor in various multimillion-dollar disputes with the project owner, subcontractors and vendors arising out of the design and construction of a new multibillion dollar power plant in Wisconsin.
Natural Gas – Counsel to an EPC contractor on matters related to the design and construction of a $600 million natural gas-fueled plant in Pennsylvania.
Combined Cycle – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in various multimillion-dollar disputes with subcontractors concerning the quality of their work and entitlement to payment on 309 megawatt combined cycle power plant in Delaware.
Combined Cycle – Counsel to the contractor on matters related to the construction of a new $1.2 billion 900 megawatt combined cycle gas-fueled power generation station located in Ontario.
Coal/Wastewater Treatment – Litigation counsel to a consortium for claims totaling approximately $12 million arising out of the design and construction of an emissions control system that utilizes a limestone slurry made from treated municipal water in order to reduce nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and mercury in the flue gas at a coal-fired power plant located in Maryland.
Power Plant/Phys-Chem Process – Litigation counsel to a design-build contractor in a series of claims for delay, extra work, constructive acceleration, and unpaid invoices, arising out of a process water treatment system constructed at a combined cycle power plant in Texas.
Power Plant/RO System – Counsel to an EPC Contractor in a project close-out dispute involving competing change orders, backcharges, and liquidated damage claims arising out of an RO System and demineralization equipment installed at a coal-fired power plant in Indiana.

Industrial Process Plants

Fracking/Wastewater Treatment – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in an approximately $800 million dispute regarding the performance of a system designed to treat wastewater from natural gas fracking operations.
Zero Liquid Waste Process Facility – Arbitration counsel to an EPC contractor in a series of arbitration proceedings arising out of the construction of a $95.8 million first-of-its-kind, zero liquid waste process facility to improve water quality of the Monongahela Watershed in West Virginia.
Refinery Plant – Arbitration counsel to a design/build contractor in various delay, disruption, change order and backcharge claims arising out of the construction of a refinery plant in Louisiana.
Water Reclamation Facility/MBR System – Litigation counsel to an equipment supplier in a breach of contract, breach of warranty, and negligence dispute arising from the construction of water reclamation facility in California.
Natural Food Processing Plant/RO Water System – Litigation counsel to water technology company in claims for negligence and breach of contract arising from the supply of a reverse osmosis water system for use in a natural food processing plant in California.
Water Reclamation Facility/Membrane Technology – Litigation counsel to a design/build contractor in claims totaling more than $6 million arising from alleged delay and disruption during the construction of produced water reclamation facility located at the Arroyo Grande Oil Field in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing/Advanced Fluidized Composting/Chemical Sludge – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in claims totaling approximately $25 million arising out of the process design and construction of an advanced fluidized composting reactor, chemical sludge treatment system and recycling equipment at a pharmaceutical a facility for the manufacture of animal antibiotics in West Virginia.
Chemical Treatment Plant/Advanced Fluidized Composting Reactor/Filtration/Chemical Treatment – Arbitration counsel to a design-build contractor in a $5 million construction defects dispute arising out of filtration and chemical treatment technology installed at an advanced fluidized composting reactor in Virginia.
Semiconductor Manufacturing Plant/Microfiltration/Chemical Precipitation – Litigation counsel to manufacturer of microfiltration and chemical precipitation equipment designed to remove fluoride contaminants from process water at semiconductor manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania.
Food Processing/Sequencing Batch Reactor – Litigation counsel to a provider of environmental solutions in relation to more than $4 million in claims arising out of a sequencing batch reactor installed at a food processing plant in Puerto Rico.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing/Biological and Chemical Treatment – Litigation counsel to a provider of environmental solutions for class action nuisance and personal injury claims based upon excessive odor emanating from biological and chemical treatment processes utilized at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Puerto Rico.
Oil Refinery/Heavy Metals – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in claims totaling $30 million for alleged delay and disruption, and alleged mechanical, process, and civil engineering deficiencies arising out of the design and construction of a wastewater treatment plant at an oil refinery in California.
Coke Manufacturing/Fixed Film Biological/Ammonia Distillation – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in a $12 million action arising out of a build-own-operate contract for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant at a coke manufacturing facility in Kentucky.
Steel Manufacturing/Process Water Treatment – Litigation counsel to an engineering firm in a $5 million action arising out of alleged mechanical engineering and construction defects claims arising out of process water treatment and recirculation system installed at a steel manufacturing facility in Kentucky.

Water Treatment

Drinking Water Plant/DAF System – Adjudication and arbitration counsel to a water technology provider in a dispute totaling more than £7M arising out of the construction of a drinking water facility in Scotland.
Water Authority – Arbitration counsel to a provider of environmental solutions in a multimillion-dollar dispute involving various technical issues arising out of consulting services provided under a series of management agreements in Pennsylvania.
Water Treatment Plant – Litigation counsel to a water and wastewater technology company in a multiparty dispute alleging more than $50 million in damages relating to the design, performance, and operation of a new $17 million filtration system in Texas.
Water Treatment Facility – Counsel to an equipment supplier that delivered design services and water treatment technology to a state-of-the-art $60 million water treatment facility in Michigan.
Water Treatment Facility/Delay and Disruption – Arbitration counsel to a global leader in water technology in a delay, disruption, and inefficiency claim asserted against it by the general contractor on a $16 million water treatment project in California.
Water Treatment Plant – Litigation counsel to an equipment designer/supplier in a case arising from the design, supply, installation, and operation of water treatment equipment at a $20 million water plant expansion in Illinois.
Drinking Water Facility/Pre-Treatment Design – Litigation counsel to a provider of water treatment solutions in a multimillion-dollar dispute arising out of the design, performance, and operation of a water filtration system and pre-treatment system in Oregon.
Water Authority – Litigation counsel to a provider of treatment technology in a multiparty dispute alleging more than $25 million in damages relating to the design, installation, and performance of various water treatment components integrated into a multimillion-dollar upgrade to water treatment facility in North Carolina.
Water Filtration – Litigation counsel to an equipment supplier in a breach of warranty action arising out of design deficiencies relating a pretreatment system installed at a water filtration plant in Indiana.

Wastewater Treatment/Stormwater Management

Wastewater Treatment Plant/Biosolids – Litigation counsel to a wastewater equipment supplier in a dispute arising out of a $35 million project to expand a water treatment facility in South Carolina.
Wrongful Death/Stormwater Management – Litigation counsel to a municipal engineering firm on claims arising out of a municipality's stormwater management system, which allegedly contributed to floodwaters during a massive storm that ultimately took the lives of four individuals in Pennsylvania.
Water Resource Recovery Facility – Arbitration counsel to a wastewater technology supplier in a multiparty dispute involving $25 million in claimed damages arising out of the design, performance, and operation of a water pollution control plant which was converted to a water resource recovery facility in Ohio.
Advance Oxidation Treatment Facility/Grit Removal – Counsel to a world leader in biological wastewater treatment on two multimillion-dollar projects to modernize municipal water treatment plants in Illinois.
Water Reuse Facility/Membrane Bioreactor Facility – Counsel to an equipment supplier on project to build a facility able to produce over 3 billion gallons per year of disinfected tertiary-treated recycled water through a membrane bioreactor process in California.
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Design Defects – Litigation counsel to an EPC contractor in claims totaling approximately $24 million arising from alleged design defects in a municipal wastewater treatment plant in West Virginia.
Pulp and Paper Recycling Facility/Fixed Film Biological Treatment – Arbitration counsel to an EPC contractor for claims totaling approximately $10 million arising out of the design and construction of a wastewater treatment plant at a pulp and paper recycling facility in Wisconsin.

Environmental

Waste Sludge Facility/Organic Fertilizer/Dewatering Equipment – Litigation counsel to a provider of environmental solutions in a series of claims arising out of the design and construction of a $35 million waste sludge facility in New Jersey.
Municipal Landfill/Filtration/Chemical Precipitation – Litigation counsel to an equipment supplier for claims arising out of the performance, operation, and maintenance of filtration and chemical precipitation equipment installed at a municipal landfill in Rhode Island.
Superfund Site – Litigation counsel to a provider of environmental solutions for claims totaling approximately $9 million arising of construction delays associated with a superfund site in New Jersey.
Coal Tar Stabilization/Sludge Lagoon – Litigation counsel to a contractor in litigation arising out of the stabilization of coal tar sludge and the design and construction of a capping system for a sludge lagoon in Oklahoma.
Natural Gas Well/Contamination – Litigation counsel to a contractor in litigation arising out of $15 million in claims for groundwater contamination and property damage related to leakage from a containment pit at a natural gas well site in Pennsylvania.

