Attorney and mediator William D. Clifford, Esq. brings over 40 years of construction law experience to every mediation — delivering faster, less costly resolution than litigation.
William D. Clifford, Esq. has been a Shareholder and Director at a leading regional law firm since 1984, where his practice centers on the drafting, negotiation, litigation, and mediation of construction and surety claims.
"The secret to resolution is persistence and creativity — and never giving up without using every available tool."
Having represented owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, developers, public agencies, design professionals, and sureties throughout his career, Bill understands every seat at the table. He served as Adjunct Professor of Construction Law at Duquesne University School of Law from 2003 through 2019, and has mediated over 150 construction cases.
Bill is proficient with remote mediation via Zoom and Microsoft Teams and welcomes parties across Pennsylvania and beyond.
Bill's process is structured for efficiency and thoroughness — designed to surface all key issues and push toward durable resolution.
Parties submit and exchange written statements at least one week before the session. Bill reviews all materials in advance.
Following statement review, Bill conducts confidential telephone conferences with counsel for each party to understand positions and objectives.
A brief joint plenary session is followed by breakout sessions. Parties are guided through the facts and then toward monetary positions and resolution.
Bill will not abandon a mediation without using all available tools — including brackets, mediator proposals, and neutral evaluations — to reach settlement.
Bill has mediated disputes across every phase of construction and every party relationship — from ground-breaking to post-completion litigation.
75 of Bill's 150+ mediated cases involve owner-contractor disputes — covering scope, change orders, payment, and project delivery on projects of every scale.
50 cases spanning scope-of-work disputes, payment and retainage, scheduling conflicts, and back-charge claims between GCs and their subcontractors or suppliers.
Experienced in standard of care disputes, errors and omissions claims, and design-build issues between owners and architects or engineers.
Deep expertise in liquidated damages, schedule impacts, acceleration claims, and inefficiency disputes arising from project delays and disruptions.
Skilled mediation of surety bond claims, insurance coverage disputes, subrogation claims, and surety takeover issues involving sureties, owners, and contractors.
Resolution of unpaid contract balances, mechanic's lien disputes, False Claims Act issues, and ERISA claims — preserving cash flow and business relationships.
Representative project types: Electrical power plants · Highways & bridges · Office buildings · Prisons · Schools · High-tech manufacturing facilities · Large residences · Heavy highway projects
Bill is one of my go to Mediators. I know he will be prepared and work hard to get it done.
Bill is an exceptional mediator who is very effective. He has the knowledge and skill to guide difficult parties to an amicable resolution — a true talent.
I met Bill as an adverse party to a construction dispute nearly 20 years ago. Seeing his skills as an advocate, I was happy when he offered mediation services. Bill has aided in getting several matters resolved. Bill stays with it until he can drive the parties to overlap.
Bill's name is at the top of my list when I need a go-to mediator for difficult disputes. He knows construction and construction law. He extensively prepares. He then conveys seriousness and substance during the mediation process that causes decision makers to respect his views and recommendations. Put simply, Bill's greatest strength is the gravitas he projects as the mediator.
Reach out for a confidential initial consultation. All inquiries are handled with discretion and responded to within one business day.
Your intake form has been received. We will be in touch within one business day to discuss next steps.