Max Abrahamson

Max Abrahamson (29 October 1932 – 7 October 2018) was an Irish lawyer, internationally recognized as an expert in construction law.

Background Abrahamson was the son of Tillie (née Nurock) and surgeon Leonard Abrahamson, whose Jewish families left Eastern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. His father was a Ukrainian Jew from Odessa. Following his education at Sandford Park School, Dublin, Max Abrahamson entered Trinity College in 1949 where he was elected a Trinity Scholar. He qualified as a solicitor in 1955.

Career There was very little work for lawyers in the very economically depressed Ireland of the 1950s and he supplemented his earnings by lecturing engineering students in contract law in Trinity College. This led to this becoming his area of special expertise. In 1965 he published Engineering Law and the ICE [Institution of Civil Engineers] Contract. It became known as "the engineers' bible" throughout the world.

He later developed the "Abrahamson Principles" first published in 1973. This was a theory to allocate risk in construction contracts. These principles were to become widely used internationally.

Artistic work Abrahamson sculpted in clay and had bronze works exhibited at the RHA. He also did wood carving in his office to relieve the working day. His masterpiece as a woodcarver was an interpretation of Jacques-Louis David's Napoleon Crossing the Alps.

Publications Abrahamson, Max, Engineering Law and the ICE Contract. 1965 (fourth edition, 2003) Abrahamson, Max W., "Risk Management" (1983) in International Construction Law Review 241,244.