PLEVNA MONTANA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

In the Eye of the Beholder: Court of Appeal Finds Duty of Care Owed by Owner and Contractors for Death of Minors Caused by Independent Truck Driver

May 05, 2026 — Garret D. Murai - California Construction Law Blog
I was a T.A. for my high school history teacher, a really smart and nice guy, Mr. Reynolds. In the room at the back of the classroom which served as his office he had the picture above. It’s called “My Wife and My Mother-in-Law” and is taken from a German postcard from 1888. Depending on how you look it, you might see fashionable young lady, or an old lady. Cases can sometimes be like that: You see what you want to see. The next case is also like that. In Lorenzo v. Calex Engineering, Inc., 110 Cal.App.5th 49 (2025), the 2nd District Court of Appeals reversed a motion for summary judgment granted in favor of an owner and its contractors in a case involving the death of two minors struck by a dump truck enroute to a non-permitted off-site staging area. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Garret D. Murai, Nomos LLP
Mr. Murai may be contacted at gmurai@nomosllp.com

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Tracy Cowan Honored as “Icon” in Missouri Lawyers Media’s First-Ever “Illinois Legal Leaders” Awards

September 15, 2026 — Lewis Brisbois
St. Louis Managing Partner Tracy Cowan has been named an “Icon” by Missouri Lawyers Media in its inaugural “Illinois Legal Leaders” awards program. Mr. Cowan was among 14 people who earned “Icon” status in the awards program. This category honors “senior leaders with 30 years or more of legal practice” and is one of three groups recognized. The other two include “Up & Coming Lawyers,” for attorneys with 10 or fewer years in legal practice, and “Leaders in the Law,” which recognizes members of the bar who have significantly contributed to the practice of law in the state, the local legal community, and the broader community. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois

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GRSM Ranked Among Top 5 Construction Law Firms by Construction Executive

September 21, 2026 — Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani has been ranked the No. 5 construction law firm in the nation by Construction Executive in the magazine’s 2026 ranking of The Top 50 Construction Law Firms™. “Being named in the top five underscores the talent, experience, and nationwide capabilities of our construction team,” said Allen Estes III and Angela Richie, Chairs of GRSM’s Construction practice. “We are honored to serve as trusted counsel to clients across the construction industry and remain committed to delivering strategic solutions that help them achieve their business and project objectives.” In addition to this ranking, GRSM Construction practice group Co-Chairs Allen Estes and Angela Richie were featured in “Executive Insights 2026: Leaders in Construction Law,” where they shared insights on key risks to consider before signing construction contracts and discussed strategies for managing material cost volatility, supply-chain disruptions, and project delays. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

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Traub Lieberman Wins Affirmation of Judgment on Pleadings Before the Seventh Circuit

August 16, 2026 — Dana A. Rice & Adam P. Joffe - Traub Lieberman
Traub Lieberman Partners Dana Rice and Adam Joffe obtained affirmation of judgment from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of an Insurance Company. The Insurance Company filed suit seeking a declaration that it had no duty to defend or indemnify its Insured, a Roofing Contractor, in an underlying lawsuit. The Insurance Company issued a commercial general liability policy with a one-year policy term. The policy included an exclusion that barred coverage for any losses arising out of work the insured completed before the date the policy incepted. Reprinted courtesy of Dana A. Rice, Traub Lieberman and Adam P. Joffe, Traub Lieberman Mr. Rice may be contacted at drice@tlsslaw.com Mr. Joffe may be contacted at ajoffe@tlsslaw.com Read the full story...

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At the Frontier of Change: How—or Where—to Rebuild as Alaska's Permafrost Disappears

September 28, 2026 — Pam McFarland - Engineering News-Record
In some areas of the tiny subsistence coastal village of Kwigillingok along the Bering Sea in western Alaska, pockets of ground feel squishy, almost gelatinous, rather than solid. It’s an odd sensation, as if there is only a thin layer of muddy soil preventing people from falling into the water beneath their feet. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Pam McFarland, Engineering News-Record
Ms. McFarland may be contacted at mcfarlandp@enr.com

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Vacant Building Negates Coverage for Broken Pipe

September 01, 2026 — Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law Hawaii
The Michigan Court of Appeals found the insured was not covered for water damage because the commercial space was left vacant. Cherry Hill Recreation Center, Inc. v. Conifer Ins Co., 2026 Mich, App. LEXIS 5099 (Mich Ct. App. June 18, 2026). Alan Abbas purchased a bowling alley. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and executive orders issued by the governor, Abbas was unable to operate the bowling center for several months. During the winter, Abbas allowed the thermostat to drop significantly, with the building expected to be around 43 degrees Fahrenheit. He later admitted the sprinkler system’s pipes were not protected against freezing. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert
Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

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Bridging the Gap at Alaska’s Juneau Creek

September 21, 2026 — Tim Newcomb - Engineering News-Record
The largest single-span steel plate girder bridge launch in the nation wasn’t about setting records. Alaska’s Juneau Creek Bridge design was a matter of necessity. The fully erected steel plate girder bridge, featuring a 440-ft main span hovering 285 ft above the Juneau Creek, was part of the larger Sterling Highway project. It offered a logistical challenge but was chosen among over a dozen bridge types due to the unique constraints brought by the mountainous site. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Tim Newcomb, Engineering News-Record
ENR may be contacted at enr@enr.com

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AI Adoption in Construction: A UK Practitioner’s View

April 20, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
I recently talked with Chris Brady, an AI adoption consultant based in Birmingham, UK, who has spent 18 years working in construction. Two years ago, he began integrating AI into his work with contractors and SMEs, initially as an add-on service, and it has since become his main business. Chris now runs Metrix, an AI consultancy focused on UK construction companies, alongside two other ventures: Trade Upskill, an education platform for construction professionals, and ctrldash.ai, a compliance-automation SaaS for construction SMEs, both of which are soon to launch. What struck me most in our conversation was how grounded his approach is, built on years of direct industry experience rather than arriving from outside with a technology solution looking for a problem. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

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