Matthew C. Addison

McDonald Carano has been an active participant in shaping Nevada’s construction industry for decades. We serve the transaction and litigation needs of state, regional, national, and international clients involved in private and public works projects throughout Nevada.

Owners, developers, investors, design professionals, general contractors, engineering professionals, subcontractors and suppliers all turn to us to ensure that their construction projects remain viable and successful. Our team has experience resolving every type of construction dispute and litigation matter. Our experience ranges from pre-construction counseling and negotiation to mediation, arbitration, litigation, trial and, when necessary, appeal. We have handled countless construction cases before state and federal courts and state and federal administrative agencies. Our deep bench of experience allows us to ably navigate and overcome even the most problematic and potentially expensive construction challenges.

McDonald Carano understands the construction industry, construction companies and construction projects, including the unique aspects of building in Nevada. By identifying potential obstacles early on, our construction attorneys work with clients to assess and mitigate risk and potential claims. We have been known to favorably resolve even the most hotly contested disputes outside of court and with minimal delay and expense.

We also provide clients with helpful resources, including educational seminars, to help train their employees and maintain a knowledgeable workforce. For example, we annually provide seminars for members of the Associated General Contractors of Nevada titled “Nevada Mechanic’s Lien Law Seminar,” “Nevada Prompt Pay Act,” “Key Contract Terms,” and “Legislative Recap: New Laws that May Impact Your Business.” We are also the annual updates author for “Construction Laws and Customs: Nevada State Q&A,” a Thomson Reuters Practical Law publication. McDonald Carano is an annual premier level sponsor of the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors (for which we serve as outside general counsel) and we both sponsor and donate to the fundraising activities of the Construction Leadership Council.

Highlights and special qualifications of our Construction Law & Litigation team include:

Matt Addison, Managing Partner of our Reno office and Co-Chair of our Construction Law & Litigation Practice, has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Nevada State Contractors Board. Matt has earned two Lawyer of the Year awards in Construction Litigation (2024, 2016) and a Lawyer of the Year award in Construction Law (2025) from The Best Lawyers in America.

George Ogilvie, Managing Partner of McDonald Carano and our Las Vegas office, is ranked in the highest Band 1 category in Construction Litigation in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He has received two Lawyer of the Year awards in Construction Law (2024, 2020) and a Lawyer of the Year award in Construction Litigation (2019) from The Best Lawyers in America. In Vegas Inc. magazine’s list of “Top Lawyers,” George is the only lawyer listed in Construction Law in 2024 and 2022, and one of only two in 2023.

Phil Mannelly, a Partner in our Reno office and Co-Chair of our Construction Law & Litigation Practice, serves as outside general counsel to the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors. He also is a gubernatorial appointee to the Public Works Board for the State of Nevada. Phil is the annual updates author for “Construction Laws and Customs: Nevada State Q&A,” a Thomson Reuters Practical Law publication.

Our team has advised on and resolved issues pertaining to the full array of construction law and construction litigation matters and claims:

• Bid protests and disputes
• Change orders and extra work claims
• Contract drafting and negotiation
• Construction contract disputes
• Construction management issues
• Construction manager at risk (CMAR) projects
• Defective construction claims
• Delay damage claims
• Design-build projects
• Loss of productivity and impact damage claims
• Payment disputes, including mechanic’s lien and bond claims
• Prompt pay claims
• Stop work procedures
• Termination of contracts
• Unforeseen circumstances, or differing site condition claims

McDonald Carano was founded in Reno in 1949 and has grown to 60 attorneys and government affairs professionals serving Nevada, national, and international clients from offices in Reno, Las Vegas, and Carson City. McDonald Carano was created, built, and sustained by attorneys and employees who are true Nevadans with long histories of multigenerational ties to Nevada. We celebrated our 75th Anniversary in 2024. McDonald Carano is the only full-service statewide law firm that remains from the pioneering Nevada firms that established our State’s legal community. McDonald Carano embodies Nevada’s “Battle Born” character as we proudly continue to thrive as an independent Nevada law firm.

McDonald Carano provides transactional, litigation, regulatory, and government affairs services to startups, corporations, private companies, trade associations, nonprofits, public entities, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices with interests throughout Nevada. McDonald Carano’s reputation as the go-to law firm in Nevada is underscored by being the only Nevada firm in Meritas and State Law Resources. Combining Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and Chambers High Net Worth Guide, McDonald Carano has the most Band 1 ranked lawyers, most Band 1 ranked practice groups, most practice groups with a Band 1 ranked lawyer, most practice groups ranked overall, and most lawyer rankings overall than any firm in Nevada.

Putting clients first—and delivering innovative, pragmatic solutions—is at the heart of what we do. Whether navigating transactions, litigation, or legislation, we guide clients through every challenge and opportunity that comes their way.

At a Glance

McDonald Carano has helped shape Nevada’s legal, business and government landscape since our founding in 1949. With lawyers and government affairs professionals in offices in Reno, Las Vegas, and Carson City, we are positioned to help our clients achieve success throughout the State. Our talented and highly qualified professionals have unparalleled ability to handle any client’s needs while providing personalized service. We are known for getting to yes because of the relationships and trust we have cultivated over decades of practice. Entrepreneurial thinking is at the heart of our full-service law practice and creativity makes up our institutional DNA. Our clients consistently value McDonald Carano’s longevity, reliability, commitment and practicality. Our comprehensive legal expertise; our government affairs, lobbying and advocacy experience; and our specialized industry knowledge give our clients the confidence they need to retain us again and again.

Who We Serve

We represent startups, corporations, trade associations, non-profit organizations, government entities, investors, and public-private partnerships throughout Nevada. We represent Fortune 500 companies, global law firms whose clients have interests in Nevada, entrepreneurs and pioneering businesses, and companies expanding and relocating to Nevada. We have experience serving clients in nearly every sector of the economy, including entertainment, gaming, lodging, construction, real estate, housing, finance, insurance, technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, telecommunications, industrial, manufacturing, utilities, power, renewable energy, transportation, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, tourism, and more. Our clients also include high-net-worth individuals seeking to protect their hard-earned wealth under Nevada’s favorable tax laws, as well as entrepreneurs and investors focused on maximizing their stake in Nevada’s business-friendly economic and regulatory climate.

Nevada Connection

We help clients access Nevada. McDonald Carano means instant state-wide name recognition. We know Nevada law and government, the Nevada courts, and Nevada’s regulatory and economic development process inside and out, saving clients time and resources. Our history is grounded not only in outstanding legal counsel and formidable advocacy, but also in the continuous cultivation of access to local, state and federal government institutions and officials, business leaders, and community stewards. We integrate government affairs and the practice of law so that our clients are afforded solutions on any level and in any venue. Nevada, national and international businesses rely on and benefit from the depth and breadth we deliver throughout Nevada – and the real time speed of our advice and counsel. Clients appreciate that we are highly regarded, well-received and trusted by members of the legal, business and government communities because of our reputation for integrity. We frequently partner with some of the world’s largest law firms that regularly select McDonald Carano to represent their clients when Nevada counsel is required. These firms respect our ability to deliver excellent legal counsel and they appreciate knowing we will care for their clients as if they were our own, without appropriating them.