Prominent Hartford Construction Litigator Leslie P. King Joins Carlton Fields
King Made a Triple Play in Litigation Victories for the City of Harford in Baseball Park Disputes
Hartford, Conn. – Carlton Fields is pleased to announce that prominent construction litigator Leslie P. King has joined the firm as a shareholder in its Hartford office. Notably, she scored high-profile victories on behalf of the city of Hartford in disputes involving its minor league baseball stadium. King was previously a partner at Murtha Cullina.
“Leslie is a skilled litigator with a track record of securing significant trial and appellate wins for property owners and design professionals,” said Wm. Cary Wright, who chairs Carlton Fields’ Construction Practice. “Her addition enhances our construction group's position at the top of the field and greatly complements our team’s knowledge and depth to handle any construction issue that our clients bring to us. We are thrilled to have her on our team.”
With the addition of King, Carlton Fields continues the expansion of its nationally recognized Construction Practice, which has added 11 attorneys in the past 12 months. The firm provides a full suite of legal services on all aspects of construction, including construction planning and development, litigation and dispute resolution, and government contracting. Carlton Fields ranked No. 16 nationally on Construction Executive's 2019 "Top 50 Construction Law Firms" list. The firm’s construction litigation team earned national first-tier rankings in the 2020 U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms guide.
“Carlton Fields has a robust construction practice that is diverse in all senses of the word, including geography and areas of focus,” King said. “I’m excited to work with such a strong group of attorneys dedicated to construction law.”
King represents residential and commercial property owners in construction disputes and litigation, and she provides contract drafting and negotiation services. King also has extensive experience representing design professionals, including architects, engineers, landscape architects, and interior designers. She has handled numerous mediations, arbitrations, and litigation matters in state, federal, and tribal court, as well as many significant appeals.
King served as lead attorney for the city of Hartford for all disputes arising out of the construction of a minor league baseball stadium, including the termination of the contractor and negotiation of a takeover agreement with the surety. The surety completed the project at no additional cost to taxpayers. King also won a high-profile jury verdict on behalf of the city after a contentious five-week trial in 2019 in which the fired developer sought $90 million for an alleged wrongful termination. Not only did the jury find no wrongful termination, it also awarded liquidated damages to the city. King continues to represent Hartford in the appeal arising out of the baseball park litigation.
“Leslie’s clients have praised her as a tenacious trial lawyer and a skilled tactician,” said Frank A. Appicelli, Carlton Fields’ Hartford office managing shareholder. “She is a significant strategic addition to our strong team serving our clients’ construction and real estate needs in Hartford.”
King regularly presents at the American Institute of Architects Connecticut chapter on legal issues affecting design professionals, and she has lectured at the Yale School of Architecture’s professional practices seminar. She is a member of the board of trustees of Preservation Connecticut, which is dedicated to preserving the state’s historic architecture and neighborhoods. King is also a member of the Grace Farms Foundation Architecture and Construction Working Group, which is working to raise awareness of forced labor in construction supply chains around the world.
King earned her J.D. from the University of Arizona College of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from Wellesley College.
