RB PIERCE

A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION

949.244.9367

Focusing on Commercial Construction, Employment, and Business Law

practice_areas

PRACTICE

AREAS

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Representing general engineering contractors and other project parties concerning contracts and conflicts

Providing legal representation in lawsuits, mediation, and arbitration regarding construction, employment, business, and contract matters

EMPLOYMENT

Advising business owners, executives, and human resource managers concerning issues with employees and regulatory compliance

BUSINESS & CONTRACTS

Counseling businesses and drafting contract provisions to guide relationships and avoid disagreements

CONSTRUCTION

FIRM PROFILE

RB PIERCE, A Professional Law Corporation, means business. RB PIERCE, APLC delivers practical solutions to support businesses—not elaborate legal procedures to impress other attorneys.

After practicing law across California in firms both big and small, international and local, Ronald B. Pierce formed RB PIERCE, APLC, in 2010. RB PIERCE, APLC draws on Ron’s four decades of experience to navigate construction, employment, and commercial contract issues and disputes, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

RB PIERCE, APLC specializes in representing contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in construction disputes and contracts. In particular, Ron has significant experience with complex construction disputes, including mechanics lien, stop payment notice, surety bond, delay, impact, disruption, inefficiency, extra work, differing site conditions, bid protests, subcontractor substitutions, terminations, collections, and other construction claims and lawsuits.

RB PIERCE, APLC also represents all manner of businesses in disputes with employees, lessors, vendors, buyers, suppliers, subcontractors, owners, creditors, debtors, lenders, and other contract parties. For instance, Ron frequently represents corporate management in employment disputes and individuals and businesses in conflicts with partners, tenants, and other parties to business and commercial contracts.

RB PIERCE, APLC’s practice encompasses Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Kern, and Ventura counties. The firm’s office is located in Brea, California, convenient to courts throughout Southern California. The Brea Bowl was the site of the October 31, 1924, barnstorming baseball tour featuring New York Yankee slugger, Babe Ruth, and local pitching sensation, Walter “The Train” Johnson. Johnson grew up in Olinda, a neighborhood adjoining Brea. Both players have been elected into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

RB PIERCE, APLC, aims to provide creative, aggressive, efficient, economic, and responsive service to its clients—in other words, “bang for the buck.” Firm rates are loosely based upon The Economist’s Big Mac Index. RB PIERCE, APLC, is committed to the best interests of its clients and the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness inherent in solo practice.

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SAMPLE MATTERS

In a jury trial in Riverside County Superior Court concerning a cast-in-drill-hole wet pile project, Ron secured a judgment of nonsuit for a contractor after close of all evidence, including a concrete material supplier’s case.

Ron counseled clients and negotiated settlements for employers regarding prevailing wage, wage and hour, bonus, discrimination, and retaliation claims and litigation, resulting in favorable settlements for clients before trial.

In a court trial in San Diego County Superior Court, Ron attained a judgment that confirming his client’s lien against real property.

Ron defended a contractor against allegations of cost overrun, defective work, and delay claims in connection with a renovation project at Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX airport in Los Angeles. Ron obtained a favorable settlement for his client before trial.

Ron defended a contractor against alleged False Claim Act violations arising from set-aside requirements on an enlisted personnel housing project at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, resulting in a favorable settlement for the contractor before trial.

Ron prosecuted mechanics lien and payment bond claims arising from a national developer’s bankruptcy on a private project in San Clemente. RB PIERCE, APLC collected approximately $4.8 million, including the principal, prompt payment penalties, pre-judgment interest, and attorneys’ fees for his client before trial.

Ron prosecuted a contractor’s stop payment notice rights against a construction lender, winning an appeal to affirm favorable trial court judgment and collect the principal, pre-judgment interest, and attorneys’ fees for his client.

Ron resolved numerous contractor payment disputes on Caltrans highway, street and roadway, bridge, hotel, resort, restaurant, medical and nursing facility, reservoir, water distribution, and purification projects for clients through negotiations, litigation, and mediation.

