Eileen LaCivita has been a construction law and commercial litigation attorney with Tritt & Franson since August 2007.
AREAS OF PRACTICE?
Construction law, commercial litigation, construction litigation, creditor’s rights and collections, construction and mechanics liens and surety and payment bond claims.
HOW DID SHE GET THE POSITION AT TRITT AND FRANSON?
“I was actually interviewed on campus and got a couple callbacks. It was awesome especially since it was exactly what I wanted to do. I came to law school wanting to do real property law, not particularly construction, but while I was at school, I took a construction law course and really just fell in love with that industry. It was definitely very much a blessing.”
FIRST FEMALE ATTORNEY AT YOUR FIRM?
Yes. “It’s been a unique experience and very interesting as well. The guys I work with are really awesome. They have been great mentors to me. You don’t see a lot of female attorneys in the construction industry. It is a growing trend especially since the construction industry is recruiting more female project managers and such. It’s going to be a growing trend to see more female attorneys jumping in early and hopefully that presents a really awesome opportunity for me and I’m going to take advantage of that.”
WHY NO FEMALES BEFORE?
“I don’t think it was ever a gender thing for them. I think they just never found a female attorney who was as interested and passionate about construction law who fit the profile or type of person they were looking for.”
HOW HAS IT BEEN TO BE A WOMAN IN CONTRUCTION LAW?
“I enjoy being a groundbreaker and it is presenting an awesome opportunity for me. It has presented some unique challenges, but overall it has been a positive experience. The guys I work with are very supportive. I don’t think that gender gets in the way of the work that I do.”
FUTURE OF WOMEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?
“Females are going to play a prominent role in the construction industry here in the future. I think that is true with commercial litigation as well. I think women are coming into their own. They are very career driven. I think this is an area, both in commercial litigation and in construction law where they are standing up and have more of a presence.”
FIRM’S NAME SOUND FAMILIAR?
Yes, Arnold Tritt Jr. is the son of Arnold Tritt, past executive of the Northeast Florida Builders Association. “We have a close relationship with NEFBA and participate in a lot of their events. We have a lot of clients who are NEFBA members as well.”
COLLEGE
She has a bachelor’s degree in finance and business administration from Florida State University and a law degree from the Florida Coastal School of Law.
BEFORE BECOMING AN ATTORNEY?
She worked full-time during college in the restaurant industry. In Tallahassee, she worked at Smokey Bones. In Jacksonville, she worked at Bonefish Grill.
WHY DID SHE BECOME AN ATTORNEY?
“I’ve always been grounded in real property issues and real estate. I’m from the Destin/Ft. Walton Beach area where there is a lot of growth and development there. It’s always been something my family has participated in as far as investing in developments, real property and tenant/landlord issues. I knew when I went to Florida State University that I wanted to study real estate and finance. It just went to a new level when I got my degree. I went to law school to be a real estate attorney.”
WHO ARE HER CLIENTS?
Subcontractors, general contractors and material men.
ISSUES FACING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?
“Clearly, the market clearly is an issue right now. A lot of subcontractors jumped into projects when the market was going really good and now they are dealing with unfinished projects and not getting paid. We are dealing with a lot of lien foreclosures and contract disputes. So, right now with the market that’s the challenges that I think a lot of them are facing is getting paid and finding the work right now.”
MENTOR
Christopher Isleley, a partner at her firm, works very closely with her reviewing the documents she drafts. “We meet regularly and discuss the hearings before I go into them to make sure I have prepared for them. He has an open-door policy if I ever have questions or concerns about the work that I am doing.”
FAVORITE THING ABOUT HER JOB?
LaCivita said she enjoys interacting with the clients and really getting a rewarding feeling when she knows she has helped them.
BEST PROFESSIONAL ADVICE EVER RECEIVED?
“A jack of all trades is a master of none.”
KEYS TO SUCCESS?
“Being patient. Sometimes I get eager and think that I should know everything. But as an attorney, I need to stop, do my research and slow down to make sure I am getting everything right. I get eager and want to already know everything. Another key to success in dealing with clients is to really listen to them and communicating well with them. I think the number one complaint to the Florida Bar is that the lines of communication aren’t there, so I think communication is a key to being successful as an attorney in this industry.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
Associated Builders and Contractors Women’s Council, ABC at Large, Jacksonville Bar Association, Florida Bar Association’s Construction Law Certification committee and American Bar Association’s subcommittee - Forum on Construction Industry.
WHY JOIN THE ABC WOMEN’S COUNCIL?
“I think being involved in a women’s group in the construction industry shows that there are women in the industry and if women have concerns about it and they’d be more comfortable talking to a woman, they have that support and that type of person to come talk to and relate to.”
- by Michele Newbern Gillis