Jeffrey M. Reichard

Jeff Reichard practices primarily in the areas of construction, commercial litigation, and intellectual property. He regularly represents owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, design professionals, and lenders in contract negotiations, dispute avoidance, and dispute resolution regarding various construction issues, including delays, inefficiencies, defects, liens, bonds, and related matters.

Jeff also is a licensed patent attorney who represents both large and small entities in all aspects of intellectual property procurement, licensing and enforcement, including prosecution and litigation of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and patents.  

He is a frequent speaker and author, with published articles and presentations covering an array of construction and intellectual property topics. Jeff has been recognized by multiple major news outlets for his knowledge base on the intersection of construction and intellectual property, and in particular, architectural copyrights.

Jeff is an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association Construction Section and American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law.  He is the Chair of the ABA Forum on Construction Law’s Division for General Contractors.  He also previously served as a member of the Governing Council of the NCBA Construction Section and editor of the Section’s Change Order publication.

Jeff received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics with a concentration in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.  While in law school, Jeff served as the Manuscripts Editor of the Wake Forest Intellectual Property Law Journal and was a member of the Moot Court Board. Prior to law school, Jeff worked as a software engineer for Cisco Systems, Inc. in Research Triangle Park, NC, dealing mainly with software licensing and security.

Community & Professional

ABA Forum on Construction Law – Chair of Division 5 (General Contractors), 2022-present

ABA Forum on Construction Law – Co-Chair of the Foundations Program, 2023

ABA Forum on Construction Law – Member of Steering Committee for Division 5 (General Contractors), 2017-2022

North Carolina Bar Association Construction Law Section, Member of Governing Council, 2012-2015, Editor of Change Order publication, 2010-2012

Greensboro Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, Board Member

Greensboro Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, Ask

Outside Maynard Nexsen

When he's not practicing law, Jeff enjoys playing soccer and tennis, snowboarding, traveling, watching the Tar Heels and spending time with his wife and two young daughters.

• Business North Carolina's "Legal Elite" (2021-Present)
• Recognized by Chambers USA, Construction (2020-Present)
• Best Lawyers in America for Construction Law and Litigation - Construction (2024-Present)
• North Carolina Super Lawyers® - Construction Litigation (2023-Present)
• North Carolina Super Lawyers® "Rising Star" in Construction Litigation (2014-2018) and Intellectual Property (2018)
• Business Today’s Top 10 Most Powerful Construction Lawyers in North Carolina (2023)
• Registered Patent Attorney
• Wake Forest Intellectual Property Law Journal
• Moot Court Board Member
• Cisco Systems, Inc. - Engineer and Analyst

• Co-Presenter, "Price Escalation Clauses in Construction Contracts: Mitigating Risks for Owners, Contractors, and Subcontractors," Strafford Webinars, CLE - August 25, 2021
• Author, "Mitigating the Effect of Construction Price Escalations", Construction Law Alert, March 2021
• Author, "The 10 Things You Must Know About Architectural Copyrights", Construction Law Alert, January 2013, Republished in multiple publications. 
• Speaker/Author, “Using Technology to Manage Documents and ESI in Construction Disputes Both Large and Small: From Litigation Hold to Production to Trial,” NCBA Construction Section Winter 2020 CLE.
• Co-Presenter, “DBE Compliance and Certification,” ABA Forum on Construction Law, Division 5, May 20, 2020.
• Co-Presenter, “Point Counterpoint: Negotiating Construction Contracts,” Construction Financial Managers Association, Triad Chapter, May 19, 2020.
• Speaker, ABA Forum on Construction Law Webinar on "Intellectual Property Issues for Construction Lawyers."
• Speaker, ABA Forum on Construction Law Regional Meeting, Charlotte, NC: (CLE) Construction Contracts: Finding Common Ground in Drafting and Negotiating Design and Construction Clauses, March 4, 2016.
• Co-author of Construction Subcontracting: A Comprehensive Practical and Legal Guide, ABA Forum on Construction Law, 2014.
• Speaker/Interview: Commercial Real Estate Radio with Howard Kline: "Buildings, Blueprints & Lawsuits: Architectural Copyright Protections & Liabilities," April 2, 2013.
• Co-author of The Annotated Construction Law Glossary, ABA Forum on Construction Law, 2010.
• Co-Author, “The Famous Marks Doctrine: A Call for American Courts to Grant Trademark Rights to Famous Foreign Marks,” 9 Wake Forest Intell. Prop. L.J. 85 (2009)

Media Coverage:

• Architectural Copyright Infringement: "For These Replica Homes, Imitation Is More Than Flattery" - January 5, 2017, The Wall Street Journal
• "Does the Dubai Frame depict an ugly picture?" - April 25, 2017, CNN
• "Identifying architectural copycats; 4th Circuit adopts test for infringement " - July 28, 2015, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly