Howard Turner is Of Counsel to Gould & Ratner with whom he has had a close and continuing relationship for 35 years.  He is involved in both litigation and transactional work.  Howard spends about half of his time on transactional matters and half on business litigation of various types involving construction, mechanics liens, contract and sales issues.  In the course of more than forty years of practice, he has been involved in a broad spectrum of issues including, among others, bankruptcy, collection, trademark and licensing, employment discrimination, and partnership litigation.  This broad experience allows him to advise his clients as to potential problems, and obtain expert advice and service from other lawyers where circumstances indicate this is required.

Howard is considered by the general legal community in Chicago to be an expert in Mechanics Lien and Construction Law.  He is a co-author of three chapters of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education's Publication on Illinois Mechanics Liens, and an author of two chapters of its Publication on Illinois Construction Law.  He has successfully handled several cases in Illinois that expanded or changed existing law, including In re Prizant & Co., 257 F. Supp. 145 (N.D. Ill. 1965) and Limperis vs. Material Service Corporation, 415 F. Supp. 65 (N.D. Ill. 1976).  He is a co-author of the recent Amendments to the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act.

His practice consists of advising various clients, primarily in construction related fields, concerning various problems and issues involving their businesses, including contract reviews, insurance coverage, mechanics lien problems, and general corporate and business matters, and handling litigation for them when required.

Representative Matters

• Successfully resolved a $2,500,000 fraudulent transfer claim for $25,000.
• When a client was sued for licensing fees of over $2,000,000 by a major corporation, Howard succeeded in having the claim dismissed and recovered by way of settlement of $750,000 for his client on its counterclaim.
• Successfully negotiated a $2.5 million material supply contract that enabled his client to receive payment in a timely manner.  When the project developed problems, Howard's client was owed 10% of their contract while many other subcontractors were owed 50%.
• For many years, Howard has represented a major material supplier in asserting mechanics liens.  In most cases, he has recovered between 90 and 100% of the claims he has handled.

Presentations

• What To Do When Construction Projects Go Bad, September 2006
• Subcontractor Issues, The Door and Hardware Institute of America, Great Lakes Chapter, March 2006

Articles

• Subcontractor's Lien: Its Nature and Enforcement, Mechanics Liens in Illinois (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education), 2007
• Construction Damages, Construction Law In Illinois (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education), 2004
• Formation of Contracts and Creation of Contractual and Quasi-Contractual Relationships, Construction Law In Illinois (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education), 1997
• Trial Practice: Breach and Damages, Mechanics Liens in Illinois (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education), 1994
• Trial Practice: Proof of Selected Issues, Mechanics Liens in Illinois (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education), 1994
• Extending Credit to Contractors, Sales and Financing Under the Revised UCC (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education)
• Financing Equipment, Sales and Financing Under the Revised UCC (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education)

News

• Howard Turner Helped Draft Mechanics Lien Act Amendment