[Porsche-O-Phile]

Then give him one.

A lot of contractors are used to getting their way through intimidation. Ever see a weakling homeowner or owner's rep. trying to stand up to a clutch of 15 hardhat-wearing gorillas wielding power tools? You catch my drift. A lot of these guys know how to play the intimidation game and will definitely try it. Some will eventually "blink", others will drag the fight all the way to litigation. Depends on the individual contractor.

At least you have a lawyer involved. There are MANY ways to overcome their threats (especially if you're in the right, which it sounds like you are). Hopefully he is an expert on construction contract law - a generalist type attorney might not be a particularly good choice for these kinds of cases.

Best of luck in any case. Don't let the b*stards grind you down. Stand tough and if they want a fight, I say give 'em one.