Keith C. Cramer

Keith Cramer is a senior partner at GRSM and co-chairs the National Construction Practice Group. He has a diverse national practice representing and counseling major U.S. and foreign businesses and individuals in a wide variety of commercial and construction disputes, product liability, contract negotiation, intellectual property, risk management, and complex litigation in state and federal courts, before arbitration panels, and before administrative agencies.

Keith has represented a wide range of individuals and business entities in his practice at GRSM. He has been national coordinating and trial counsel for clients with mass product liability litigation throughout the United States. He has been retained as an expert on liability and damages regarding construction of a multi-billion dollar refinery project. He has extensive experience with commercial litigation, professional liability, contract negotiation, product liability, downhole oil well failures, and oil and gas pipeline claims. His construction practice includes construction and design litigation, architects & engineers, delay and disruption, and surety and liens. He has represented owners, developers, design professionals, and contractors on numerous public and private projects, and regularly conducts dispute avoidance counseling. He has also defended medical device manufacturers in product liability litigation.

Keith has received multiple Super Lawyers® and Top Attorney distinctions, and is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. His expertise includes all aspects of intellectual property including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing and complex commercial litigation.

Keith has been involved in complex litigation on behalf of his clients in California, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma and multiple other states. He has advised clients on dispute resolution, claim avoidance, insurance (including OCIP/Wrap policies) and a wide variety of other legal issues.

Admissions

• California
• Nevada
• Texas
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Representative Experience

• National Coordinating and Trial Counsel for a construction products manufacturer involving more than 1,500 lawsuits in 22 states. Projects included single family residential, subdivisions, hospitals, hotels, and high-rise construction
• Retained as an expert on issues of liability and damages of a Joint-Venture General Contractor involving claims in excess of $1 billion regarding the design and construction of a large oil refinery in Texas
• Extensive experience defending downhole oil well failures and oil pipeline failures
• Patent, Trademark and Copyright Litigation and Prosecution
• Experienced handling surety bond and mechanic’s liens claims
• Defended the architect on a multimillion dollar claim involving curtain wall and building cladding issues on a commercial office building
• Represented a major contractor on a $16 million delay claim on a public project involving the construction of an assisted living facility
• Represented the contractor on a claim in excess of $40 million involving the construction of a large condominium development
• Represented a design professional in a $10 million case involving land use and environmental planning on a large tract of land in San Diego County
• Counseled commercial contractors on construction contracts for large manufacturing and office facilities
• Defended commercial general contractor in litigation involving delay and construction claims on a 12 building commercial office park
• Represented all trades covered by Owner Controlled Insurance Policy, including the developer and general contractor, in litigation involving the construction of a high-rise condominium project
• Represented all trades covered by Owner Controlled Insurance Policy, including the design professionals, in multiple cases involving mass residential construction

Presentations

Mr. Cramer has been a presenter at seminars on the topics of risk management, defending product liability actions, construction contracts, building cladding systems, water intrusion, mold claims, and OCIP/Wrap insurance. 

Education

J.D., cum laude, University of San Diego School of Law

B.A., Biochemistry/Cell Biology, University of California, San Diego

Honors

AV® Preeminent™,
Martindale-Hubbell

Super Lawyers® distinction in the fields of Construction Litigation: Business, Business Litigation, and Professional Liability: Defense (2008-2019)

Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Litigation - Construction (2024)