Cockriel & Christofferson, LLC

Construction work since 1997

Based in St. Louis, Cockriel & Christofferson, LLC works with clients in Missouri and Illinois. The firm has represented parties involved in building and construction matters since 1997. Its stated practice areas are construction law, construction litigation, business law and business litigation.

The construction work covers payment disputes, project delays, defective work and change orders. The firm also handles mechanic's liens and payment and performance bond claims. These matters can involve contract terms, project records, statutory requirements and questions about the quality or timing of work.

Claim size and dispute setting

The firm reports handling claims valued at $500 as well as claims exceeding $100 million. That span includes disputes with very different document loads, financial stakes and procedural demands. The reported figures describe claim values, though the website gives no case results or settlement amounts.

As a reviewer, the clearest feature is the sustained concentration on construction disputes. The website identifies both legal advice and litigation within that field. It also names the issues and types of parties that make up the firm's work.

Clients across the construction process

Contractors, construction managers, subcontractors and suppliers appear among the firm's clients. The list also includes architects, engineers, land surveyors and other design professionals. Cockriel & Christofferson also represents sureties, insurers, owners, developers, lenders and title companies.

These participants hold different roles on a project. Owners and developers often focus on scope, schedule, financing and completed work. Contractors and subcontractors may face questions about payment, changes, delays and performance, while design professionals may deal with plans, specifications and claimed defects.

Documents that often shape a claim

Construction disputes generally depend on a detailed written record. Contracts, drawings, specifications, invoices, schedules, daily reports and correspondence can define each party's position. Change order disputes may also require a close review of authorization, notice, pricing and the effect on project time.

Defect cases often examine the agreed scope and the condition of the finished work. Project photographs, inspection records, testing material and technical opinions may become relevant. Delay claims commonly require schedules, progress records and communications about events that affected completion.

Liens, bonds and payment rights

The firm's named services include mechanic's liens and bond claims. These remedies can give construction participants added routes for seeking payment. Each route follows its own legal requirements and deadlines.

Mechanic's lien matters

A mechanic's lien claim generally connects unpaid construction work or materials to the improved property. Courts may consider the contract, invoices, notices, filing dates, property description and proof of the work. Missouri and Illinois apply their own statutes, so the governing state can shape the required steps.

Lien disputes may involve the amount due, the timeliness of a filing or the legal sufficiency of a notice. Owners, lenders and title companies can also have an interest because a recorded lien may affect title or financing. The firm's client list includes participants on each side of those issues.

Payment and performance bonds

Payment bonds generally address unpaid labor or materials on a bonded project. Performance bonds concern a contractor's performance of covered obligations. Bond language, notice provisions, project records and the underlying construction contract can affect the claim.

Sureties appear in the firm's stated client base, along with contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. That client mix connects directly to the bond work named on the website. The firm also identifies insurance companies among the entities it represents.

Courts and private dispute resolution

The attorneys have worked in Missouri and Illinois state courts, federal court, private mediation and arbitration. These forums use different procedures and place decisions in different hands. Judges decide court motions and trials, arbitrators decide private claims submitted under an arbitration agreement, and mediators help parties assess possible resolution terms.

Litigation procedure

Construction litigation usually begins with pleadings that identify the claims, defenses and requested relief. The parties may then exchange contracts, project files, payment records and written testimony through discovery. Motion practice can address legal issues before a trial or hearing.

Federal and state courts also apply separate procedural rules. Jurisdiction, contract clauses and the identities of the parties may affect where a case proceeds. The firm's stated experience covers courts in both states it names as its service area.

Mediation and arbitration

Mediation gives the parties a private setting for settlement discussions with a neutral mediator. The parties retain control over whether they accept an agreement. Construction mediation often draws on contracts, schedules, cost records and assessments of disputed work.

Arbitration places the decision with one or more arbitrators. The contract may set the forum, selection process and scope of issues. Cockriel & Christofferson identifies both mediation and arbitration as settings in which its attorneys have handled construction matters.

Business law and business litigation

The website lists business law and business litigation alongside the construction practices. This pairing is relevant because building projects rely on commercial contracts and relationships among several businesses. A construction dispute may involve both industry rules and ordinary contract principles.

Business litigation generally requires a clear account of the agreement, each party's conduct and the claimed financial effect. Contracts, amendments, correspondence, corporate records and payment documents may shape that account. Pleadings and discovery then define which factual and legal issues require a decision.

The firm's stated business work sits beside its representation of developers, lenders, insurers and title companies. Each of those clients may encounter commercial questions tied to construction activity. The website identifies business litigation as a distinct practice area without attaching specific results to it.

Three members and their professional recognition

The website names three attorneys as members: Steven M. Cockriel, Philip J. Christofferson and Michael J. Rolwes. Cockriel is the managing partner. The team description is concise and keeps the focus on the three named lawyers.

Steven M. Cockriel

The firm lists Cockriel's memberships in QEBH, Order of the Woolsack, Tau Beta Pi, Chi Epsilon and Mortar Board.It states that a national lawyer-ranking publication has listed him since 2007.The legal-ranking publication named him St. Louis Lawyer of the Year for Construction Law in 2022 and for Litigation-Construction in 2012 and 2018.

Philip J. Christofferson and Michael J. Rolwes

Philip J.Christofferson has appeared in a U.S. lawyer-recognition publication since 2010, according to the firm.A legal-ranking publication named him St. Louis Lawyer of the Year for Construction Law in 2013 and Litigation-Construction in 2015. He is a member of the firm.

Michael J. Rolwes is also a member. The website states that Super Lawyers named him a Missouri and Kansas Rising Star in Construction Law for each year between 2011 and 2018.