Pipeline and Transmission Line Projects

Natural Gas Pipeline Project – Litigation counsel to the pipeline installation contractor in claims arising out of alleged scope changes, extra work, and alleged defective work on a 40+ mile natural gas pipeline project in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
New Sewage Conveyance Pipeline/Open-Cut and Trenchless Installation – Litigation counsel to a patented-pipe supplier in a dispute arising out of alleged defects related to a sewage conveyance pipeline installed through open-cut and trenchless installation methods in Washington, D.C.
Byproduct Brine Water Pipeline – Litigation counsel to a pipe manufacturer in multiparty claims arising out of failures in a pipeline system conveying byproduct brine water from a treatment facility in Utah.
New Water Pipeline/Trenchless Installation – Litigation counsel to a pipe manufacturer in a dispute regarding the bend radius of fusible pipe on a new water pipeline installation project in Pennsylvania.
New Water Pipeline/Slip-line Installation – Litigation counsel to a pipe manufacturer in a dispute arising out of a PVC water pipeline slip-line installation project in Ohio.

Geotechnical

Differential Settlement/RSS – Litigation counsel to a general contractor in claims totaling more than $100 million arising from differential settlement and lateral movement of what is believed to be one of the largest reinforced soil slopes in the U.S.
Highway and Bridge Project – Litigation counsel to a geotechnical engineering firm in claims exceeding $25 million arising out of the collapse of freeway support columns and retaining walls on a turnpike project in Texas.
Landslide/GeoStabilization – Litigation counsel to a consulting engineer for claims arising from landslides incident to replacement of municipal sewer pipes in Pennsylvania.
Abandoned Mine Lands/Mine Drainage Portals – Litigation counsel to a geotechnical engineering firm in claims arising from reclamation designs for drainage portals necessary to abate problems arising from abandoned mine lands in West Virginia.
Abandoned Mine Lands – Counsel to an EPC contractor for subsurface/grouting issues associated with construction of a power plant on abandoned mine property in Pennsylvania.
Differential Settlement/Geofabric – Litigation counsel to a geotechnical engineering firm in breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation claims arising from differential settlement of a retail and movie theater complex in West Virginia.
Differential Settlement/Foundation – Litigation counsel to a geotechnical engineering firm for claims arising out of subsurface conditions beneath new structures, foundations and equipment associated with the construction of a $26 million facility in Pennsylvania.

Institutional and Civil Construction

Airport Terminal Construction – Counsel to a subcontractor for claims arising out of the $160 million Terminal F renovation and expansion project at the Philadelphia International Airport.
School Construction – Litigation counsel to a subcontractor for claims arising out of the renovation of multimillion-dollar state-of-art-science center at a university in Pennsylvania.
School Construction/Parking Garage – Counsel to a university in a dispute regarding the sudden collapse of a portion of its newly constructed $10.5 million parking garage in Pennsylvania
School Construction/Sports Arena – Counsel to a construction manager in lawsuits exceeding $25 million in claims, arising from a $119 million project to construct a university sports area in Pennsylvania.
Locks and Dam Construction – Counsel to a general contractor for claims arising out of a $96 million construction project that included the construction of a new river wall for a future lock chamber in Pennsylvania.
Reclaimed Water Plant – Litigation counsel to an equipment supplier in claims for delay and disruption allegedly caused by late equipment deliveries on a project to construct a $15 million reclaimed water plant in Washington.
Correctional Facility – Counsel to an insurance carrier in various disputes, involving more than 10 parties and exceeding $20 million, arising out of delays and cost overruns associated with the construction of the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh, PA.

Energy Performance/Savings Contracts

Infrastructure Improvements – Counsel to energy savings contractor on threatened $90 million dispute arising out of a municipal water infrastructure improvement program.
Infrastructure Improvements – Litigation counsel to energy savings contractor in claims arising out of a contract for energy HVAC and water infrastructure improvements.
Energy Performance Savings Statutes – Counsel to energy savings contractor regarding issues of statutory interpretation of energy performance savings statutes in various states.

Representative matters may include engagements before joining Troutman Pepper.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania
District of Columbia

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of the United States

Education

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, J.D., 1982
Washington & Jefferson College, B.A., summa cum laude, 1979; member, Phi Beta Kappa

Languages

Italian

Ralph A. Finizio

Representative Matters

Professional and Community Involvement

Rankings and Recognition