Overview
Jessica (Jess) Sabbath focuses her practice on domestic and cross-border high-stakes litigation and arbitration, with an emphasis on construction disputes arising from large energy and infrastructure projects. Prior to joining McDermott, Jess was senior counsel at a Fortune 500 energy company, where she provided strategic business and legal advice on matters arising from multimillion-dollar contracts. Drawing from over two decades of experience as both in-house and outside counsel for energy, construction, infrastructure and manufacturing companies, Jess approaches litigation with each client’s business objectives at the forefront of her strategy.
From initial intake through disposition and appeal, Jess has extensive experience managing all of phases of a case. She has represented clients at numerous trials in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR).
Jess is also committed to pro bono work, and has represented a client seeking asylum and a death row inmate seeking habeas corpus in her pro bono practice.
Results
- Represented an owner of a multi-billion dollar LNG export facility in an ICC arbitration against an EPC contractor over the design and construction of the facility
- Representing owner of wind farm against equipment supplier in relation to claims of design defects in wind turbines
- Represented a Brazilian oil and gas company in a $600 million ICC arbitration over the design and construction of floating oil and gas processing plants off the coast of Brazil*
- Represented the owner of a Colombian oil refinery in a multibillion-dollar dispute against an EPC contractor before the ICC*
- Represented a Fortune 50 company in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit claiming design defects in connection with the renovation of its New York City headquarters*
- Represented the owner and developer of a natural gas fired, combined cycle power plant in an ICDR arbitration against an EPC contractor over claims of wrongful termination and schedule delay*
- Represented an oil refinery owner in arbitration against a project manager in connection with the largest refinery expansion project in the United States*
- Represented a large school district pursuing claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and State RICO violations against a program management firm hired to manage the district’s $1 billion construction program*
- Represented a natural gas distribution company seeking damages from the designers and constructors of a natural gas pipeline in Georgia, which experienced severe external corrosion during construction, obtaining a favorable settlement*
- Represented a natural gas distribution company seeking damages from a weld inspection contractor who provided defective digital weld images during the construction of a natural gas pipeline, recovering $7.4 million at trial*
- Represented an inventor in AAA arbitration proceedings seeking unpaid royalties from a toy manufacturer under a licensing agreement, resulting in an award in excess of $70 million*
- Represented hundreds of individuals and corporations in a AAA arbitration alleging violations of the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act and other state and federal laws in real estate development disputes involving millions of dollars*
- Represented a national poultry company in a lawsuit against a product manufacturer seeking damages in excess of $260 million arising out of a fire loss*
- Represented a Fortune 500 construction company in an insurance recovery action against its commercial general liability carriers in Kentucky, obtaining a significant settlement*
- Represented a textile manufacturer in obtaining a significant settlement in a lawsuit seeking damages in excess of $400 million against a major railroad in federal court in South Carolina arising out of a derailment and liquid chlorine spill*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott
Recognitions
- Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Construction, 2025
Community
- Society of Construction Law North America, regional director for Southeast region
- Atlanta Bar Association, Construction Law Section, board member
- American Bar Association, Forum on Construction Law, member
- State Bar of Georgia, former co-chair of the Construction Law Section’s CLE Committee
- Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Saturday Lawyers Program, participant
- Lawyers Club of Atlanta, member
Credentials
Education
Tulane Law School, JD, summa cum laude, 2004
University of Virginia, BS, with distinction, 2001
Admissions
Georgia
Courts / Agencies
US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
US District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
Languages
English
Spanish
