Rob did a wonderful job advising and helping us with our case. From the very first call he helped to set our expectations and guide us through the process. He laid out options as we went and helped us feel like partners instead of just another client – describing things in a way that we could understand. He and his team were fast, efficient, and thorough – I’d highly recommend him to anyone in the unfortunate position of having to deal with construction defects.
~ Washington single family home owner
ROB WILKINSON
Rob Wilkinson is a construction attorney with almost 25 years of experience handling construction defect and property damage claims. He has successfully prosecuted construction defect claims for the owners of single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, hotels, retirement centers, municipal and school district properties, and commercial buildings.
In addition to construction defect claims, Rob drafts and negotiates construction and design contracts, and handles disputes that may arise during the course of construction.
Rob has written articles on construction law and is a frequent speaker on construction topics. He serves as an arbitrator with the Arbitration Service of Portland. He is a member of the Construction Sections of the Oregon State Bar and the American Bar Association, the Inns of Court, and the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, where he serves on the Publication Committee. He is also a member of Community Association Institute’s Education Committee and the Multnomah Bar Association’s Solo and Small Firm Committee. Rob devotes volunteer time to Legal Aid Services of Oregon, representing victims of domestic violence in contested restraining order hearings. Rob has been on the Oregon Super Lawyers list annually going back to 2015, and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2018.
Rob got his start in construction during college, working for a small general contractor. After college, Rob was in the U.S. Peace Corps in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and then worked in New Mexico with at-risk youth. Rob graduated from the University of Oregon Law School and followed that with a clerkship for a federal judge in Portland. Rob then worked for almost 22 years in construction law at the Ball Janik law firm. In January 2023, Rob and Nels Vulin established Vulin Wilkinson LLC, focusing on construction and construction defect matters. Rob lives with his family in Portland.
EDUCATION
- J.D., 1999
- University of Oregon School of Law, Eugene, Oregon
- Articles Editor, Oregon Law Review
- B.A., American History
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
ADMISSIONS
- Oregon
- Washington
- Utah and Idaho (inactive status)
HONORS
- The Best Lawyers in America list since 2018
- Oregon Super Lawyers list since 2015
- 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- 2005 Pro Bono Award of Merit, Multnomah Bar Association
- “OP-ED: Tips to Help Avoid Costly Construction Problems”, the Daily Journal of Commerce, September 2022
- “How COVID Could Worsen the U.S. Construction Defect Crisis”, Law360, June 2021
- “Construction Defects” Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Magazine, Spring 2021
- “Contested Restraining Order Hearings” Oregon Trial Lawyers Association Magazine, Spring 2020
- “Construction problems and solutions: Tips on prevention and treatment for the property owner and manager”, Multifamily NW Spectrum Conference, September 15th, 2022
- “Ongoing Maintenance/Repairs & Construction/Getting your Money Back”, Multifamily NW Maintenance Conference, May 12th, 2022
- “Laying the Foundation for a Successful Construction Project”, Oregon School Board Association, April 2022
- “Top 10 Things School Attorneys Should Know About Public Contracting” Council of School Attorneys, November 2021
- “Working With Experts” Multnomah Bar Association, October 2021
- “When You Suspect Failures in Construction or Repairs” Multifamily NW Spectrum Conference, September 2021
- CAI OR: COVID-19 & Your Community, April 2021
- Recurring Maintenance Costs May Mean Defective Construction, Oregon Association of School Business Officials, April 2021
- Recurring Maintenance Costs May Mean Defective Construction, Oregon Association of School Business Officials, November 2020
- Bonds, Ballots, and Buildings, Oregon School Boards Association, February 2020
Rob did a wonderful job advising and helping us with our case. From the very first call he helped to set our expectations and guide us through the process. He laid out options as we went and helped us feel like partners instead of just another client – describing things in a way that we could understand. He and his team were fast, efficient, and thorough – I’d highly recommend him to anyone in the unfortunate position of having to deal with construction defects.
~ Washington single family home owner
We are not litigious people and never imagined we would need to employ the services of an attorney. But, life happens, and in every way, shape, and form, from our very first meeting, Rob served as our grounding and guiding lighthouse during a sudden and completely unforeseen tempest that threatened to capsize our hopes and dreams. His calm and reassuring demeanor, clear understanding of the law and how to successfully navigate legal proceedings, and obvious productive relationships with relative parties saved us from an unmarked cliff of sure financial ruin.
~ Oregon single family owner