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In a jury trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Ron's efforts resulted in judgment for specific performance for his client, a majority shareholder, to buy all shares of stock in a closely-held manufacturing company and defeat of a minority shareholder’s claims of breach of fiduciary duty.

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ATTORNEY PROFILE

RONALD B. PIERCE

PRESIDENT

Ronald B. Pierce has practiced law in private law firms in Southern California for over four decades.

For over 30 years, Martindale-Hubbell has recognized Ron as AV Preeminent. The AV Preeminent Rating is awarded to attorneys of the highest legal ability, communication skills, and ethical standards; the endorsement is earned through a strenuous peer review process based upon confidential evaluations from fellow attorneys and judges. Only 10% of all attorneys are rated AV Preeminent. In addition, Martindale-Hubbell deems Ron a top-rated lawyer in construction law and employment law; while Avvo deems Ron’s legal background superb.

Born and raised in Southern California, Ron spent his youth in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, collecting the “God and Country” award, attending national leadership training at Philmont Ranch, and earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

He graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley, as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. While attending UCLA School of Law, he competed in the Moot Court Honors Program.

After graduation, Ron began his practice in “dirt law” in Bishop, California, where he concentrated largely on construction issues in Mammoth Lakes, a growing ski resort. In the early 1980s, Ron joined a boutique construction law firm on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles; a few years later, he was the first attorney to transfer to the firm’s Orange County, California office.

In the 1990s, Ron joined an international law firm that grew to nearly 400 attorneys during his tenure. He founded the firm’s Southern California construction practice, became an equity partner, and supervised the work of a half-dozen attorneys. In the 2000s, Ron represented the Southern California and San Diego business units of one of the nation’s largest general building contractors.

Since 2010, Ron has served as general counsel for a long-standing Southern California engineering and transportation infrastructure contractor. As an independent practitioner, he has served as employment legal counsel for many companies—including a construction company and a United States affiliate of a prominent, Asian vehicle manufacturer—with hundreds of employees each.

For more than 30 years, Ron has been a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Christian Legal Society. He is also an active member of the Associated General Contractors of California’s Legal Advisory Committee.

On a personal note, Ron has been married for over 40 years and has three adult children. He bleeds Cal Bears’, UCLA Bruins’, and Los Angeles Dodgers’ Blue. He drinks coffee that he brews at home.

publications

PUBLICATIONS

Pierce, Ronald. “Construction Loan Proceeds Are for Contractors—Not for Lenders to Help Themselves." California Constructor, May/June 2014.

Pierce, Ronald. “I Am Certain That It Is In Here Somewhere, I think, Maybe, I Hope So: Certainty in Contract Terms.” 11 July 2011. Caveat Contractor (“Contractor Beware”): Lessons in the Law.

Pierce, Ronald. “In or Out: What’s a Mechanic’s Lien, Stop Payment Notice or Payment Bond Claim All About in Construction?” California Constructor, May/June 2013.

Pierce, Ronald. “Incompleteness Is Not Bliss: Owners Implied Warrant That Plans Are Adequate.” 2011. Caveat Contractor (“Contractor Beware”): Lessons in the Law.

Pierce, Ronald. “Joint Check Torts (and Other Just Deserts).” California Constructor, May/June 2012.

Pierce, Ronald. “Leave Me Alone So I Can Do My Work: Owner Interference with Contractor.” 15 July 2011. Caveat Contractor (“Contractor Beware”): Lessons in the Law.

Pierce, Ronald. “Liar, Liar, Price Now Higher: When a Public Entity Knowingly Misrepresents Cost Factors.” 2011. Caveat Contractor (“Contractor Beware”): Lessons in the Law.

Pierce, Ronald. “When Change Orders are Not: Who Dictates What?” 19 July 2011. Caveat Contractor (“Contractor Beware”): Lessons in the Law.

Pierce, Ronald. “Written Contracts Modified Orally: Constructive Change.” 19 July 2011. Caveat Contractor (“Contractor Beware”): Lessons in the Law.