DAVID A. STERN

227 Broadway, #201  Santa Monica, CA 90401 

(310) 395-3066  fax (310) 395-6761  mobile (310) 560-8217   email: davidstern9@gmail.com

RESUME

1984 - Present    Founder and President, Westec Construction, Inc., general building contractor. Westec has completed over $40 million of buildings, apartments and tenant improvements for clients such as Bizrate.com, CIM Group, Douglas-Emmett and Company, Interhealth Community Hospital (Whittier Presbyterian), Maguire Partners, Sommers Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Telepool, and World Savings and Loan.

1991 - Present    Expert witness for construction, real estate, and personal injury mediation and litigation. Specialties include construction defects and   injuries, scheduling, estimating, claims analysis, building code compliance, quality and delay evaluation.

1993 - 1996        Developer and contractor for seniors and affordable housing, building the first for-profit affordable housing in Santa Monica, including 84 residential units in three apartment buildings.

1986 - 1998        Managing partner of  multi-tenant medical and office building in Santa Monica.

1982 - 1983        Project Management Consultant and General Contractor for commercial and  institutional clients, performing pre-construction and construction services.

1979 - 1981        Stegeman and Kastner, Project Management Consultants. Project manager for two 50,000 square foot office buildings with attached parking structures.

1976 - 1979        Turner Construction Company (Los Angeles). Field superintendent for mid and high rise commercial projects including Blue Cross Headquarters (Woodland Hills), Coopers & Lybrand remodel, and The Park office complex.

Education:        1976 Graduate, Princeton University, Cum laude, in Civil Engineering. Elected to Sigma Xi, national scientific research society. Listed in Who's Who In Executives and Businesses.

Teaching:          Lecturer in Construction Technology: University of California, Irvine (Extension), and Orange Coast College

Licenses:          California Professional Engineer C32228.  California General Contractor B406095. Member, American Society of Civil Engineers.

Publications:      4

Invention:           Patent #6,110,038 for Carbon Monoxide Purging System.                 

Personal:            53 years of age, in excellent health. Married, with one child. Coached baseball, AYSO soccer, and middle school basketball.

EXPERIENCE as EXPERT WITNESS  (partial list from approximately 70 cases)  

2004: Indian Ridge v. Desert Sunrise. For insurer of subcontractor, examined site, calculated costs to cure defects, and separated work product from consequential damage in a construction defects case for a development of over 500 homes.

2003: Retirement Housing Foundation v. Harlow. For plaintiff, determined extend of construction defects, estimated cost of repairs, and was deposed in construction defects case.   

2003: Portofino v. Van Daele. For plaintiff examined site, conducted destructive testing, and calculated costs to cure defects in a construction defects case for a development of over 300 apartment units.

2002: Wilson v. Hensel Phelps Construction and Universal Studios. For defendant Universal Studios, reviewed plans, contracts, and depositions in Personal Injury case.

2001: State of California v. Linares and cross defendant Imperial Thrift. For lender Imperial Thrift, met with City and State agencies, inspected site, and determined costs in eminent domain case.

2000: Rio Vista Village v. Leidenfrost/Horowitz & Associates. For plaintiff, was the lead expert, conducted site investigation and destructive testing, presented costs at mediation, was deposed, and testified in Superior Court for a construction defects case.

1999: Norrington v. Amgen and Dinwiddie Construction Company. For defendant, reviewed depositions and documents in personal injury case.

1998: Mobil Oil Corporation v. J.A. Jones Construction Company. For plaintiff, conducted site inspection, and reviewed depositions, contracts, specifications and construction correspondence in construction defects and project delay case.

1996: Matta v. Gindis. For defendant, estimated the value of the construction of the buildings, detailed costs of defects and deficiencies, participated in settlement conferences, and was deposed in project interruption case.

1996: Livornese v. L.E. Waters Construction. For defendant, conducted site review, code evaluation, and trial preparation for Personal Injury case.

1995: Imperial Thrift v. Mancini. For lender, testified in Federal Bankruptcy Court following review of plans, site conditions, costs and appraisals for foreclosure/bankruptcy case.

1995: Buena Vista Properties v. Gilbert. For plaintiff, reviewed depositions, site conditions, inspection and laboratory analysis reports, and was deposed in construction defects case.

1993: Solano v. Olivas and City and County of Los Angeles. For plaintiff, reviewed depositions and researched building codes to determine compliance by public agencies with requirements for street, highway, and utility line construction in wrongful death case.

1992: Paragon Homes, Inc. v. Kane Construction and Truswal Systems Corporation. For cross-defendant, research codes, reviewed plans and depositions, and was deposed with regard to construction quality, project organization, and chain of command in construction defects case.

Specialties: Comprehensive construction claims analysis and support of litigation based on 28 years of experience as supervisor and owner of a general contracting company. Areas of expertise include construction defects, code requirements, scheduling, delays, estimating, safety and personal injuries.

Note: Although I am a Professional Engineer, my work is in the field of commercial and residential construction. Therefore, I am not seeking to provide expert opinions on Engineering calculations.

Fee: $300.00 per hour, $1,000 retainer. Four hour minimum for depositions and court appearances.