Overview
Julia Holden Davis is a trial lawyer who serves on Gunster's board of directors. She focuses her practice on the construction and transportation sectors. Having served as the chief operating officer of a large regional firm, Julia is dedicated to bringing a practical understanding of the realities facing businesses. She strives to assist her clients with the constant balance between managing risks and solving problems while pursuing opportunities and growth in today’s competitive market.
The combination of Julia’s trial work and business experience is instrumental in advising on risk management and business-related issues for clients. In addition to her trial experience, she assists clients in drafting and negotiating construction and design contracts. Julia advises clients regarding federal, state and local government issues, including evaluating requests for proposal/invitations to bid to establish risk profiles, as well as in complying with a broad variety of regulations such as subcontracting plans, wage requirements, joint venture limitations, licensing issues and ethics related matters. Julia also provides counsel on industry-specific due diligence in support of merger and acquisition transactions within the construction, transportation, and government contracting sectors.
Experience
- Arbitrating through an affirmative award in favor of her client in a case where a design-build contractor performed deficient work at a rail facility
- Recovering a judgment in favor of her client in federal court where her client had been default terminated
- Arbitrating the dissolution of a long time joint venture to recover significant assets and investments made by one of the joint venturers
- Handled a number of bid protests through decision, including successfully protesting awards to other entities and repeatedly defending awards made to clients
- Presenting and recovering on a claim for unpaid extra work performed by a contractor who had constructed a rail terminal
- Presenting and recovering a claim for unpaid work and differing site conditions brought by a pipeline contractor constructing several pipelines in Alaska
- Preparing and recovering on requests for equitable adjustment brought for construction (and in some instances, design) of multiple military-related facilities
- Recovering amounts owed to a client related to the design and construction of a cogeneration power facility
- Resolving through mediation, claims related to a wastewater treatment facility
- Negotiating the resolution of maritime disputes relating to multi-incident barge losses
- Negotiating claims related to additional work on vessel construction
- Negotiating a favorable resolution of defective work relating to a medical lab facility
- Advising on claims related to professional malpractice, including for design professionals and accountants, as well as litigation related to mining leases, environmental analysis and other failed business transactions
Honors
- Florida Trend, "Legal Elite Notable - Women Leaders in Law," 2023
- Chambers USA
- Litigation: Construction, 2015-16
- Litigation: Construction, Up and Comer, 2014
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Construction Law, 2014-17, 2020-25
- Construction Litigation, 2023-25
- Commercial Litigation, 2025
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2015-16
News & Insights
- “Building the Future,” Bisnow: Jacksonville Construction and Development Summit, moderator, August 1, 2023
Speaking Engagements
Publications
Involvement
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Construction Forum, Division 4 Steering Committee
- Public Contracts Law Section
- Association of Building Contractors
- Association of General Contractors Alaska
- Counsel to the Board
- Legislative, Legal Affairs, and Corps of Engineers Committee
- Association of General Contractors America
- Corps of Engineers, Air Force, Committee
- University of Alaska Construction Management, Advisory Board
Practices
Education
- University of Washington, J.D., 2001
- Post-graduate construction management coursework
- University of Washington, B.A.,1996
Admissions
- Florida, 2018
- Alaska
- Washington State
- Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
