How To Be A Project Advocate By Diffusing Adjacent Neighbor Tensions
This is the seventh update in our series covering AB 130 and SB 131, two bills that work substantive changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and California housing law....more
On May 12, 2025, the Honourable Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Minister), introduced Bill 17—the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 (Bill 17). On June 5, 2025, Bill 17 received...more
While good communication alone may not guarantee the success of a construction project, a lack of communication among the project team will almost always doom a project to failure. With so many moving parts, clear and...more
On 18 June 2025, the German Federal Cabinet adopted a draft law to accelerate residential construction and secure housing (Schneller bauen mit dem Wohnungsbau-Turbo | Bundesregierung) in order to implement the 100-day target...more
Setting the Stage for Construction Litigation Support - The scale and complexity of construction projects often lead to a different outcome than expected, creating a dispute between the parties. Many construction disputes...more
House Bill 47 ("H47") was signed into law (Session Law 2025-2) by Governor Stein on March 20. The bill's official name is the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025–Part I, but it is more commonly known as the Hurricane Helene...more
As wildfires increase in frequency and severity, the construction industry is turning to advanced fire-resistant building techniques and materials to create “fire-hardened” homes that can withstand extreme heat, direct...more
The High Court has imposed the first Building Liability Order under the Building Safety Act, passing liability for building safety defects from an SPV to its wealthier parent company....more
Each March, our team participates in the North Carolina State Construction Conference in Raleigh, where thousands of construction industry members meet to hear about the current “state of the construction industry” in North...more
In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, which claimed 72 lives, the UK government has undertaken significant measures to address the systemic failures that contributed to the disaster. This year, several key...more
A Bill first introduced by the New Jersey Assembly Housing Committee in October, and recently approved by the Committee to be considered by the full Assembly for a vote, could potentially permit single exit stairwells in...more
As we look ahead to 2025, several key areas within the real estate sector are poised to see an uptick in disputes. This report outlines ten pressing issues that property owners, occupiers, developers and investors should be...more
Introduction: Substantial Structural Damage and Its Impact on Building Repairs - Substantial structural damage (SSD) is a defined term within the International Code Council (ICC) building code library, which assesses the...more
Welcome to our ninth issue of 2024 for our construction industry insights e-newsletter - The Site Report. Building Code Legislation Becomes Law - Why this is important: Senate Bill 166, 2024 Building Code Regulatory...more
INTRODUCTION: OVERVIEW OF SCAFFOLD COLLAPSES & FAILURES - A scaffold is a simple and temporary structure, erected to facilitate the construction or remediation of a main structure, but it may not be given the attention in...more
Today's construction environment demands a lot from contractors who are pulled in multiple directions and whose responsibilities may seem limitless. Beyond performing good work, managing and effectively communicating...more
In our latest roundup, hotel-to-apartment conversions take big leap, state governments pass squatting legislation, US regional banks risk having debt ratings downgraded, and more!...more
Welcome to our sixth issue of 2024 for our construction industry insights e-newsletter - The Site Report. During the summer months, our firm is pleased to host a talented group of law students, who get the opportunity...more
Florida Chapter 2023-203: Ensuring Building Safety in the Wake of Tragedies - It often takes a crisis for society and government to react. Whether it be seat belts, smoking, or building safety, unfortunately, catastrophe...more
The cost of construction insurance in Florida is having developers second-guess their willingness to invest in the Sunshine State, while business leaders are growing concerned that higher insurance costs may slow Florida’s...more
In this Insight, first published in PLC, Kim Roberts, Katharine Tulloch and Corinna Whittle consider the key changes that parties may want to make to their construction contracts to take account of the new regulatory regime...more
The plaintiff, a diesel technician, was lying beneath a lifted trailer working on a faulty airbrake system when the trailer fell on him, causing catastrophic injuries. The Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s dismissal...more
On March 7, 2024, approximately 1,200 members of the construction industry participated in NC’s 43rd State Construction Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. In case you missed the Conference, Spilman attorneys Stephanie...more
AN OVERVIEW OF THE CAUSES OF ROOF FAILURE - Collapses of wood-framed roofs are frequently reported in North America, ranging from simple agricultural roofs to complex roofs in industrial buildings. Controllable factors...more
NY Governor's Veto of Wind Power Bill “Undermines Industry," Critics Say- “The bill known as the ‘Planned Offshore Wind Transmission Act’ has been working its way through the state legislature since April 2023.” Why...more