About me
Timothy F. Hegarty, a Partner at Zetlin & De Chiara, is a construction lawyer who drafts and
negotiates complex design and development agreements and resolves high-stakes construction
disputes across the United States and internationally.
Mr. Hegarty’s practice spans construction transactions and disputes, including construction and
development contracts, claims, arbitration and mediation, and surety law. He advises property
owners, developers, institutional clients, lenders, private equity firms, owner’s representatives,
architects, engineers, design consultants, design-builders, construction managers, general
contractors, and trade contractors. He supports traditional delivery, construction management,
design-build, integrated project delivery, and public-private partnerships.
A former civil engineer, Mr. Hegarty brings a keen ability to read and understand plans and
specifications, providing a distinct advantage in risk allocation, claim evaluation, and dispute
prevention and resolution.
He negotiates contracts, mitigates disputes that arise during design and construction, and resolves
large construction claims through litigation, arbitration, and mediation. He has litigated construction
cases in Federal and State Courts and advises clients from adjacent property and access license
agreements through preconstruction, demolition, construction administration, and post-completion.
Representative matters include adjacent property and license issues for redevelopment; disputes
involving change orders, extra work, additional services, liquidated damages, delays, lost productivity,
acceleration, and inefficiency; and issues involving payment and performance bonds, surety, and mechanic’s liens. His work covers mixed-use commercial developments; luxury condominium and affordable residential communities; office buildings and universities; healthcare, hospitals, and pharmaceutical facilities; casinos; correctional facilities; and public projects.
Mr. Hegarty is an adjunct professor at Columbia University, where he has taught “Legal Issues in
Building Construction” for more than fifteen years. He contributes to the field as a co-author of
“Construction Law,” Second Edition (American Bar Association, 2019), and as a frequent speaker for
ASCE, ACEC, AIA, PANYNJ, and the New York City Bar Association, as well as a contributor to the
New Jersey Law Journal.
He serves as General Counsel to the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey, is
Vice-Chair of the Glen Ridge Planning Board, and previously served as a member and pro bono legal
counsel to the Glen Ridge Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Education
Rutgers School of Law, Newark, J.D.
Rutgers College of Engineering, B.S.C.E.
Admissions
New Jersey
New York
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
