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Construction Delays in the Time of Coronavirus: A Legal Perspective
When entering into a construction contract, it is important to understand and account for the differences between direct damages and consequential damages, as these differences can determine what damages may be recoverable....more
A federal judge in Michigan last week rejected a contractor’s efforts to avoid a jury trial this fall in its dispute with the owner of the Ludington Pumped Storage Hydro plant. The case involves a project to overhaul the...more
Businesses — especially service providers like contractors, subcontractors, consultants and design professionals — rely on their contracts to define their risks in the marketplace. For decades, a legal doctrine known as “the...more
Many construction contracts include a provision that prohibits the parties from recovering “consequential” damages in the event of a breach. Sometimes parties will negotiate and agree to a waiver of consequential damages that...more
Two recent Florida appellate decisions, Bandklayder Development, LLC v. Sabga, and Vuletic Group, LLC v. Malkin, have clarified and reinforced a critical principle in Florida construction law: damages for construction defect...more
Are design professionals involved in your Florida project? If so, then you need to be aware of this newly decided case. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, in Orlando, issued an Order on July 11,...more
A federal judge in Oklahoma last week ruled against an electrical subcontractor who quit work before finishing because it was allegedly unsafe to continue. The court found that the subcontractor was simply losing money, and...more
1. UNFIT FOR HABITATION UNDER THE DPA? HOW DOES THE COURT WORK OUT THE DAMAGES? The Defective Premises Act may be 53 years old but it has received particular attention in recent years, notably following its makeover by...more
With more than 40 years of experience in construction mediations, I’ve seen how early mediator involvement can significantly streamline the resolution process. By engaging a mediator early—before discovery heats up—parties...more
In a closely watched order issued July 11, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida addressed a previously unresolved and critical question under Florida law: whether remediation costs for defective...more
The Utah Court of Appeals delivered a significant ruling – including its length, approximately 12,500 words – underscoring the critical importance of adhering to contract provisions, particularly regarding payment terms in...more
The development industry has been eagerly awaiting the decision of the High Court in the case of Cooper v Ludgate House Limited, the first significant rights of light case to be litigated since 2020. The case promised to...more
Often times, subrogation practitioners take the “kitchen sink” approach when pursuing claims: they name all potentially liable parties under all available legal theories and whittle down from there. With construction defect...more
In URS Corporation Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd [2025] UKSC 21, the Supreme Court has dismissed URS' appeal on all four grounds in its decision handed down on 21 May 2025. The case will be remitted to the TCC to determine the...more
Last week the UK Supreme Court handed down its highly anticipated decision in URS Corporation Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd [2025] UKSC 21. The judgment provided helpful clarification on the recoverability of remediation costs...more
Court Affirms $1 Nominal Damage Award in Wind Farm Construction Dispute The general contractor on the 60-turbine wind farm project in Good Hope, Illinois, is entitled to collect a whopping $1 on its cost-to-complete claim...more
The recent ruling in Berkley Insurance Company v. Suffolk Construction Company, issued by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, has highlighted several significant lessons for subcontractors,...more
Under the Massachusetts statute of repose, tort claims involving improvements to real estate generally must be initiated within six years of the improvement’s opening to use. So, for example, if a worker suffers a jobsite...more
Businesses and homeowners in Oregon often assume their insurance will cover a contractor’s faulty work. That assumption was put to the test in Twigg v. Admiral Insurance Co., 373 Or. 475 (2025), an Oregon Supreme Court...more
On April 21, the Colorado Supreme Court held that there is no exception to the economic loss rule (“ELR”) for willful and wanton conduct. In Mid-Century Ins. Co., v HIVE Constr., Inc., the court drew an important distinction...more
The Alabama Supreme Court found that an indemnification provision was enforceable that required a subcontractor to indemnify a general contractor on a proportional-fault basis against liability for death or personal injury. ...more
A California appeals court has upheld a $5 million award in favor of Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and against the owner of a 12-story, Virgin-brand hotel in San Francisco. Whiting-Turner agreed to construct the hotel...more
In the case of Bandklayder Dev., LLC v. Sabga, No. 3D23-1906, 2025 WL 15275 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. Jan. 2, 2025), a Florida Appeals Court followed established Florida precedent holding that damages for a breach of construction...more
I have practiced law for 40 years with the vast majority as a “construction” lawyer. I have seen great… and bad… construction lawyering, both when representing a party and when serving over 300 times as a mediator or...more
A New York appeals court has affirmed a $1.6 billion award for the developer of a Bahamas mega project against various subsidiaries of China State Construction Engineering Corporation, the world’s largest construction company...more