Attorneys

Charles W. SuraskyPartner

CHARLES W. SURASKY joined Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1978 and became a member of the firm in 1984.  He specializes in the trial and arbitration of complex construction disputes involving both private and government construction contracts. Charles is a member of the bars of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and the District of Columbia.  His wide range of trial experience includes actions in state and federal courts, arbitration, and hearings before the federal boards of contract appeals.  He has been lead counsel in the resolution of complex construction cases in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Louisiana, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.  Charles also has extensive experience with mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Charles is an active member of the National Utility Contractors Association and the Georgia Utility Contractors Association. He has served as a member of  NUCA’s and GUCA’s boards of directors. He was NUCA’s 2009 Associate Member of the Year and GUCA’s 2003-2004 Associate Member of the Year. Charles is NUCA’s liaison to the Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee and has been actively involved in EJCDC’s construction, procurement and design/build contract documents.

Charles received his B.A. degree cum laude from the University of South Carolina in 1973.  He received his J.D. degree in 1978 from George Washington University where he served as a member of the Law Review and graduated with honors.  While in law school, Charles served as research and writing assistant to Professor John Cibinic of the George Washington University Government Contracts Program.  During this time, he worked extensively on the publication of the two-volume third edition of Federal Procurement Law.

Charles began working in the construction industry in 1969 as a millwright for Daniel International Construction Company. He worked as a millwright and millwright foreman on projects in Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina before starting law school in 1975.

Articles & Publications

• “Application of the U.C.C. to a Contractor’s Relationship with Its Suppliers,” The Construction Lawyer, Volume 29, Number 4, Fall 2009.
• "Arbitration Awards: ADR," A Practical Guide, (co-author), Kendall/Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, Iowa, 1994.