JOHN H. (“BUZZ”) TARLOW

Buzz Tarlow is a founding member of Tarlow Stonecipher Weamer & Kelly, PLLC.   He became “Of Counsel” to the firm at the end of 2020.

He regularly acts, throughout the Western States, as a mediator and arbitrator in construction disputes as well as other types of cases.  

Buzz has fulfilled the selection and examination requirements of the National Construction Panel of Arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association, the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He holds an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is recognized by Super Lawyers in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

He has extensive experience with mediations conducted over Zoom and other electronic communication platforms and continues to participate in continuing legal education programs relating to both mediation and arbitration.  

The law firm provides scheduling and logistic support for his mediation and arbitration practices.

While in private practice, his work was primarily in the construction field representing owners, contractors, architects, insurance companies, engineers, suppliers, and subcontractors in many types of matters including construction contracting, licensing, defective construction, and delay and financial dispute cases. He also represented victims of construction and aviation accidents.

Buzz is the only elected Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers in the State of Montana. He is also an adjunct professor at Montana State University College of Engineering teaching in the fields of Construction Law, Public, and Private Construction Contracts, and the Construction Process.

He is the founder of the Montana State Bar Construction Law Section and the Montana Construction Law Institute (an annual construction law conference sponsored by the State Bar of Montana).  He has also held a variety of national leadership positions in the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law.

Mr. Tarlow is the creator and host of the ABA Forum’s podcast “Construction Law Today” which is available on a variety of platforms including PodBean, iTunes, The Google Play Store, and Spotify.

He has spoken at numerous state-wide and national construction law conferences and has written extensively in the field.

Buzz is also a licensed pilot and an avid guitar and bass player.

Education

University of Connecticut (B.A., cum laude, with distinction in Economics, 1981); Boston University (J.D., 1985)

Bar Admissions

Vermont and U.S. District Court, District of Vermont, 1986 (inactive); Montana and U.S. District Court, District of Montana, 1989; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1990

Memberships

American Bar Association (Member, Forum on the Construction Industry); National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (Member); Charted Institute of Arbitrators (Member); American Bar Foundation (Fellow); State Bar of Montana (Founder, Construction Law Section; Chairman, 2005-2006); Gallatin County Bar Association ; Founder, Montana Construction Law Institute; American College of Construction Lawyers (Member, Board of Governors 2014-2016); American Arbitration Association Panel Member