Comments from the Chair

• Pages: 6-8
• Date: 01 October 2024
• Author: Keith J. Bergeron

Published in The Construction Lawyer Volume 43, Number 4, ©2024 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with

permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any

means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

Forum on Construction LawThe Construction Lawyer Fall 2024

6

By Keith J. Bergeron

Keith J. Bergeron is partner of Deutsch Kerrigan, LLP, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we

listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.”

–Roy T. Bennett

Being nominated and elected to serve you as Forum Chair is truly an honor. Given my firm’s legacy within

the Forum, some may say that this position was my destiny. But those who know me have heard me say

numerous times that things happen for a reason even though we may not understand why yet. Some say

destiny is a hidden power that will control what will happen in the future to each of us. I believe that we

have power over our destiny through the choices we make when presented with opportunities.

Growing up in a middle-class family in the 1970s, I learned the importance of education. I was the

oldest child of a welder/fitter who helped build offshore oil platforms and an administrative assistant to

a principal in public elementary schools. My blue-collar upbringing amid many sacrifices provided me

with a private school education that eventually allowed me to be the first in my family to graduate from

college and some time later law school, becoming my family’s first lawyer. Along the way I worked as

an engineer/project manager for one of the major, integrated oil companies and learned the construction

industry firsthand. No doubt that these opportunities provided me the chance to join Deutsch Kerrigan,

LLP, where I discovered the Forum.

Every Chair who served before me dedicated themselves to achieving certain initiatives to leave the

Forum in a better position for its future leaders. Rising through the ranks of the Young Lawyers Division

taught me the importance of communications and following through on your promises. A few months

ago, Forum leadership attended their annual leadership retreat, where we gathered to plan the upcoming

programs, publications, and other initiatives dedicated to building the best construction lawyers.

During our retreat we focused on communication skills--things normally brushed over in law school

but critical to the success of our volunteer organization. We learned how to lead and the importance of

communicating effectively with every style of communicator. We collaborated in large and small groups to

listen and learn from each other to better serve you.

The Forum’s mission statement describes us as “Building the best construction lawyers.” Having grown

up in movie theaters my entire life and coming of age when trilogies ruled the summer, I use this

terminology—our 2024-2025 Fall, Midwinter, and Annual meetings shine a spotlight on the trilogy of

participants who must work together to deliver amazing projects on time and budget. Every project

requires three main participants working together to be successful—design professionals, owner/

developers, and constructors. Make plans to join us and learn from our industry clients about the

perspectives and viewpoints they bring to the table.

From October 23-25, 2024, we presented a program entitled, “The Built Environment: Drawing on

Design,” at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown in the Steel City for the Forum’s first visit to

this industrial mecca with bridges spanning its famous Three Rivers. This program was the first part

of the ultimate trilogy for construction lawyers and explored the design process from the design team,

COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR