Alan R. Merkle

Alan Merkle currently serves as Chair of the firm Stoel Rives and practices primarily in the areas of infrastructure, energy, construction and design, and government contracts. He represents public and private owners, developers, engineers, architects, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers in a wide array of business matters. He is experienced in the drafting, negotiation and administration of contracts. He also handles bid protests, claims, litigation, arbitration, mediation and other alternative dispute resolution matters for a broad range of clients. In addition to serving as an advocate, he regularly serves as a neutral on Dispute Review Boards and as a mediator and arbitrator. He has been lead counsel for numerous complex projects involving multiple public agencies and jurisdictions. A significant portion of Alan’s practice is acting as a “trusted advisor” to senior management of the companies Stoel Rives represents. 

Prior to practicing law, Alan spent 12 years with the General Electric Company where he managed the technical and business sides of major projects and business units. Alan is also a former mayor and registered professional engineer.

Professional Honors & Activities

• Listed in Best Lawyers in America
• Repeatedly selected for inclusion in Washington Super Lawyers
• Named one of Seattle’s “Top 100 Lawyers” by Seattle Magazine
• Honorary AIA and a biographee in Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in the World
• Past chair, Public Procurement and Private Construction Law Section, Washington State Bar Association
• Past board member and Legal Affairs Committee chair, Associated General Contractors of Washington
• Member, WSBA Litigation Section, Oregon State Bar Association Construction Law and Litigation Sections, American Bar Association Public Contract Law and Litigation Sections, Federal Energy Bar Association

Presentations

• Frequent speaker and writer on subjects of turbine warranties, operating and maintenance agreements, and EPC agreements for wind and biofuels industry
• Author and speaker, “Public Contracting in Washington”
• Chair, Public Works Symposium
• Author and speaker, “Advanced Construction Law,” National Business Institute
• Author and speaker, “Washington Construction Law,” Law Seminars International

Civic Activities

• Former council member and Mayor, City of Mercer Island
• Chair, Washington Department of Transportation Expert Review Panel
• President, Board member, French American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest
• Part-time adjunct lecturer, University of Washington School of Construction Management and Graduate School of Architecture

Publications

• “Construction Liens” chapter for Washington State Bar Association
• “Damages” chapters and chair of Washington State Bar Association program “Architect and Engineer Liability”
• “Licensing and Registration” chapter, Oregon State Bar publication, Construction Law
• “Procurement and Construction” chapters for the Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Ocean Energy editions of the Stoel Rives “Law of” series

Education

• Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, JD 1982, cum laude
  Cornelius Honor Society
  Certificate of Environmental and Natural Resources Law, 1982
  Associate editor, Environmental Law
• University of Idaho, MBA, 1971
• University of Idaho, BS, 1969, mechanical engineering
• Boise State University, AS, civil engineering, 1967

Admissions

• Washington
• Oregon