Tuttle Yick recently prevailed in a 4-day arbitration trial on behalf of an architect client to recover an unpaid design fee. Tuttle Yick’s client designed a custom luxury home for a homeowner in New Jersey. The homeowner refused to provide Tuttle Yick’s client with construction costs to determine the amount of the architect’s fee. Tuttle Yick pursued arbitration against the homeowner, who refused to participate voluntarily. Tuttle Yick successfully moved to compel the homeowner to arbitrate and then prevailed when the homeowner appealed.

At the arbitration, Tuttle Yick showed its client was entitled to its full design fee based on the actual construction cost of the home; statutory interest; and attorneys’ fees under the contract’s prevailing party provision. Alex Banzhaf and Peter Dee tried the case at the arbitration.