Leah Rochwarg manages a transactional and dispute resolution practice focused primarily on construction law, real estate, and complex commercial matters. Clients value her creativity and collaboration and her ability to identify and develop goals, engineer solutions, maximize value, and achieve optimal results.
Leah works with developers, investors, corporate real estate departments, and business, legal and risk management teams to advance their interests in the construction and development of real estate. She counsels clients at all stages of construction and development projects, from assisting with the drafting of requests for proposals, through the negotiation of contract documents, to providing project and contract administration assistance and dispute avoidance advice, the preparation and analysis of claims, and dispute resolution.
As project counsel, Leah works on a wide variety of projects including industrial and mixed use development, multifamily housing, hospitality, manufacturing, schools, and build-to-suit leasehold interests. She advises clients throughout the feasibility, development, construction, commissioning, and project close-out phases, counseling clients regarding contract disputes and issues including design and construction services procurement, bid protests, claims for delay/disruption, defective design and construction, payment and performance, payment and performance bond enforcement, insurance disputes, and risk management and conflict avoidance measures.
Leah also represents clients in matters involving government investigations, including allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse. She is a LEED® Accredited Professional.
Before Bowditch
Leah joined Bowditch after more than 15 years as a partner at a global law firm while also serving as an instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA).
Besides Work
Leah enjoys spending time with family and friends (including four-legged ones). She also enjoys gardening, cooking, and painting.
Affiliations
- Charter Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America
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Member, Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts
- Co-Chair, Construction Law Committee, Boston Bar Association
- Member, Development/Construction Law Practice Group, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member, Forum on Construction Law, American Bar Association
- Member, Real Estate Bar Association
- Member, Boston Bar Association
- Member, Women’s Bar Association
- Member, Essex County Bar Association
- Senior Editor and Editorial Board Member, Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Previous
- Energy and Environmental Task Force, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Board Member, National Association of Women in Construction
- Co-Chair, Real Estate Section, Boston Bar Association
- Massachusetts Special Education Surrogate Parent
Honors
- Best Lawyers in America, selected by her peers for inclusion in the field of Construction Law (since 2021) and Litigation Construction (since 2023)
- Go To Construction Lawyer, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2023)
Articles + Talks
- Editor, Construction Law Handbook, Fourth Edition
- “Introducing EJCDCs New CM as Advisor Contract Document Series,” American Bar Association, April 7, 2022 (Speaker)
- “Introduction to Construction Litigation,” Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts, March 24, 2022 (Speaker)
- “Understanding Massachusetts Prompt Pay Act,” Boston Bar Association, June 23, 2021 (Moderator)
Media Mentions
- “Equipment that sat ‘idle’ doesn’t reduce mechanic’s lien” (Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly)
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Florida
- District of Columbia
Education
- J.D., University of Miami School of Law
- B.S.B.A., University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Multinational pharmaceutical companies in the negotiation and drafting of design and construction contracts for the development of laboratory, office and related environments in leading cities in the United States
- National hospitality company in the negotiation and drafting of design and construction contracts for the development and conversion of hotel facilities and energy system upgrades
- National hospitality company in litigation involving the premature failure of a stucco façade system at one of its premier properties in Florida
- Multinational supermarket chain in litigation involving the design and construction of a new store in Texas
- International education company in the negotiation and drafting of contracts relating to its newest Boston office, which serves as home to its approximately 1,000 team members
- Multinational pharmaceutical company in the negotiation and drafting of an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for a new state of the art manufacturing facility
- Publicly traded, Fortune 500 energy company in connection with the construction and development of one of the largest underground electrical substation projects in North America
- Museums, universities and other higher education facility clients in transactional and adversarial matters involving the design and construction of a myriad of projects ranging from multi-million-dollar athletic facilities to utility infrastructure upgrades
- Large developer that acquires and develops high-end multi-family development projects throughout Florida and the Southeast
- Contractor specializing in reverse osmosis in connection with claims arising out of the design and construction of a desalination facility in California
- Large, privately-owned construction company in Florida litigation involving the design and construction of a new elementary school in Puerto Rico
- Vermont municipality in connection with claims arising out of the premature failure of the pre-cast, pre-stressed, concrete plank roofing system of its slow sand water filtration plant
- Public clients in connection with claims arising out of defective design and construction of public schools in Massachusetts
- Claims for defective design and construction against a contractor and architect of multiple public school construction projects in Massachusetts
- Claims involving the construction of a high-end retail and garage space in Boston
- Claims against an engineer and contractor arising out of the premature failure of the pre-cast, pre-stressed, concrete plank roofing system of Vermont municipality’s slow sand water filtration plant
- Claims involving the acquisition and development of various properties
Events + Recordings
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Leah Rochwarg Co-Presented “Introducing EJCDCs New CM as Advisor Contract Document Series” for the American Bar Association (Webinar)
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Leah Rochwarg Co-Presented “Introduction to Construction Litigation” for the Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts (Webinar)
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Leah Rochwarg Moderated “Understanding Massachusetts Prompt Pay Act” (Webinar)
News
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21 Bowditch Attorneys Recognized in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Ten Bowditch Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™
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Leah Rochwarg Selected to Participate in Massachusetts Bar Association’s Development/Construction Law Practice Group
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Press Release: Bowditch Honored with Second Empowering Women Award
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Leah Rochwarg Named Charter Fellow of Construction Lawyers Society of America
Commercial Real Estate Insight & News
Leah Rochwarg Selected to Participate in Massachusetts Bar Association’s Development/Construction Law Practice Group
Leah Rochwarg Named Charter Fellow of Construction Lawyers Society of America
Leah Rochwarg Quoted in “Equipment that sat ‘idle’ doesn’t reduce mechanic’s lien” in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly