Allison Snyder represents companies and individuals in complex construction disputes and business arbitration and litigation. She routinely arbitrates, litigates and mediates claims between owners, contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, suppliers, design professionals and sureties, and drafts and negotiates contracts for those parties.

Allison’s experience includes design and construction disputes involving large public and private commercial, industrial, energy and infrastructure projects, on and offshore oil and gas pipelines and production facilities, petrochemical plants, oil and gas drilling rigs, EPC projects, maritime projects, high rise office towers, hospitals, schools, prisons, highways, toll roads, underground utilities, civil, site work and paving, power plants, water and wastewater treatment facilities, wind energy transmission projects, compressor and turbine failures, cogeneration facilities, vessel failures, railways and numerous other energy and infrastructure projects. 

Her arbitration experience consists of more than 25 years chairing arbitration panels and acting as sole arbitrator in complex construction and commercial disputes. She serves on international and domestic arbitration panels and is an arbitration panel member of several provider organizations including the AAA, the ICDR and the ICC. 

Allison is a Fellow in the American College of Construction Lawyers and the College of Commercial Arbitrators.  She has also served as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Construction Law Section and as Chair of the Houston Bar Association ADR Section.

Honors & Recognitions

Chambers USA, Leading Lawyer in Construction Law and Construction: Alternative Dispute Resolution (Texas)

The Legal 500, Recommended Lawyer in Construction

Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law

Texas Super Lawyers, Construction Litigation - Top 100 Lawyers in Houston, Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas

  • Best Lawyers in America
  • Chambers USA 2022
  • Legal 500 (Use for current year Accolade)

Credentials

Education

J.D., University of Houston Law Center, 1979

B.A., University of Texas at Austin, 1975

Admissions

Texas, 1979

Southern District of Texas, 1985

Northern and Western Districts of Texas, 1990

Eastern District of Texas, 1994

United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit, 1991

Experience

  • Contractors and sureties in prosecuting extra work, delay, and differing site condition claims against various U.S. governmental entities from the Request for Equitable Adjustment through the Board of Contract Appeals.
  • Sureties in numerous takeover scenarios involved in completing multiple public and private projects, including the takeover of a defaulted general contractor on eight public and private projects simultaneously.
  • Subcontractors and contractors in prosecuting payment, extra work, wrongful termination, delay, and differing site conditions claims against municipalities, counties, school districts, and municipal utility districts (MUDS).
  • Subcontractors and suppliers in prosecuting bond and lien claims.
  • Sureties in defending bond and lien claims.
  • Contractors in bid protests against public entities.
  • General contractors in fraud, breach of contract, DTPA and negligence disputes with both owners and subcontractors.
  • Public and private owners in various breach of contract disputes with general contractors.
  • Public and private owners in tort and contract disputes with design professionals.
  • Contractor in construction defect litigation with a Texas municipality involving slab failure and mold claims.
  • Contractor in litigation with a defaulting subcontractor's surety regarding defective work in three power plants.
  • Oil and gas operating company in oil and gas accounting litigation.
  • General contractor against a national supplier/subcontractor in the recovery of a multimillion judgment involving fraud, breach of contract and DTPA claims.
  • Subcontractor in its successful recovery on delay and extra work claims against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Newsroom

News

Publications

Speaking Engagements

Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas, Member
    • Construction Law Section (Chair, 1999-2000; Vice Chair, 1998-1999; Secretary, 1997-1998; Treasurer, 1996-1997; Governing Council, 1993-1999
    • Planning Committee for the Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth and Twenty-Ninth Annual Construction Law Conferences
    • Litigation Section
    • ADR section
  • Houston Bar Association, Member
    • Construction Law Section (Governing Council, 1989-1992, 1996-1997; Chairperson of Section, 1991-1992)
    • ADR Section (Chair, 2016-2017; Chair Elect, 2014-2015; Secretary, 2013-2014; Treasurer, 2012-2013; Governing Council, 2011-2015)
    • Litigation Section
    • Committees: Courts and Courthouse Facilities, 1987-1990; Judicial Liaison 1990-1991; Alternative Dispute Resolution, 1990-1993; Harris County Dispute Resolution Center
  • American Bar Association, Member (Construction Industry Forum; Litigation Section; Torts and Insurance Practice Section; ADR Section)
  • American College of Construction Lawyers, Fellow
  • College of Commercial Arbitrators, Fellow, 2012-present
  • Houston Bar Foundation, Fellow, 1991-present
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow, 1996-present
  • College of the State Bar of Texas, Fellow, 1991-present
  • Garland Walker Inns of Court, Member, 2003-present
  • State Bar of Texas District 4D, Member (Grievance Committee, 1994-1997)
  • Institute for Transnational Arbitration, Member, 2007-present
  • DRI, Member, 2013-present
  • Harris County Dispute Resolution Center

Industry Trade Associations

  • Associated Builders & Contractors, Member, 1994-present (Insurance Task Force, 1996-1997; Contract Language Sub-Committee, 1998; ABC Legal Issues Committee Chair, 2004-2005; ABC Legal Issues Committee, 2002-2009; ABC PAC Committee Trustee, 2002-2006)
  • Associated General Contractors of America, Inc., Member, 1993-present
  • Houston Contractors Association, Member, 1994-present (Education Committee, 2011-2014)
  • Women Contractors Association, 1997-present (Board Member, 2000-2003)
  • National Bond Claims Association, Member, 2000-2003

 Arbitration Associations

  • College of Commercial Arbitrators, Fellow, 2012-present
  • AAA, Mega Panel and Large Complex Case Panel, AAA Regular Panel and ICDR Panel, Member
  • American Arbitration Association, Construction & Commercial Panels of Arbitrators, Member, 1990-present
  • American Arbitration Association Southwest Texas Advisory Council (Construction Law), Member, 1992-1995