John T. Blankenship

Practicing attorney since 1978, with practice emphasis on construction, real estate, commercial/ business litigation. Majority of practice is in construction law and construction litigation/ arbitration representing general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, sureties, subcontractors, architects, engineers, developers, and owners involving residential and commercial projects. Represents clients in disputes relating to contract claims, construction defect, schedule/delay issues, change orders, scope of work, design defects, Design Build, mechanic's liens, zoning/land use, bonding and financing issues. Significant experience also in real estate, commercial, corporate and business litigation. As business person, principal and/or partner in various residential subdivisions and commercial construction projects, multi-family projects and commercial projects.

AAA panel member since 1988. Member of AAA Master Mediator Panel. Arbitrator (sole and three-member panelist) and mediator on numerous construction and commercial cases including Fast Track, Regular Track and LCCP cases with significant experience chairing panels (e.g. over 100 cases as arbitrator in AAA cases). Arbitration experience includes cases in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Construction projects in dispute include: Convention centers, schools, corrections and judicial facilities, manufacturing plants, health care facilities, churches, recreational facilities, hotels, multi-family and residential. Construction disputes include: contract terms and conditions, change orders/additional work/backcharge claims, delays (delay analysis, critical path, sub-critical path, CPM, Primavera/P3 and other electronic scheduling, etc.) inefficiency, impact and disruption claims, design/construction defects, contract accounting, AIA/standardized contract issues, misrepresentation/fraud/concealment, latent defects, etc. Commercial issues in dispute include: contract terms and conditions, breach of contract, misrepresentation, business valuations, corporate stock valuations, financing agreements, mergers, purchase and sale of business, representations and warranties, legal and professional fees, executive employment compensation/separation. Significant experience in complex and multi-party cases (e.g. 46 party dispute; 18 party dispute; 8 party/consolidated cases dispute requiring multiple discreet hearing segments and 81 total days of hearings).

• University of Tennessee, School of Law (J.D. - 1977);
• Middle Tennessee State University (B.S. - 1973)
• University of Missouri School of Law (LLM - 2008)

ADR Training:
AAA/ICDR Panel Conference, Atlanta, GA, March 2019 (Establishing Respectful ADR Environment, Emotional Intelligence and The Value-Driven Mediator, Consolidating Arbitrations and Joining Parties, Supreme Court Arbitration Law Update); AAA ACE Course--Arbitrator Performance and Demeanor, November 2018; A Valuable Tool for Litigators Seminar, November 2006; Dealing With Delay Tactics In Arbitration, 12/05; Attended AAA Neutrals Conference, Atlanta, 10/04; ACE001 - Arbitration Awards: Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards, Atlanta, 10/04; Arbitrator Update 2004, Atlanta, 10/04; Annual Arbitrator Update 2002; AAA Construction Industry Arbitrator II Training, Nashville, 4/01; attended AAA Mediator Retreat, Denver, 3/00; ADR Applications, Inc., Civil/Commercial Mediation Training, Nashville, 4/97; AAA Construction Industry Arbitrator Training, Nashville, 3/97; AAA Advanced Arbitrator Training, Nashville, 10/93; faculty, Advanced Arbitration Training Program on Application of the Uniform Arbitration Act, Nashville, 10/93; AAA Mediation Training, Nashville, 10/92; multiple other ADR training.

- Tennessee Bar Association (Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution; Professional Standards of Conduct Study Committee, Standing Committee on Ethics and Professionalism, Chairman, Access to Justice Committee);
- Past President of Rutherford/Cannon County Bar Association;
- Hearing Officer, Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility (1993-1997);
- Christian Legal Society;
- Member and Past President, Andrew Jackson American Inn of Court;
- Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel;
- American Arbitration Association;
- Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation;
- College of Commercial Arbitrators.

$450.00 per hour