In her over 20 years as a litigator, Adrianne Chillemi has guided her clients to successful, cost-effective resolution of high-stakes disputes at the trial and appellate levels, in mediation, and in arbitration. Adrianne’s substantial litigation experience also informs her role as a strategic business advisor outside the context of formal dispute resolution proceedings. Adrianne understands the risks involved when construction projects (and business relations in general) go sideways. This understanding of risk makes her a valued asset to her architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC/EPC) industry clients as they draft and negotiate their contracts and as they navigate the waters of troubled construction projects.
Adrianne’s extensive knowledge of standard industry form contracts (AIA, EJCDC, ConsensusDocs, DBIA) and her thorough familiarity with the construction phase — from subsurface evaluation, to notice to proceed, and through final completion — enable her clients to appropriately allocate risk in their contracts, to manage risk as construction proceeds, and to resolve disputes in manners that make sound business sense.
Adrianne has built long-term, trusting relationships with clients who rely on her proactive and pragmatic approach combined with her meticulous attention to detail.
Adrianne’s construction industry clients include developers, owners, homebuilders, architects, engineers, municipal entities, general contractors, specialty contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. She advises clients on their needs in the construction industry, including choice of procurement method; bidding; contracts; construction defects and warranty; payment disputes, liens, and bonds; change orders; personal injury and wrongful death in the construction arena; delay, disruption, and acceleration claims; and state and local government contracting procedures.
Adrianne also represents clients in complex commercial litigation outside of the construction industry and is certified as a Superior Court mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. In every case, she works to understand the needs and goals of the parties involved, assess their exposure, and develop and execute sound resolution strategies based on those unique factors.
Adrianne has served in leadership roles in the Charlotte community, including as secretary of the board of directors of Envision Charlotte, a public-private collaborative focused on sustainability and economic competitiveness. The Mecklenburg Times has recognized her as one of the area’s 50 most influential women.
Adrianne is a North Carolina native who earned her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the former as a Morehead Scholar. Outside of work, she enjoys watching her 15-year-old son’s football and rugby teams and her 11-year-old daughter in competitive cheer.