Anna M. Carno is President of Carno Law Group, a Professional Law Corporation. Ms. Carno is an experienced and accomplished litigator and a leading transactional attorney. For over 25 years her practice has focused on representing those in the construction industry - both in terms of litigation and transactional matters. She has represented the legal interests of general contractors, developers, specialty subcontractors, engineering firms, design professionals, defense contractors, equipment rental companies, trucking companies, and various materialmen and suppliers.
 

     Ms. Carno practices “preventative law.” That is, she uses the knowledge and experience she has gained from being a leading trial attorney to advise clients so that they can take measures to “prevent” being involved in litigation. For example, when asked to draft or revise contracts, Ms. Carno borrows from her trial experience to decide what terms and conditions to include, or omit, from any given agreement to minimize the possibility of litigation.
 

     Ms. Carno has been the lead attorney in numerous arbitrations, mediations, administrative hearings, and federal and superior court trials. Many of the matters she has handled involved payment disputes (mechanic’s lien, stop notice and payment bond claims), defect claims, delay and acceleration claims, bid disputes, challenges to insurance or indemnity demands, administrative appeals, surety litigation, and commercial business transactions.

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     Carno Law Group (“CLG”) has also developed a niche practice with respect to Government Contracts and SBE/WBE/MBE/VBE and SBA 8 (a) certification issues. CLG assists construction companies that seek to participate in contracts awarded by public agencies, irrespective of whether it involves Federal Government, State Government or local government contracts. CLG is well versed in the certification process including but not limited to: assisting companies to become certified, defend companies in the event their certification is in jeopardy or challenge companies’ claims that they have met certification requirements or outreach participation goals.

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     Ms. Carno graduated Cum Laude from Loyola Marymount University in 1984 and received her Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School in 1989. She is admitted to practice in all the courts of the State of California, the Southern and Central Districts of the United States District Courts of California, and the United States Court of Federal Claims. She is conversant in Italian and Spanish. She has
spoken at numerous seminars regarding construction-related topics and has authored numerous publications regarding construction and litigation. She is the Chair and/or member of the Legal Committee for multiple organizations.

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Our Success Is Born of Equal Measures of Tenacity and Integrity:

     CLG, knows that resolution to any issue is dependent on an understanding of the legal, business and personal issues at play. As a multi-faceted litigation firm, CLG provides economical and efficient legal services to its diverse clientele. Since its inception, it has earned a reputation as a tenacious advocate and client-centered firm, which applies the skills of its resourceful attorneys and the use of advanced technology to provide its clients with the responsiveness they demand without sacrificing attention to detail. Its long-standing client relationships result from its commitment to keeping its focus on its clients’ legal concerns while keeping their clients involved in the resolution of their matters.

CLG combines the highest level of tenacity and integrity to achieve the best possible results for its clients.

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Construction Law:

     CLG is the preeminent construction law firm for the enforcement of contractors’ and suppliers’ payment rights. It has represented local and national contractors, engineers, materialmen and equipment providers with respect to both private and public works construction projects. Ms. Carno has spoken at numerous seminars and assisted company owners, accountants, controllers, insurers and even in-house counsel to understand and apply California law that governs payment obligations to those in the construction industry. Her expertise in mechanic’s lien law, stop notice claims, bond claims and bid disputes has resulted in numerous and significant successful outcomes.

CLG has represented clients before mediators, arbitration panels, administrative law judges, and multiple state and federal courts. It has achieved positive results for its clients with respect to construction claims, collection demands, change order disputes, delay and acceleration claims, differing site conditions disagreements, performance disputes, extra work claims, construction defects, administrative appeals, bid protests and prime/subcontractor disputes.

CLG’s knowledge of construction law supplements its skill and experience handling indemnity, surety and insurance disputes. It aims to mitigate damages and enhance potential recoveries by encouraging early resolution and pre-litigation negotiations. However, when reasonable settlement efforts are exhausted, the gloves come off and every weapon in its legal arsenal is used to win!

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Government Contracts:

     CLG’s knowledge of construction law and experience in handling commercial matters buttress the services it provides to its clients regarding government contracts. CLG has represented multiple national 8a construction firms that focus on federal government work. CLG has been key in negotiating and drafting teaming agreements, joint venture agreements and interpreting terms and conditions of solicitations and the Federal Acquisition Regulations. CLG has handled all facets of contract claims negotiations and/or terminations and responding to government audits and investigations.

Certification Services: Further, CLG’s attorneys’ knowledge of administrative law, including laws, rules and regulations involving contractor’s licensing and MBE/DBE/WBE/VBE and 8(a) certification, has enabled it to assist many contractors to expend their businesses, qualify for government projects and protect themselves from false claims. CLG assists companies to become certified, as well as defend their interests in the event their certification is questioned or in jeopardy. Conversely, CLG has also challenged companies’ claims that they have met certification requirements or outreach participation goals.

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Corporate Counsel:

     CLG serves as a corporate counsel to a variety of its clients. Its attorneys have experience in business formation and corporate planning and procedures. As corporate counsel, CLG works closely with its clients and other professionals such as accountants, surety and insurance agents, and financial advisors to maximize its clients’ business potential and profits.

 

Making New Law to Assist and Empower the Construction Industry:

     CLG has helped write new law to protect those in the construction industry. For example, as a result of Ms. Carno’s representation of an unpaid contractor in the matter entitled Force Framing Inc. v. Chinatrust Bank, 187 Cal. App. 4th 1368 (2010), the California Appellate Court ruled that “if a laborer or materialman has reasonably relied on an owner's and/or general contractor's statements identifying a lender, then the laborer or materialman does not need to check county records to prove that he had a good faith belief that the lender was the actual lender.”

     Ms. Carno argued on behalf of yet another unpaid contractor and its surety in the case entitled Mepco v. Saddleback Valley Unified School District (2010) 189 Cal.App.4th 1027. The Mepco case now serves as precedent when analyzing how an unpaid contractor on a public works project can recover its attorneys’ fees.

Carno Law Group is proud of its hard earned reputation as an aggressive civil litigation firm. Its mission of excellence, supported by the dedication and skill of its attorneys and staff, combined with its commitments to superior client service, makes it a leader in its profession.