Baker Law Gains Dual Influence on Key AIA Construction Contract Updates

Baker Law Group LLC has significantly strengthened its influence in the construction industry's legal framework with the appointment of Senior Associate Jonathan Berjikian as a liaison to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Contract Documents Committee. This move joins him with firm founder Jeremy S. Baker, who has served in the same pivotal role since 2015. The AIA committee is responsible for drafting, revising, and maintaining the standard form agreements that govern countless design and construction projects nationwide, including critical owner-architect, owner-contractor, and design-build contracts. These documents are foundational to how risk is allocated and problems are solved on projects, making the committee's consensus-driven work, supported by AIA staff and industry contributors, essential for industry stability and clarity.

As liaisons, Baker and Berjikian will provide crucial practitioner feedback directly from the trenches of day-to-day project work. Their role involves scrutinizing draft language, flagging real-world contracting issues, and contributing to discussions that will shape future editions of the AIA documents. Jeremy Baker emphasized the importance of this practical perspective, stating that it ensures the documents "stay practical" rather than drifting away from actual practice. Jonathan Berjikian, who advises clients on contract negotiation and project risk using these very forms, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute feedback that reflects the realities of active projects, highlighting how AIA documents fundamentally shape team dynamics and problem-solving.

This development is particularly timely as the AIA targets a comprehensive update to its core documents for release in 2027, following its typical 10-year review cycle. The last major updates, including the widely used A201 and B101 forms, were released in 2017. By securing a second seat at the table, Baker Law Group achieves the notable distinction of having dual representation on the committee, significantly bolstering the firm's ability to influence the AIA's agenda and advocate for client interests in the forthcoming pivotal update. The firm, which you can learn more about at Baker Law Group, specializes in advising a wide range of construction industry participants—from architects and engineers to developers and contractors—on transactional, dispute resolution, and risk management matters for complex projects across various sectors.