Expert witness services are provided by James B. Atkins, FAIA

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Jim has worked in the design and construction industry for over 50 years in both construction and design disciplines. He operated a construction subcontracting firm while pursuing his architecture degree, and after graduation as a general contractor he constructed projects in the public and private sectors before joining the international architecture firm, HKS. He is licensed to practice as an architect in eighteen states and the District of Columbia.

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During his 32 years with HKS Architects he designed and developed their construction services program and was responsible for over $23 billion of in-place construction. He also served as Chief Operations Officer and oversaw fiscal and contractual activities. He served as the firm’s Chief Risk Management Officer for over 25 years, establishing risk management protocols for architectural services.

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Jim is a prolific writer with co-authorship in numerous industry publications. Recent work includes The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th edition, The Architecture Student's Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th edition, Managing Project Risk: Best Practices for Architects and Related Design Professionals, and Introduction to Health Care Planning, Design and Construction, 2nd edition.

 

Mr. Atkins is a co-author of many of the 2007 AIA documents. He also served and chaired the AIA Risk Management Committee where he worked in liaison with professional liability insurance carriers for architects and engineers. He served on The AIA Trust, and he served on and chaired the AIA International Committee. He was elected to the College of Fellows in both the American Institute of Architects and the Korean Institute of Architects.​​