James Rappoport is Principal at Daroff Design, a full service Planning, Architectural & Interior Design practice founded in 1973. The firm specializes in ground-up, renovation, and historic adaptive reuse projects for office facilities, hotels, resorts, retail and shopping facilities, restaurants, meeting, conference and training facilities, aviation terminals and entertainment projects throughout the USA and Internationally.

Mr. Rappoport has provided technical consultation analysis, expert witness reports, opinions, affidavits, certificates of merit, depositions, mediation and alternative dispute resolution presentations, testimony and pre-trial support in more than 250 legal cases, for both defendants’ and plaintiffs’ legal teams. Each of the matters Mr. Rappoport has collaborated on have settled before trial. Mr. Rappoport is the author of several professional text books and trade journal articles. He has been awarded multiple copy rights and is an active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the International Code Council (ICC), and the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). He is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

With 50+ years of experience, Mr. Rappoport has successfully provided technical consultation, expert witness opinions, affidavits, certificates of merit, depositions, mediation & arbitration presentations, testimony, and pre-trial support in more than 500 legal
cases, engaged by both defendants’ and plaintiffs’ legal teams. Each of these cases have settled based on Mr. Rappoport’s investigations, reports, and opinions, prior to trial

Education: 

• B ARCH, Cornell
• MS ARCH / Urban Design, Columbia

Areas of Expertise:

• Architecture
• Lending Practices – Development Financing
• Architectural Codes / Design & Standards
• Office Building Design & Planning
• Architectural Design
• Owner – Architect Agreements
• Architectural Practice
• Owner – Contractor Agreements
• ADA – Accessibility Compliance
• Professional Liability (Architecture & Design)
• ADA – Accessibility Design – Accessible Routes
• Project Planning & Zoning Disputes
• ADAAG 2010 Alleged Violation Complaints
• Restaurant Accessibility Planning
• Building Codes & Ordinances
• Restaurant Feasibility Studies, Budgets & Design
• Construction & Architectural Design