NASBP is pleased to announce an addition to the NASBP Attorney Advisory Council (AAC). NASBP welcomes Ali Salamirad of SMTD Law LLP in Irvine, California to the AAC. He joins the other attorneys currently serving on the NASBP AAC: Jonathan Bondy of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC; Timothy Heffernan of Watt Tieder; Todd Regan of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP; David Robbins Jenner & Block LLP; Chad L. Schexnayder of Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod; Gregory R. Veal of Bovis, Kyle, Burch & Medlin, LLC; Scott Walters of Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP; Michael C. Zisa of Peckar & Abramson P.C.

Ali Salamirad, founding partner of SMTD Law LLP, is a recognized leader in construction and surety law. He is ranked by the prestigious Chambers and Partners for his excellence in construction law, reflecting his deep industry expertise and commitment to client success. Many of the nation’s leading general and specialty contractors and sureties trust Salamirad’s guidance and counsel when dealing with the myriad of issues that arise in the construction and related industries. Salamirad is widely recognized for his ability to assist clients when dealing with distressed private development and public works projects.

He has successfully handled a wide range of cases including bid protests, subcontractor substitution hearings, labor productivity/inefficiency claims, extra work or change order disputes, delay and acceleration claims, differing site condition claims, adversary proceedings in bankruptcy, competing creditor claims, default terminations, takeover and completion efforts, and structuring multi-million dollar financing deals for sureties and their distressed contractors. He can be reached at as@smtdlaw.com or 949.537.3813.

In November Marilyn Klinger of SMTD Law, who was an esteemed and dedicated participant on the AAC, announced her retirement from the Council, as she is retiring into the neutral world to help the parties to construction projects resolve their disputes either through mediation or arbitration. We at NASBP thank her for sharing with NASBP her 45-plus years of experience and knowledge for the benefit of our members and the public, and we wish her all the best in the neutral world!

The AAC, inaugurated by NASBP in 2015, is comprised of distinguished attorneys with broad and deep knowledge and experience in various relevant sectors of the industry, including contract and commercial surety, construction, and/or government contracts. The mission statement for the AAC states as follows:

The NASBP Attorney Advisory Council is constituted for the purpose of serving as a resource team to NASBP and providing substantive content to NASBP for articles, programs, and presentations on surety, government contracts, and construction law topics for the betterment of the surety industry.

The Council participants serve as valuable resources to NASBP, providing outstanding informational content for various articles, virtual seminars, podcasts, and in-person presentations.