John Foust

John Foust

Partner

e: jfoust@rallsgruber.com
p: 415-971-9181

Boston College Law School
J.D. 2001
Magna Cum Laude
–Order of the Coif
–Managing Editor, Boston College Law Review

University of New Mexico
B.A. 1994, General Honors

McGill University

 

Jones Day
Partner, 2011-2015

Howrey LLP
Partner, 2010-2011
Senior Associate, 2008-2010

Thelen LLP
Associate, 2002-2008
Summer Associate, 2000

U.S. District Court (D. Mass.)
Law Clerk to Hon. Edward F. Harrington (2001–2002)

California

New Mexico

Nevada

Editor-in-Chief of The Construction Lawyer, a scholarly law journal published by the American Bar Association.

Immediate Past Chair of the International Construction Division of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law.

Ranked in: Chambers Guide (Construction, CA); The International Who’s Who of Construction Lawyers; Legal 500 US (Construction and Real Estate Law); Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2009-Present; LMG ExpertGuide (Rising Star)

John is a Chambers-ranked lawyer with an international practice specializing in complex disputes involving construction, energy, and technology.

  • International disputes.  John represents contractors, developers, energy companies, and technology companies in international disputes.  This includes acting as lead counsel in international arbitrations, as well as helping coordinate and manage the work of local counsel when litigation is threatened or initiated in foreign courts.
  • Domestic construction claims.  Domestically, John represents owners and contractors in the prosecution and defense of all manner of contract disputes, including schedule claims, payment claims, change-order and extra-work claims, as well as defective-work claims and post-completion warranty claims.  He has litigated construction cases in state court, federal court, and before arbitration tribunals in California, Nevada, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Hong Kong, and Dubai. 
  • Construction contract crafting & review.  John drafts and negotiates contracts for construction projects, including construction contracts, architecture and engineering agreements, material purchase agreements, guarantees, master development agreements, joint venture agreements, and others.

John frequently writes and lectures on issues involving international disputes.  He is the former Chair of the International Division of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law and the former Editor-in-Chief of the scholarly law journal, The Construction Lawyer.  He has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers USAInternational Who’s Who of Construction Lawyers, SuperLawyers, Legal 500, the LMG ExpertGuide.

Prior to joining Ralls Gruber & Niece, John was a partner at the law firms of Jones Day and Howrey LLP.  He clerked for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Hon. Edward F. Harrington).