Message from the Chair: Kelsey Funes (Volume VI)

Kelsey serving as a judge at the 2025 Trial Academy

This is my last post as the Chair of Division 1. I want to start by saying thank you for supporting me and this Division to plan and execute all our activities and content. The energy and generosity of our members is what makes Division 1 the best place to be in the Forum! I am so proud to have been a small part of it. I also want to thank the Steering Committee and every person who volunteered to plan a social event, a lunch presentation, a social media post, a Toolbox Talk, a blog post or a Practicum. We could not accomplish all that we do without the countless hours donated by our smart and creative volunteers. I am indebted to each of you.

Taking stock of all the people who volunteer their time to make Division 1 so prolific reminds me of the sage advice I got from Ava Abramowitz, a long time Forum member. In 2018, I had the good fortune to moderate a Diversity Lunch panel discussion featuring four women who had been early leaders in the Forum—Deborah Griffin, Deborah Ballati, Ava Abramowitz and Leslie King O’Neil. Among the many pearls of wisdom these ladies had to share, the one that has really stuck with me is Ava’s comment that the way to build relationships in the Forum is by doing the work. Man, was she right.

It has been an honor to do the work of D1 and I look forward to many more years of Forum work because with every project, I learn something new, and I meet someone new. I encourage each of you to raise your hands and roll up your sleeves because there is much work to be done in the divisions, the standing committees and the Forum at large. I can confidently tell you that raising my hand has helped me to get the most out of my Forum membership. My membership in the Forum has made me a better construction lawyer and helped me to build relationships that I treasure.

Dinner with a few Forum friends in Dallas, Texas

I also want to highlight the great things D1 has planned for the Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas. First, on Wednesday, April 23 we will be wrapping up our practicum series on discovery with the program: Mastering Expert Discovery. Our experienced practicum team will guide the participants through how and when to use experts in a construction case from the start of the dispute through discovery and trial. Next, grab your cowboy boots and join us on Thursday night, April 24, at Guero’s where we are joining with Divisions 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 for a fajita dinner, leather branding bar, and live music. Finally, join us on Friday, April 25 for a joint lunch with Division 11 for a presentation on Multi-Party Mediation. Austin is sure to be a great time with our Forum friends!

In closing, I want to give my best wishes for a successful and productive term to the next D1 Chair, my friend Joe Imperiale. Division 1 is in excellent hands as I know that Joe and the rest of the Steering Committee will continue to make Division 1 the best place to learn about resolving construction disputes. If you have not volunteered before, I hope you will raise your hand to help Joe and the D1 team continue the fabulous D1 programming. I know that I will.

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Kelsey Kornick Funes is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Phelps Dunbar. She represents owners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and design professionals in state and federal courts in Louisiana, as well as mediation and arbitration across the Gulf Coast region. She can be reached at kelsey.funes@phelps.com.

Editor-in-Chief Marissa L. Downs is a construction attorney in Chicago, Illinois where she has been practicing law since 2009. Marissa is a partner at Laurie & Brennan, LLP and represents owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in all phases of project procurement, claim administration, litigation, and arbitration/trial. Marissa can be contacted at mdowns@lauriebrennan.com.