A woman with long brown hair wearing a white blazer and black top smiles at the camera against a blurred indoor background.

Lisa F. Glahn

Partner

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Lisa F. Glahn

Partner

[email protected]

Boston 617.502.3236

Sectors

Practice Areas

Litigation

Education

Northeastern University School of Law (J.D., 2000)
Bucknell University (B.A., cum laude, 1997)

Admissions

Massachusetts

Lisa Glahn is a leading authority in construction law with more than 25 years of experience spanning high‑stakes litigation, strategic deal structuring, and risk‑focused contract negotiation for some of the nation’s most complex capital projects.

After building her career trying disputes across a range of construction issues, she saw firsthand how many conflicts could be prevented with stronger contracts and smarter procurement strategies. Since 2010, she has focused her practice on transactional work — advising owners on the design, construction, and delivery of major capital programs to eliminate avoidable risks before construction begins.

Today, Lisa is widely recognized for her work representing owners in major sports, entertainment, healthcare, and manufacturing projects, with experience in billion‑dollar stadium and mixed‑use developments. She serves, and has served, as lead counsel for NFL, MLB, NHL, USL/NWSL and professional tennis owners and organizations on the design and construction of new, ground‑up stadiums and entertainment districts. She also advises professional sports organizations across the spectrum, from major league franchises to minor league teams, on the development of practice venues, training facilities, and other ancillary projects.

A seasoned and trusted negotiator, Lisa has steered hundreds of complex construction, design‑build, consultant, and project management agreements from initial strategy through final execution. Well‑liked by clients and opposing parties alike, she builds consensus naturally — listening closely, identifying what truly matters to the bottom line, and using her deep expertise to uncover solutions where others see stalemate.

Representative Experience

Serves as outside construction counsel to one of the country’s largest privately held companies in the sports and entertainment industry and provides transactional assistance for all aspects of the company’s capital programs throughout its diverse portfolio of interests
Navigated a Major League Baseball franchise through scope changes, schedule revisions and critical path issues that threatened to delay opening of its state-of-the-art Spring Training and player development complex
Successfully litigated an equitable adjustment claim on behalf of a major maritime contractor against the Army Corps of Engineers during a two-week, multimillion dollar trial in the US Court of Federal Claims
Wrote, negotiated and helped to implement design-build and related sub-contractual agreements for manufacturing facilities throughout New England that involved issues related to complex equipment installation
Arbitrated and successfully resolved a complicated design defect case involving Combined Sewer Overflows on behalf of a public authority
Drafted and negotiated a multimillion dollar design/build contract for a waste-to-energy project at a brewery in Milton, Delaware
Reviewed and negotiated development, construction and design contracts for the construction of a 142-unit senior living facility in Cumming, Georgia
Served as purchasers’ counsel for bondholder groups on development projects throughout the country and advised on infusion of lender rights into contracts, engagement of construction monitor, claims workout and project close out

Awards and Recognitions

Recognized in 2025 Law360 MVP in Construction (2025)
Recognized in Best Lawyers in America – Construction Law; Litigation – Construction (2024)
Recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Construction (2023-2025)
Selected for inclusion in Boston magazine’s “The Top Lawyers of 2021”
Recommended in Massachusetts by The Construction Lawyers (2021)
Selected for inclusion in Massachusetts Super Lawyers list in the field of Construction Litigation (2017-2023)
Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in the field of Construction Litigation (2008-2010, 2015)

Presentations and Publications

Moderator, “The Stadium of Tomorrow: Innovation, Privacy, and the Future Fan Experience,” ABA Forum on Entertainment and Sports and Intellectual Property Law Section joint meeting, Las Vegas, NV (October 24, 2025)
Panelist, “Breaking Ground: The Legal Complexities of Building a Modern Sports Stadium,” Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference, Nashville, TN (May 16, 2025)
Speaker, “Stadium & Mixed-Use Development for Professional Soccer Teams: A Legal Perspective,” MLS and NWSL Team Counsel Meeting,” Orlando, FL (February 2025)
Co-Presenter, “Negotiating a Construction Contract,” MCLE New England, Boston, MA (June 4, 2024)
Speaker, “Will COVID Be the Tipping Point in the P3 Revolution?” Construction Leader Risk Management (CLRM) Conference (March 17, 2021)
Speaker, “Where do we go from here? Less In-Person Collaboration? Learning Curve on Tech in Business and Dispute Resolution,” webinar, ABA Forum on Construction Law Leadership Roundtable (May 19, 2020)
Co-author, “Reviewing Construction Contracts: A Brief Guide for Lenders,” Construction Lenders Risk Management (2020)
Quoted, “7 Tips for Keeping Your Construction Projects Going During COVID-19,” GlobeSt.com™ (April 20, 2020)
Quoted, “Strategies for Developers Enduring COVID-19 Shutdowns,” Partner Engineering and Science, Inc. (April 16, 2020)
Speaker, “COVID and Force Majeure,” webinar, Lenders Risk Management Roundtable (April 2020)
Co-author, “The Hidden Perils of Non-Essential Construction Work,” Construction Executive (April 1, 2020)
Presenter, “Construction Management Agreements: Key Provisions, Common Areas of Dispute, and Minimizing Performance Risks,” Strafford Webinars (June 17, 2019)
Panel Facilitator, “Risk Mitigation Through Proper Deal Structuring: A Proactive View of Owner/Contractor Relations” Construction SuperConference 2018, Las Vegas, Nevada (December 10, 2018)
Panelist, “Avoiding a Mess: What Litigators Want In-House Counsel to Know When Drafting Contracts,” New England Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), Boston, Massachusetts (December 5, 2018)
Speaker, “Construction Contracting 101,” Women in Construction Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. (October 19, 2018)
Speaker, “Understanding Lender Risks in Construction Contracting,” Construction Lenders Risk Management Roundtable Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana (March 2018)
Chapter co-author, “New AIA Contract Documents” Construction Law Update 2018, Wolters Kluwer
Speaker, “Identifying and Modifying Key Provisions in Construction Contracts,” Construction Lenders Risk Management National Forum Webinar (October 18, 2017)
Speaker, “The Tuesday Strategy: Due Diligence for Construction Lenders,” Construction Lenders Risk Management Roundtable, Boston, MA (September 27, 2017)
Speaker, “The History of Dredging at the Port of Houston: Ditching High and Low to Build a Port, Dredging Summit & Expo 2015,” Western Dredging Association & Texas A&M University Center for Dredging Studies, Houston, TX (June 22, 2015)
Panelist, “Understanding the Different Elements of Construction Risk,” Boston Municipal Analysts Forum, Boston, MA (May 7, 2015)
Co-author, “Practical Claims Avoidance Techniques: How to Prevent Excess Costs and Unnecessary Delay on Dredging Projects,” Terra et Aqua (March 2014)
Speaker, “Practical Claims Avoidance Techniques: How to Prevent Excess Costs and Unnecessary Delay on Dredging Projects,” 33rd Annual Technical Conference, Western Dredging Association (WEDA), Honolulu, HI (August 25, 2013)
Speaker, “Show Me the Money: Payment Issues in a Tight Economy,” National Association of Women in Construction – Boston Chapter, Cambridge, MA (October 23, 2012)
Co-author, ”Major New Change In Law Takes Effect November 8 – ‘Prompt Pay’ Is Here,” NAWIC Newsletter (October 1, 2010)