C.G. "Sonny" Jester, Jr. is Managing Director in the Construction Solutions group at FTI Consulting, an international forensic and litigation consulting company. Prior to assuming this position, he was Vice President in the Claims and Consulting Group (Americas) for Hill International, Inc., an international construction consulting company. Before its acquisition by Hill, Sonny headed the Expert Services Group for Boyken International, Inc. Prior to 2006, he was in private practice for over 25 years and represented various parties in construction disputes, including contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, owners, vendors and sureties. Sonny is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is admitted to and has practiced in the various Georgia Courts, District Courts in Georgia and the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals. While in private practice, Sonny was AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and was recognized by the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the fields of commercial and construction litigation. Sonny has participated in hundreds of mediations, arbitrations and trials, both as an advocate and as a consultant. He has also presented on construction issues and dispute resolution at National Conferences of the Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) and Associated Owners and Developers (AOD), at the Construction Superconference in San Francisco, at the annual University of Texas Risk Management Conference, to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Construction Division, at the Texas College and University Facilities Conference. Sonny is also the author of articles and papers on a variety of construction issues.

Areas of Expertise

• Construction Law & Litigation
• Contract Analysis
• Claims Analysis

ADR Training

• State of Georgia Civil Mediation Training (Henning Mediation & Arbitration)
• Multi-day mediation training (AAA)

Education

• University of Georgia School of Law, J.D., 1982
• University of Georgia, B.A. (honors program), 1979

  Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society

Bar Admissions

• Georgia

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals, 11^th Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• Georgia Court of Appeals

Employment

• FTI Consulting, Forensic & Litigation Consulting practice (Managing Director, Construction Solutions group, 2012 -- present)
• Hill International, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia office (Vice President in Claims & Consulting Group - Americas, 2009 -- present)
• Boyken International, Inc, Atlanta, Georgia (Headed Expert Services Group, 2006-2009; acquired by Hill International 2009)
• Mozley Finlayson & Loggins (Equity Partner, 1997-2006)
• Goldner Sommers Scrudder & Bass (Equity Partner) 1989-1997
• Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers (Associate) 1985-1989
• Rogers Magruder Hoyt Sumner & Brinson (Associate) 1982-1985

Professional Affiliations

• State Bar of Georgia
• The American Bar Association
• ABA's Forum on the Construction Industry
• Atlanta Bar Association (Construction Law Committee)
• Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
• Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS)
• Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)

Presentations

• "Identifying and Mitigating Risk on Your Construction Project," AACEI Port of Spain chapter, Port of Spain, Trinidad (2012)
• "Finding Your Ace in the (Sink) Hole, COAA Fall Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (2011)
• "Mediation Presentation," Lamar Inn of Court, Atlanta, Georgia (January 25, 2011)
• "Strategies for Turning Around Troubled Projects," Vanderbilt University Construction Project Management Conference, Nashville, Tennessee (March 11, 2011)
• "Keeping Your Project Out of the Ditch," The Association of Texas College and University Facilities Professionals Conference, Lubbock, Texas (2010)
• "50 Ways To Leave Your Vendor," UTx Risk Management Conference, Galveston, Texas, (2009)
• "10 Warning Signs," Houston, Texas, (2009)
• "Managing Construction Projects," Lorman, Houston, Texas, (2008 & 2009)
• "Construction Technology," AOD East, Atlanta, Georgia, (2008)
• "Control of Construction Documents," AOD West, Santa Monica, California, (2008)
• "Construction Changes," Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Huntsville, Texas, (2008)
• "Managing Construction Projects," Lorman, Savannah, Georgia, (2008)
• "Construction Issues," SMU CM Class, Dallas, Texas, (2007 & 2008)
• "10 Warning Signs Your Project May Be in Trouble," COAA Fall Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, (2007)
• "Construction Disputes," UTx Risk Management Conference, Galveston, Texas, (2007)
• "Construction Disputes," Houston, Texas, (2007)
• "Before the Concrete Sets," Construction Superconference, San Francisco, California, (2006)

Publications

• "Mid-Project Intervention," and "Constructability Reviews," Development Newsletter, (2009)
• "Claims for Expenses of Litigation," Georgia Defense Lawyers Association Journal, (1995)
• "Trends in Premises Liability Law," SE Regional Insurance Law Seminar for The National Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters, (1995)
• "CGL Coverage for Business Risks and Expected Consequences," Georgia Defense Lawyers Association Journal, (1993)