Baker Law Group LLC announced that Senior Associate Jonathan Berjikian has been added as a liaison to the American Institute of Architects Contract Documents Committee for 2026. He joins 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. "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. "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. For more information about the AIA Contract Documents, visit https://www.aiacontracts.org. The committee's consensus-based approach to drafting these influential documents is detailed at https://www.aia.org/resources/standard-form-documents.
The importance of this development lies in the widespread use of AIA contract documents throughout the construction industry. These standardized agreements govern relationships, risk allocation, and dispute resolution on projects ranging from small renovations to billion-dollar developments. Having two practitioners from the same firm serving as liaisons provides concentrated feedback from active legal practice directly into the drafting process. This could lead to more practical, current contract language that better addresses real-world project challenges when the next edition is released.
The 2027 update will affect thousands of projects nationwide, making this liaison appointment significant for contractors, architects, developers, and owners who rely on these documents. The committee's work influences how construction teams manage payment, delays, changes, and liability—issues that can make or break project profitability and completion. With construction disputes often stemming from contract interpretation, having practitioners with current project experience involved in drafting helps create clearer, more equitable agreements that can prevent costly litigation.
