MICHAEL E. PETERS, RA Esquire

Curriculum Vitae

Michael Peters brings substantial professional experience to a practice focused upon serving clients, completing projects, and preventing and resolving contractual and construction-related disputes, in both the government and private realms.  He represents owners, designers, contractors, transit equipment manufacturers, and their insurers in situations ranging from contract drafting and negotiation to mediation, arbitration and litigation of disputes.  

Michael Peters is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and is familiar with the federal Court of Claims and Boards of Contract Appeals. Mr. Peters is a Pennsylvania licensed architect, and practiced architecture for 13 years with several internationally recognized firms. He was also an adjunct professor of architecture, and continues to lecture periodically at Penn State University and other local universities.

Mr. Peters received his law degree, cum laude, from Temple University School of Law in 1997, and was on the Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Team and Temple Environmental Law and Technology Journal. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree, with high distinction, from The Pennsylvania State University in 1982, received the Dean's Medal for Creative Achievement and the AIA Medal, and was also in the Golden Key and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies.  He received the Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLC Pro Bono Service Award in 2004 for his work for the Painted Bride Art Center, and served on its Board of Directors.  He is also a past member of the Swarthmore (PA) Borough Planning Commission

A Unique Blend of Experience and Skill

As both an attorney and licensed architect, with more than 25 years of construction industry experience, Michael Peters of MEP-C offers a broad perspective and the full range of professional skills necessary to move a project forward. Joining the project team at the inception of the project, MEP-C can help identify and obtain the decisions and approvals required to jump-start the project and keep it moving. Having acted as project manager, designer and owner’s representative, Michael Peters has the perspective to serve as a bridge between team members, facilitating the flow of information, decision-making and quality assurance as the project moves from planning and design into implementation. MEP-C fosters effective communication between all participates to ensure an optimum result.

Lean, nimble and responsive services tailored to your needs

Clients planning small to mid-sized projects (ranging from $200,000 to $20 million in total contract value) require the same high-quality pre-construction design and legal advice as the largest projects. Often, however, the client on a project of this scale does not have a large in-house staff, and cannot burden the project with the high overhead and hourly rates commanded by major consulting firms. Moreover, large consulting firms often assign junior level personnel to a smaller project to keep costs down. Such personnel may lack the experience, insight and confidence to quickly identify problems and opportunities, and steer team members with conflicting interests toward the appropriate solution.

All projects, large and small, should be fully equipped for success. MEP-C steps into the void by providing top-quality pre-project and project management services to a presently underserved segment of the market. At the same time, as MEP-C’s record indicates, we are fully capable of stepping into the largest projects valued at $300 million or more.

Experience and Understanding Are Our Competitive Edge

MEP-C is unique in offering an experienced and accomplished architect and attorney, who is attuned to the financial and intangible goals of clients and designers, in a lean and nimble business package.

To the client, a new project is not only a finance-driven business opportunity. It also comprises many intangibles, including the public image, self-perception, reputation, and long-term vision of the clients and designers, in a way that cannot always be reduced to dollars and cents. A building project can be a rewarding and enjoyable challenge if, and only if, it is handled with appropriate skill.

In nearly three decades of legal and architectural practice, advising corporate, institutional and private clients on a wide variety of projects, MEP-C adds value to each project by looking beyond the client’s basic request for a design, a contract, a problem resolution, or some other service, to find out what the client needs and wants--a question that too often goes unasked—and offering the client the flexibility to tailor our services to your needs.