2013 Legal Elite profile: Construction Law

Robert K. Cox

Williams Mullen
Tysons Corner

Title: Chair, Construction Practice Group
Other legal specialties: Surety law
Birthplace: Pittsburgh
Education: Cornell University, bachelor’s degree in economics; George Washington University, law degree with honors
Spouse: Terry M. Cox
Children: Kacey M. Cox, Carly S. Cox
Hobbies or pastimes: Reading, “weak game of golf”
First jobs as a lawyer: Lewis, Mitchell & Moore of Vienna
Fan of: Pittsburgh Pirates, Penguins and Steelers
Favorite vacation spot: “Any beach with warm water.”
Recently read books: “The Wife of Martin Guerre” by Janet Lewis; “Hell or Richmond” by Ralph Peters
Career mentors: “Early in my legal career, George E. Mezey Jr. and Stephen R. Isaacson, then two rising project executives from different clients, taught me the business of construction. Through them, I learned the economics, principles and protocols of the players and projects making up the construction industry. By teaching me the construction industry, they made me a better construction lawyer.”

Have low interest rates encouraged your clients to begin new construction projects?
“Low interest rates are but one factor in encouraging new construction and alone cannot kickstart construction spending. For example, one of the largest nonresidential building sectors is educational facilities. Yet, the demands on limited budgets of local and state governments, coupled with diminished tax revenue due to unemployment and lack of new industry growth, when combined with reduced need from limited student population growth, have kept this building sector down despite historically low interest rates.”

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