Construction attorney and industry veteran Zack Rippeon joins Adams & Reese

Rippeon brings nearly 30 years of legal and contractor experience to firm’s Atlanta office.

Drawing on nearly three combined decades of legal practice and experience as a construction industry professional, Zack Rippeon joins Adams & Reese as a Partner in the Atlanta office. Rippeon was a Partner with Smith Currie Oles, and before that 12-year tenure, he was with Burr & Forman. Prior to his legal career, Rippeon was a project manager and engineer for construction firms on projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.  

“While many attorneys in the construction industry are knowledgeable in both legal matters and industry practices, Zack is that ideal dual threat who has the direct, shoes-in-the-mud experience combined with years of legal practice,” said Chris Derden, Adams & Reese Construction Practice Group leader and partner in the firm’s Houston office.  

Derden oversees the Adams & Reese Construction Practice Group with team leaders Trent Cotney, partner in Tampa, and David Toney, partner in Houston. “Zack is the perfect addition to our Construction practice in Atlanta, a market with a substantial surge in recent construction activity and infrastructure upgrades across various industries and emerging businesses,” added Derden. 

Rippeon brings the firm’s nationally recognized and Chambers-ranked Construction team headcount to nearly 100 attorneys who are licensed in more than 35 states. Adams & Reese also ranks among the top 20 construction law firms in the prestigious trade publication, Construction Executive. 

“Adams & Reese offers an incredible footprint in booming construction markets. With my clients doing substantial business in key states throughout the Southeast region – where the firm has a strong presence – the move to Adams & Reese expands and deepens the representation my clients need,” said Rippeon, licensed to practice in both Georgia and Texas. “I look forward to contributing to the construction practice’s strong national reputation within the industry.” 

Since 2022, Rippeon has been selected by his peers among The Best Lawyers in America® in both construction law and litigation. An advisor, litigator and counselor to all stakeholders in the construction and real estate industries, Rippeon represents owners, contractors, subcontractors and others in a wide range of disputes, including breach of contract, delays, large-scale defects, structural failures and payment issues. He also serves as project counsel, handling contracts, change orders, supporting documentation and compliance counseling. 

With dozens of published articles and speaking presentations given in recent years – ranging from best practices to preventing professional engineering liability claims – Rippeon is heavily engaged with the construction industry. He is an active member of the Associated General Contractors of America, the Associated General Contractors Georgia chapter, the ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program and the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia. 

Rippeon earned his J.D. from Georgia State University (2008), and his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Virgina (1999).

About Adams & Reese

Founded in 1951, Adams & Reese is one of the largest law firms in the nation and is included among the AmLaw 200, NLJ 500 and Law360 Top 400 firms. Adams & Reese has more than 325 attorneys and advisors across 10 states (Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas) and Washington, DC.