Angelika VandenBerg

Partner

Angelika “Angie” VandenBerg is Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar. Ms. VandenBerg primarily practices in the area of construction law, while also practicing in the areas of commercial litigation and fidelity and surety law. She is also a Florida certified building contractor, a LEED Accredited Professional, and OSHA 30-hour certified, and is active in many local and statewide construction associations.

In her construction practice, Ms. VandenBerg has represented contractors and subcontractors of both horizontal and vertical construction in contract and payment disputes. She frequently counsels contractors regarding ongoing project disputes to ensure compliance with contract obligations and preservation of contract rights. She also regularly provides lien law services to protect payment claims and assists contractors with contractual transactions.

In addition to her hands-on construction project involvement, Ms. VandenBerg also defends international manufacturers, national contractors, and local subcontractors in litigation of construction defect claims throughout the state.

Ms. VandenBerg’s surety practice involves prosecution and defense of construction payment and performance bond claims, and enforcement of indemnity agreements. She also has experience in dealing with bid protest bond and commercial bond claims involving claims in excess of the bond’s penal sum, non-operational indemnitors, and competing claims.

Before starting her legal career, Ms. VandenBerg earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida, M.E. Rinker School of Construction Management and her Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law. She worked in project management for a large commercial contractor overseeing construction of commercial and publicly funded projects. Her construction experience ranges from estimating and buy-out to project management and close-out, translating into practical knowledge to assist her clients.

Presentations & Publications

Presentations

•  “Top 10 Lien Tips,” Pinellas Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors, August 2018
• “Navigating Risks in Construction Claims,” April 2020 & September 2020
• “Case Management Strategies,” September 2019
• “Plunging Away Your Legal Issues,” Pinellas Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors, August 2019
• “Top 10 Lien Tips,” Pinellas Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors, August 2018

Publications

• Accrual Reality – When a Claim Arises Under a Surety Bond,” Hillsborough Lawyer, Nov. – Dec. 2018, Vol. 29, No. 2 p.
• “How to Navigate Florida’s Public Records Act,” Florida Transportation Builder, July 2015, Co-Author

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Rinker School of Construction Management, Tampa Bay Alumni Group – Board of Directors
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, NexGen Leadership Class of 2016
• National Association of Women in Construction, Tampa Bay Chapter (Board of Directors 2014-2015), (2015 Rookie of the Year)
• Hillsborough County Bar – Construction Law Section
• Florida Surety Association
• American Bar Association’s Fidelity & Surety Law Committee

PRACTICE AREAS

• Construction Law
• Public Contract Law
• Fidelity and Surety Law
• Complex Commercial Litigation
• Cell Tower & Wire Infrastructure Law
• Administrative Law

EDUCATION

• Stetson University College of Law, J.D. 2013
• University of Florida, M.E. Rinker School of Construction Management, B.S., Cum Laude 2009

BAR ADMISSIONS

• Florida
• US District Court, Middle District of Florida
• US District Court, Southern District of Florida

Distinctions

• Board Certified in Construction Law, The Florida Bar
• Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2020, 2021

Certifications

• Florida Certified Building Contractor (License No. CBC1261953)
• LEED® Accredited Professional – Building Design and Construction (Inactive)
• OSHA 30-Hour Certified