Baker Law Group Gains Second Liaison to AIA Contract Documents Committee

The Baker Law Group LLC announced that Senior Associate Jonathan Berjikian has been added in 2026 as a liaison to the American Institute of Architects Contract Documents Committee, joining firm founder Jeremy S. Baker, who has served in the liaison role since 2015. The AIA Contract Documents Committee drafts, revises and maintains the AIA's standard form agreements used across the design and construction industry, including owner-architect, owner-contractor, design-build and consultant agreements. The committee's work draws on a consensus process that involves multiple industry perspectives and is supported by AIA staff counsel and subject-matter contributors.

As liaisons, Baker and Berjikian will provide practitioner feedback on draft language, flag contracting issues that arise in day-to-day project work and contribute to discussions that inform future editions of the AIA documents, Baker Law said. "It's a huge honor for Jonathan, and I'm excited to work with him in this new capacity," Baker said. "The liaison role lets us bring real project issues back into the drafting conversations, which is where the documents either stay practical or drift away from practice." Berjikian, a senior associate at Baker Law, advises project participants on contract negotiation and project risk across delivery methods, including the AIA's commonly used standard forms, the firm said.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity and for the help from Jeremy and the AIA," Berjikian said. "AIA documents shape how teams allocate risk and solve problems, and I'm looking forward to contributing feedback that reflects what we see on active projects." The committee typically reviews and updates its core documents on a 10-year cycle; widely used editions such as the A201 and B101 forms were released in 2017. Baker Law said the liaison work is timely as the AIA develops its next comprehensive update, targeted for release in 2027. The addition of Berjikian gives Baker Law the notable distinction of having two liaisons to the committee. This representation bolsters the firm's ability to shape AIA agenda and represent client interests in the next comprehensive update.

The importance of this announcement lies in the direct influence these liaisons will have on the foundational contracts governing billions of dollars in construction projects annually. The AIA documents, including forms like the A201 and B101, are the industry standard for defining relationships, responsibilities, and risk allocation among owners, architects, contractors, and consultants. Having two practitioners from a single firm in liaison positions provides a concentrated channel for real-world legal and project management experience to feed directly into the drafting process. This is particularly critical for the upcoming 2027 update, which will set the contractual framework for the industry for the subsequent decade.

The implications extend beyond Baker Law Group's prestige. The feedback mechanism ensures the next generation of AIA contracts remains grounded in the practical challenges of modern construction, addressing issues like payment flows, dispute resolution, insurance requirements, and responsibilities in increasingly complex project delivery methods. For architects, engineers, developers, and contractors who rely on these forms, the involvement of active legal practitioners like Baker and Berjikian helps guard against the creation of impractical or unbalanced contract language that could lead to increased disputes and project delays. Their role underscores the ongoing evolution of construction law to meet the needs of a dynamic industry, making the 2027 document release a significant event for all stakeholders involved in the built environment.