Structural Concerns Force Emergency Closure of Maryland Office Building
August 16, 2026 —
Jim Parsons - Engineering News-RecordA 10-story Baltimore-area office building was evacuated after an underground parking structure was compromised during construction work.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Jim Parsons, Engineering News-RecordENR may be contacted at
enr@enr.com
Labor Shortages in Construction: Managing Legal and Operational Risks
April 14, 2026 —
Meghan Douris - Construction ExecutiveLabor shortages in the construction industry have become more than a scheduling headache—they are a legal and financial risk multiplier. As contractors scramble to meet deadlines with limited manpower, shortcuts in compliance, safety and subcontractor oversight become more likely. These gaps can expose companies to regulatory penalties, contractual disputes and reputational damage. Understanding how workforce constraints intersect with labor laws and contractual obligations is critical to mitigating the risks and navigating these challenges without compromising compliance or project integrity.
The construction industry has faced persistent workforce challenges for years, but recent trends have intensified the problem. Factors such as an aging workforce, reduced immigration and post-pandemic recovery pressures have left contractors struggling to find skilled labor. According to
Associated Builders and Contractors, the construction workforce shortage surpassed half a million workers in 2024; in the same year,
Associated General Contractors reported 88% of construction companies had difficulty finding qualified workers.
Reprinted courtesy of
Meghan Douris, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
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Agent Not Liable for Loss Given Insured’s Vague Instructions for Coverage
April 08, 2026 —
Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law HawaiiThe Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment to the insured’s agent because there was no breach of duty. Jon Van Order v. Hauk, et al., 2025 Ill. App. Unpub. LEXIS 2378 (Ill. Ct. App. Dec. 23, 2025).
The insured began renovating a vacant home in October 2018. He met with agent Joseph Hauk and explained the property was vacant and would be going through renovations for the next several months. Hauk then procured a policy through Shelter Insurance Company insuring the vacant property against several specified perils. The policy provided coverage for water damage if “[t]he exterior of the building sustained a covered loss” and “that loss created an opening through which the water entered.” Damage caused by escaping water from within a plumbing system was excluded if: (1) the damage was caused by a “continuous or repeated leakage over a period of fourteen days or more” or (2) the insured premises had been vacant for 30 consecutive days immediately preceding the loss.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak HastertMr. Eyerly may be contacted at
te@hawaiilawyer.com
Denis Serkin and Michael S. Zicherman Co-Edit/Author Lexology Panoramic: Construction 2027
August 03, 2026 —
Denis Serkin & Michael S. Zicherman - Peckar & Abramson, P.C.P&A partners
Denis Serkin and
Michael S. Zicherman served as co-editors and authors of Lexology’s Panoramic: Construction 2027 – US and Global guide. Formerly Getting the Deal Through, Lexology Panoramic provides members of the construction industry and construction-related legal and business providers with side-by-side comparison of key industry issues in 19 jurisdictions worldwide.
Reprinted courtesy of
Denis Serkin, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. and
Michael S. Zicherman, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Mr. Serkin may be contacted at dserkin@pecklaw.com
Mr. Zicherman may be contacted at mzicherman@pecklaw.com
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Limitations of Liability Provisions in Construction Contracts: A Means to Manage Risk and Limit Financial Exposure
June 23, 2026 —
Ellen Chapelle, Richard Reizen, Hannah Batsche - Construction ExecutiveTaking a cue from architects and engineers, construction contractors have started inserting limitation of
liability clauses in their construction contracts to manage risk and limit financial exposure. This article will address the specific risks that can be limited through an LOL, tips for negotiating the LOL terms with reluctant owners to cover those specific risks, how to limit unintended consequences of an LOL (such as relieving an insurer of its obligations to cover certain losses), and approaches to setting the amount of the liability cap in the LOL.
Addressing Particular Risks
An LOL can address a wide range of risks, including:
- Damages for delay
- Liability for non-conforming or defective work
- Liability for third-party bodily injury or property damage
- Liability excluded by a general liability policy (e.g., pollution and cyber liability)
- Liability related to intellectual property
Reprinted courtesy of
Ellen Chapelle, Richard Reizen, Hannah Batsche, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
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Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (8/12/26) – Data Center Momentum Increases, Multifamily Construction Projects Decline, CRE Returns as Top Investor Preference
September 01, 2026 —
Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law BlogIn our latest roundup, office vacancies fall, fair housing advocacy groups sue HUD, foreign buyers reduce purchases of U.S. residential real estate, and more!
- After a brief slowdown to begin the summer, data center construction planning momentum picked up in July, again shining as the brightest sector in building. (Zachary Phillips, Construction Dive)
- The number of finished multifamily construction projects declined last year — welcome news for multifamily operators eager to work through the recent supply wave — and a record share of new apartments were high-density. (Julie Strupp, Multifamily Dive)
- Fair housing advocacy groups sued the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, claiming the agency’s funding restructuring drastically reduces their ability to receive funds from the Fair Housing Initiatives Program. (Ryan Kushner, Multifamily Dive)
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team
Differing Site Conditions Claim Requires a Misrepresentation
May 14, 2026 —
David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal UpdatesIf you are entertaining a
differing site conditions claim, consider this Third District Court of Appeals case from the mid-90s.
