Catherine Bednar is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary’s Boston office and serves as Vice-Chair of the firm's Construction & Design Law national practice section. Ms. Bednar also serves as Chair of the firm's Environmental national practice team, and Chair of the firm's Northeast Coverage team. She is an experienced litigator in state and federal courts, with a focus on professional liability claims, construction litigation and insurance coverage.

Ms. Bednar has represented architects, engineers, accountants, attorneys and other professionals in the defense of malpractice claims. In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Bednar advises her professional services clients on contract negotiation and risk management best practices.

Ms. Bednar has defended a wide array of businesses, condominium associations and individuals against high-exposure claims for personal injury, property damage and monetary losses. She has significant experience handling environmental disputes, including matters involving the Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention Act (Chapter 21E) and the federal Clean Water Act.

Prior to law school, Ms. Bednar worked as an environmental engineer at a national consulting firm. As an engineer, she advised and assisted corporate and municipal clients regarding compliance with state and federal environmental regulations, and engaged in the investigation, assessment, remediation and monitoring of contaminated properties. During law school, she interned at the United States Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), assisting on enforcement of federal clean air laws.

Ms. Bednar also represents insurance companies in coverage matters, including cases involving commercial general liability policies, professional liability policies and commercial and homeowners property policies.

Massachusetts

U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

• “Pay or waive: Massachusetts SJC requires payment under Prompt Pay Act for non-compliant contractor to assert common-law defenses,” Co-authored with Andrew Vandini, FMG BlogLine (2024)
• “Joint defense and tolling agreements: Navigating common interests between defendants in construction cases,” FMG BlogLine (2024)
• “2023 FMG Insurance Coverage Annual Report,” Contributor (2024)
• “Joining Together in Complex Construction Actions,” CLM Construction Claims Magazine (2023)
• “New Year’s resolutions for design professionals: negotiate new contracts carefully,” FMG BlogLine (2022)

• IADC
• PWC

2025-26 editions of The Best Lawyers in America^®

Recognized as a Massachusetts “Rising Star” by Law & Politics magazine in the area of Professional Liability: Defense, 2016

• “Reservation of Rights Letters – Practice Pointers,” FMG Webinar (November 2023)
• “Top 10 Contracts Do’s and Don’ts,” Risk Control for Architects, Engineers & Environmental Professionals at Fenway Park (August 2023)
• “De-Escalation Techniques: How to Manage Conflicts in Claims and Mediations,” panel moderator, ExecuSummit, Women in Insurance Leadership (March 2023)
• “A Roadmap for Defending Covered and Non-covered Claims: Part 1 – Reservation of Rights Letters,” Webinar (March 2020)
• “Reducing Risk for Yourself, Your Company and Your Clients” – Managing Engineering Liability and Risk Seminar, Half Moon Education, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts (March 2020)
• “Insurance and Legal Issues for Architects” Central Massachusetts Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Worcester, Massachusetts (September 2015)