Pillsbury today welcomed Clark Thiel as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Section in San Francisco. With significant experience in construction disputes, Thiel bolsters Pillsbury’s capabilities in litigation, mediation, and domestic and international arbitration. Thiel also brings a unique perspective as a licensed contractor and registered architect.

We’re thrilled that Clark has chosen Pillsbury to further develop his practice,” said Pillsbury Chair James Rishwain, Jr. “Our market-leading construction practice has earned tremendous praise in the legal community and with our clients. Clark’s addition will provide us with a more intense and extensive client offering in this area and is part of our ongoing focus on the real estate sector and construction-related litigation, where our client needs will continue to grow.”

As a contractor and architect, Thiel has been involved in all phases of the design and construction of residential and commercial projects, including resort hotels, convention centers, and sports arenas. He also performed on-site construction administration services for large-scale, mixed-use projects throughout the world in places ranging from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Honolulu, Hawaii.

“Clark is a terrific individual and his legal talents will be a strong addition to the firm’s litigation team both in the Bay Area and nationally,” said Kirke Hasson, a leader of Pillsbury’s firmwide Litigation Section. “He is highly regarded by Pillsbury partners who have previously worked with him, and we expect Clark to continue to build his sophisticated, high-impact practice.”

A former partner at Jones Day, he has extensive knowledge of copyright, trademark, and trade secret issues specific to the construction industry. In addition, he has substantial international arbitration experience, having arbitrated cases before the International Chamber of Commerce in London and Geneva and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in Singapore.

“What attracted me to Pillsbury is a firm culture that enables individuals to build their own practices while fostering collaboration and team work,” Thiel added. “I’m also thrilled to get to work with my former colleagues who are now at Pillsbury and are among the best practitioners in our field.”

Thiel earned his law degree from the University of California Davis School of Law in 1997. He has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and is accredited by the National Council of Architect Registration Boards. A frequent speaker and author, Thiel is a contributing author to Construction Checklists, Business & Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts and Construction Defects.