In Hendry Corp. v. Metropolitan Dade County, 648 So.2d 140 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995), a contractor was hired by Dade County to demolish the old Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami. The original 1941 plans of the causeway were made available to contractors. The lowest bidding contractor that was awarded the project based its bid “on its conclusion that the pilings supporting the old bridge were made of concrete.” Hendry, supra at 141. The contractor based this conclusion on the original plans, its visual observation, and experience.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
David Adelstein, Kirwin NorrisMr. Adelstein may be contacted at
dma@kirwinnorris.com
Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Andrea DeField Among Nation’s Top Young Litigators
September 08, 2026 —
Hunton Insurance Recovery BlogHunton’s insurance coverage team is proud to celebrate the recognition of
Andrea DeField on
Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 40 & Under List, an annual ranking that highlights the nation’s leading litigators age 40 and under. Andrea was one of only six Hunton lawyers selected and was recognized in the South region. Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under List honors attorneys who have distinguished themselves through significant case work, client feedback, and peer review.
This honor reflects Andrea’s reputation as one of the country’s leading policyholder-side insurance recovery litigators and her standing as a trusted advisor to companies facing some of today’s most complex insurance and risk management challenges. As head of Hunton’s cyber insurance practice, Andrea has built her career helping companies manage risk and maximize insurance recovery. Her practice spans the full spectrum of insurance-related issues, from advising clients on contractual risk transfer and insurance program design to representing policyholders in high-stakes coverage and bad faith disputes. She has guided clients through some of the most complex and widely publicized losses in recent years and helps companies recover under a broad range of insur
An Insurance Policy Isn’t Ambiguous Just Because You Want It to BeWhat is the Implied Warranty of Habitability?Insureds' Experts Insufficient to Survive Insurer's Motion for Summary JudgmentUniform Rules Governing New York’s Supreme and County Courts Get An OverhaulSingle-Family Home Gain Brightens U.S. Housing Outlook: EconomyRevised Cause Identified for London's Wobbling Millennium Bridge After Two DecadesEven Fraud in the Inducement is Tough in ConstructionAI as Co-Counsel: How Litigators Can Leverage AI for Depositions, Experts, and Trial PreparationBuilding Permits Up in USA Is a Good SignWhat You Need to Know About the Recently Enacted Infrastructure BillLegal Disputes Soar as Poor Information Management Impacts the AEC IndustryChinese Hunt for Trophy Properties Boosts NYC, London PricesFour Key Steps for a Successful Construction Audit ProcessReal Property Alert: Recording Notice of Default as Trustee Before Being Formally Made the Trustee Does Not Make Foreclosure Sale VoidNegligent Inspection Claim Against Supervising Design Professional / ConsultantFIFA Inspecting Brazil’s World Cup StadiumsPresident Trump Issued Two New EOs on Energy Infrastructure and Federal Energy PolicyTenth Circuit Finds Appraisal Can Decide Causation of Loss Under Colorado LawDelays Caused When Government (Owner) Pushes Contractor’s Work Into Rainy / Adverse Weather SeasonCal/OSHA’s Toolbox Has Significantly Expanded: A Look At Senate Bill 606Insured's Jury Verdict Reversed After Improper Trial TacticsBoston Construction Bands With Health Care to Fight COVID-19Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (3/6/24) – Steep Drop in Commercial Real Estate Investment, Autonomous Robots Being Developed for Construction Projects, and Treasury Department Proposes Regulation for Real Estate ProfessionalsQuick Note: Don’t Spoil Evidence!!!!Congratulations to Newport Beach Partner Tyler D. Offenhauser and Associate Therese M. Ellis for Securing a Dismissal on a Premises Liability and Negligence Case!In Matter of First Impression, California Appellate Court Finds a Claim for a Real Estate Professional’s Breach of Fiduciary Duty is AssignableLandmark Montana Supreme Court Decision Series: Trigger and AllocationSupreme Court of Idaho Rules That Substantial Compliance With the Notice and Opportunity to Repair Act Suffices to Bring Suit“Rip and Tear” Damage Remains Covered Under CGL Policy as “Accident”—for Now.Florida SB 2022-736: Construction Defect ClaimsMotion to Dismiss COVID Claim Granted in Part, Denied in PartThe "Dark Overlord" Strikes The Practice Of Law: What Law Firms Can Do To Protect ThemselvesColorado Supreme Court Issues Decisions on Statute of Limitations for Statutory Bad Faith Claims and the Implied Waiver of Attorney-Client PrivilegeTraub Lieberman Partner Jessica Kull and Associate Jonathan Powell Win Motion to Dismiss in Favor of General ContractorJobsite Safety, Workforce Shortage Drive Innovation in Machine AutomationConstruction Contractors Must Understand Retainage In 2021Risk Protection: Force Majeure Agreements Take on Renewed RelevanceDevelopers Can Tap into DOE’s $400 Million for Remote and Rural Clean Energy ProjectsGAO Sustains Unsupported Past Performance Evaluation and Unequal Discussion Bid ProtestNew Jersey Federal Court Examines And Applies The “j.(5)” Ongoing Operations ExclusionAvoiding Construction Defect “Nightmares” in FloridaIt’s Getting Harder and Harder to be a Concrete Supplier in California Contractors Sued for SlipInsureds' Not Entitled to Recovery for Partial CollapseTodd Seelman Recognized as Fellow of Wisconsin Law FoundationAutovol’s Affordable Housing Project with Robotic AutomationHouston’s High Housing Demand due to Employment GrowthAffordable Global Housing Will Cost $11 TrillionStrategic Implementation of AI in AECArbitration: For Whom the Statute of Limitations Does Not Toll in PennsylvaniaDispute Over Exhaustion of Primary PolicySecond Month of US Construction Spending DownArizona Court Cites California Courts to Determine Construction Defect Coverage is Time Barred 
