Margery Newman

Income Member

Margery concentrates her practice in construction law focusing on complex construction litigation in both the private and public sectors as well as related business litigation. She is Downey & Lenkov’s construction practice co-chair and is regularly requested to speak on various construction topics.

Her clients are primarily business owners, general contractors, specialty trade contractors, and disadvantaged business enterprises. She places particular emphasis on client counseling, specifically drafting and negotiation of construction contracts, mechanics’ lien claims and foreclosure actions, construction defects, and DBE certification and compliance.

Margery is an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. She has arbitrated numerous construction-related and commercial matters for AAA and is on the regular and complex construction panels. She also has a certificate as a mediator.

DID YOU KNOW: I’m a Harley rider and have ridden my bike to Sturgis, South Dakota.

  • Education:

    • J.D., John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, 1983
    • M.A., Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, 1973
    • B.A., Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York, 1969
  • Professional Memberships & Associations:

    • American Bar Association
    • Association of Subcontractors & Affiliates – ASA Chicago
    • Association of Subcontractors & Affiliates – ASA Chicago – Government Relations Committee
    • Association of Subcontractors & Affiliates – ASA Chicago – Professional Council
    • Chicago Bar Association, Real Property, Construction Issues, Mechanics’ Liens and Real Estate Litigation Committees
    • Great Lakes Construction Association
    • Great Lakes Construction Association – Government Affairs and Education Committees
    • Illinois State Bar Association Construction Law Section Council
    • Illinois State Bar Association Real Estate Law Section Council
    • John Marshall Law School, Construction Law – Adjunct Professor
    • National Association of Women in Construction – O’Hare Suburban Chapter
    • Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys (SOICA)
    • Women Construction Owners and Executives Chicago Caucus and Women Construction Owners and Executives National Association
  • Seminars & Presentations:

    • “Killer Contract Clauses” – ASA Chicago, September 2024
    • “The Nuts & Bolts of Mechanics’ Liens” – Downey & Lenkov Clients, May 2024
    • “Killer Contract Clauses” – The Chicago Bar Association, December 2023
    • “Deconstructing the Arbitration Process” – Illinois State Bar Association May 2023
    • “The Art of Choosing an Arbitrator: Strategies for Success” – The Chicago Bar Association Webinar April 2023 
    • “MBE/WBE Issues in Construction” – The Chicago Bar Association February 2023
    • “Dealing with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE, MBE, and WBE),” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Construction Law Seminar, November 2021
    • “Negotiating Subcontracts,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Construction Law Seminar, November 2021
    • “Post COVID-19 Construction Contract Clauses,” Illinois State Bar Association, February 2021
    • “Implicit Bias & its Impact on Diversity,” ASA Chicago, January 2021
    • “Construction Industry COVID-19 Return-to-Work Issues,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, July 2020
    • “Construction Industry Liability Issues Arising Out of COVID-19,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, April 2020
    • “COVID-19 – What Employers Need to Know,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, April 2020
    • “Workplace Transparency Act (WTA) a/k/a Sexual Harassment is Against the Law: Public Act 101-0221,” ASA Chicago, January 2020
    • “Legislative Update,” Downey & Lenkov Construction Open House, November 2019
    • “Construction Industry MBE, WBE & DBE Certifications,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, October 2019
    • 4th Biennial Construction Law Institute, University of Kentucky College of Law on Problem Clauses in Construction Contracts
    • 11th Annual National Minority & Women Business/Equal Employment Opportunity/Contract Compliance Conference
    • American Bar Association Forum Committee on the Construction Industry on Liquidating Agreements, Pass-Throughs and False Claims
    • American Bar Association Forum Committee on the Construction Industry on Minority and Women Joint Ventures with Majority Contractors
    • Builders Association of Greater Chicago on Section 5 Sworn Statements and Pre-Lien Considerations
    • Construction Super-Conference on Subcontractor’s Rights and Affirmative Action Programs
    • Construction Trade Associations
  • Articles & Publications:

    • “Affirmative Action And The Construction Industry,” 1996
    • “Affirmative Action Issues Important For The Construction Industry”
    • “Affirmative Action Programs And Bid Protests–When Is An Apparent Low Bidder At Risk?”
    • “Construction Contracts,” Illinois Construction Law Manual, West Publications
    • “False Claims and Whistleblowers”
    • “Forms We Advocate When Representing The Subcontractor,” Construction Business Formbook, Aspen Publishing, 2004
    • “Impermissible Reverse Discrimination v. Allowable Affirmative Action, The Supreme Court Upholds Racial Classifications,” 1981
    • “Liens And Other Security Interests Money, Money, Money–Who Gets The Money?”
    • “Mechanics Lien Forms,” 2014
    • “The Minority Business Enterprise/Joint Venture–Reality v. Fiction”
    • “Minority/Women’s/Disadvantaged Businesses,” 1999
    • “Negotiating Subcontracts,” Construction Law: Transactional Considerations, IICLE Publication
  • News & Insights:

Chicago, Illinois 312-377-1501 | Crown Point, Indiana 219-488-2590
Indianapolis, Indiana 219-488-2590 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin 414-758-3367

Chicago, Illinois

312-377-1501


Crown Point, Indiana

219-488-2590


Indianapolis, Indiana

219-488-2590


Milwaukee, Wisconsin

414-758-3367