Joseph Dirik is a senior associate in Fulbright's Dallas office. Joe has 20 years of experience in the construction industry as a construction operations manager and executive. This experience enables him to provide practical, effective, and efficient legal services to his clients. In particular, Joe helps clients resolve business disputes through alternate dispute resolution forums, contract appeal boards, and at trial. He also counsels his contractor clients on contract negotiations and risk management issues. Joe's business experience living and working in over 40 countries helps him effectively communicate with clients from all over the world.

• Represented a modular building manufacturer in a lawsuit with its general contractor customer over a $1.2 million dispute involving alleged defects and delays.  The lawsuit involved issues on breach of contract, and violation of the Texas Trust Fund Act. The parties settled at mediation.  
• Represented a contractor after the U.S. Government terminated the contract for convenience and offered the contractor a “no-cost” termination. The Government settled the dispute by paying the contractor for its termination costs. 
• Prevailed on a motion for summary judgment on all claims against his construction contractor client in connection with a property owner’s lawsuit for trespass, unjust enrichment, and implied contract against the contractor.  
• Represented a Finnish company in its contact negotiations with the United States Navy.
• Represented a contractor in a lawsuit brought by its subcontractor on a hotel project in Dallas. The subcontractor dismissed its suit with prejudice, and without any payment by the client. 
• Represented a contractor in connection with a dispute over claims for attorneys’ fees, interest, and penalties for property taxes made by the taxing authorities. Plaintiff dismissed its suit, and without any payment by the client. 
• Obtained a favorable judgment or dispositive ruling in his homebuilder client’s favor against subrogation claims brought by a homeowner’s insurance company. 
• Successfully prevented his construction contractor client’s financial information from being disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information Act request on a U.S. Army project.

• American Bar Association
  • Construction Industry Forum - Public Contract Law
• State Bar of Texas - Construction Law and Litigation Sections
• Dallas Bar Association - Construction Section
• Member, International Committee for the Associated General Contractors of America
• Member, The Beavers, a fraternal association of construction industry executives

• Co-author, “Specific Performance: Remedy Not A Right,” State Bar Litigation Section Report-The Advocate, Fall 2005 
• Bi-monthly column, Texas Construction Magazine, McGraw-Hill
• Co-Author, “What Every Contractor Should Know in the Post-Enron Era,” The Constructor, June 2004
• Co-Author, “Buy America is a Tough Sell,” Roads and Bridges Magazine, August 2004

2002 - J.D., cum laude, Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law
1989 - M.B.A., University of Texas at Dallas
1989 - M.A., International Management Studies, University of Texas at Dallas
1978 - B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

• Garland Crimestoppers, Inc., Garland, Texas, Board of Directors