Jamil Soucar was born in Lebanon, where he earned his Civil Engineering degree in 1983. He has been working in the construction industry since, in various capacities and positions. Here is a look at his background.
Jamil comes from a strong family with an emphasis on education and good values. At the age of 13, the civil war in Lebanon began, a war that he lived through for 14 years. At the age of 27, Jamil was able to leave for California. During the difficult years of war, he focused on education, sports, family, and music, while enduring numerous moments of fear and near-death experiences.
Since he was 14 years old, Jamil dreamed of living in the United States. Growing up in American schools and being influenced by U.S. culture through movies and TV shows, he wondered why he couldn't live that lifestyle. The frustration of thinking his dream would never come true grew over time, alongside the question of whether he would ever have a good future. His dream was simple: to live a good life in the U.S., have a family, and be able to provide for them. He spent many nights relieving stress by playing his piano until late into the night.
When Jamil finally made it to the United States, he couldn't believe it. Even after 36 years of living in the country, he still experiences a sense of disbelief at having fulfilled his childhood dream. He feels incredibly blessed to have a wonderful wife and two amazing children.
Jamil recalls the moment when he saw the streetlights of Los Angeles from the plane as it approached the airport. "Am I really here?" he wondered. Everything felt new when he first arrived, as though his prior knowledge had been erased. So, he immersed himself in books, studying while working and gaining construction experience. He enrolled at UCLA and earned a Construction Management certificate. Since then, Jamil has held positions ranging from superintendent to senior project manager, managing projects for both general contractors and owners in public and private sectors.
In 2003, Jamil decided to take his career to the next level by founding his business, Arc & Line, LLC, offering construction management, claims, and expert witness services. The 2008 recession hit soon after, and Jamil faced a challenging period, one that he found even tougher than the war. Despite the pressure, he resisted the temptation to leave self-employment for a secure job, knowing that doing so might prevent him from returning to his entrepreneurial path. His perseverance paid off as his business eventually thrived.
Most of Jamil's projects are in public works, particularly K-12 projects, though his portfolio also includes residential, commercial, parks, libraries, gymnasiums, restaurants, sports facilities, street improvements, and more. As an owner representative for a public school district, he was the senior project manager overseeing a program of 560 projects across 123 schools, from scoping to completion.
For over 18 years, Jamil has also worked as an expert witness, testifying in court, mediations, and arbitrations, and providing consulting services. The cases he's worked on have included delays, change order disputes, standard of care issues, scope disputes, and defects.
Driven by a passion for teaching, Jamil taught construction management, scheduling, and claims at Westwood College, and also taught construction claims to an international group of students online, who logged in from 18 countries.
His teaching style was unique-he did not use textbooks. Instead, Jamil shared material drawn from his real-life experience and encouraged students to attend and participate actively in class to earn an A grade. Students lost points if they were distracted by phones or computers or failed to engage in class discussions. His approach was well-received, and he was voted the best instructor for three consecutive years.
Inspired by his experiences of teaching from real-world knowledge, Jamil authored and published Real Life Construction Management Guide from A-Z. The book sold both nationally and internationally and won multiple awards, including two at the Los Angeles and New York Book Festivals and an Eric Hoffer Award. It has received positive reviews on Amazon.
A lifelong learner, Jamil enrolled in law school three years ago with the goal of becoming a construction lawyer. He is set to graduate in 2025 and sit for the bar exam in February 2026. With over 42 years of construction experience, Jamil believes his expertise will serve him well in his future legal career, although he intends to continue offering expert witness services and consulting.
Additionally, Jamil earned two mediation certificates from Pepperdine University and the Conflict Resolution Institute. He is passionate about the mediation process and enjoys helping disputing parties reach resolutions. Working as a mediator has also become a part of his career.
Jamil is deeply grateful for all the blessings in his life. He feels he is living his dream in the United States and draws strength from his parents, whose prayers and support have always meant a great deal to him. He looks forward to a successful career in law.
