ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Breaking Ground On New California Public Works Prevailing Wage Requirements

April 27, 2026 — Heather Frisch, Christopher Bouquet & Ashley Stein - The Construction Seyt
Seyfarth Synopsis: As of January 1, 2026, AB 889 bulldozed California’s Prevailing Wage law, which impacts public works employers—including public agencies, the contractors that work for them, and private owners and developers whose projects may be subject to public works requirements. The amended law reframes the calculation of fringe benefits for individuals who work on public works project and mandates annualization of such benefits, demolishes the practice of frontloading these benefits, and requires employers to maintain inspection-ready records of compliance. This year, AB 889 significantly revised California’s prevailing wage law, codified at Labor Code section 1773.1, to clarify the state’s prevailing wage regulations and streamline enforcement. Accordingly, as of January 1, 2026, California public works employers are required to annualize employees’ fringe benefits and maintain specific documentation demonstrating statutory compliance. These new obligations impact public agencies and their contractors, as well as private owners and developers whose projects may be subject to public works requirements. Continue reading for the blueprint of how to comply with the state’s amended prevailing wage law. Reprinted courtesy of Heather Frisch, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Christopher Bouquet, Seyfarth Shaw LLP and Ashley Stein, Seyfarth Shaw LLP Ms. Frisch may be contacted at hfrisch@seyfarth.com Mr. Bouquet may be contacted at cbouquet@seyfarth.com Ms. Stein may be contacted at astein@seyfarth.com Read the

Collapse Claim Dismissed as Untimely

January 26, 2026 &mda

Risks of Using an AI Chatbot for Legal Advice: Lessons from United States v. Heppner

April 08, 2026 — Payne & Fears LLP
Imagine that you are an executive (who is not a lawyer) and are concerned about what your company plans to do is legal. You could call your lawyer who might bill you for the call. Or, you can ask your AI chatbot, such as Claude or ChatGPT, about the legal risk. The chatbot will likely compliment you on the incisive question, provide you with highly confident answer (that may or may not be right) and will not bill you on an hourly basis. That is essentially what financial services executive Bradley Heppner did. It did not end well. A federal court recently ruled that Heppner’s chats with the AI tool Claude were not protected by attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine. That means that the other side (in this case, the federal government) could get access to his chatbot prompts, uploads and responses, and learn a great deal about, for ex

Bridging the Information Gap of Alternative Delivery Methods on Public Projects

January 21, 2026 — Michael S. Blackwell - The Dispute Resolver
In almost all corners of the country, municipalities, counties, and states alike have historically employed a design-bid-build approach to public projects. While the delivery method lend

The Who/What/How of Sealing Plans for Architects and Engineers (Law Note)

March 03, 2026 — Melissa Dewey Brumback - Construction Law in North Carolina
The proper use of professional seals in North Carolina is critical. Failure to follow the prescribed requirements can subject you or your Firm to a Board sanction. Did you know that the NC Board of Architecture and the NC Engineering Board have jointly prepared a fairly straightforward document that can tell you exactly what you need to know about sealing of plans? That document, the “Seal Brochure” (pdf) is available for download. Every state’s regulations are a little different (thank you Federalism!) so it is worth reviewing with your staff at regular intervals, especially if you do work across state lines. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Melissa Dewey Brumback, Ragsdale Liggett PLLC
Ms. Brumback may be contacted at mbrumback@rl-law.com

Only A Contractor Can Appeal a Contracting Officer’s Final Decision

April 20, 2026 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
A recent decision from the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals confirms that “only a ‘contractor’ may file an appeal of a contracting officer’s final decision.” Wattiker v. General Services Administration, 2026 WL 846001 (CBCA 2026) (citation omitted). The term “contractor is not an ambiguous term. A ‘contractor’ refers to a party to a federal government contract. Wattiker (citing the Contract Disputes Act). This is why the Contract Disputes Act does not apply to parties that are NOT in contract with the federal government. Id. In Wattiker, an appellant (appealing party) challenged the dismissal of a co-appellant. The co-appellant was dismissed because he was not a contractor, i.e., a party in contract with the federal government. In other words, the co-appellant had no privity of contract with the federal government. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.comScope of Products Requiring Proposition 65 Warnings in California Poised to GrowFebruary 23, 2026 — Brian M. Ledger & Chassen B. Palmer - Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani
The scope of products to be drawn into the warning requirements under California’s Proposition 65 law may soon be growing. California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) requested information from the public on the reproductive toxicity of p,p’-bisphenol chemicals. OEHHA is the lead agency for the implementation of Proposition 65, formerly known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxicity Enforcement Act of 1986. OEHHA’s request for information is a step toward regulators classifying all p,p’-bisphenol chemicals as reproductive toxicants under Proposition 65. California’s Proposition 65 Under Proposition 65, businesses are required to post clear and reasonable warnings before individuals are exposed to chemicals listed by the state of California as carcinogens or reproductive toxicants. To date, California has listed approximately 900 chemicals that fall under Proposition 65 regulation. Businesses may be held liable for up to $2,500 per violation per day. Proposition 65 can be enforced by public prosecutors (e.g., the California

Tutor Perini Damages Trial Is Set Over Costly Philadelphia Hotel Floor Slab Problems

December 08, 2025 — Richard Korman - Engineering News-Record
Tutor Perini Building Corp. faces a potentially expensive damages trial next year after a Pennsylvania state court judge ruled in late October that the company breached its contract with the developer of a 51-story downtown Philadelphia hotel on which floor slab deflections delayed curtain-wall installation and added to completion delays and cost overruns. Why Travelers Fought a Fire Claim for Invisible Smoke DamageFebruary 23, 2026 — Elaine Silver - Engineering News-Record
Just 40 minutes after midnight on Sept. 27, 2018, the sky lit up over Birmingham, Ala. A fire engulfed an apartment building under construction—

Lawmakers Vote to Reauthorize Programs to Support Water Quality, Coastal Protection

April 20, 2026 — Pam McFarland - Engineering News-Record
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a package of 14 bills that includes measures to reauthorize several U.S. Environmental Protection Agency programs to protect and restore critical water ecosystems, expand access to broadband, reduce regulatory requirements on airport projects and programs and lower costs of federal buildings. Acuity v. Kinsale Insurance Company: Co-Carrier Obligations and Subrogation under Colorado LawNovember 21, 2025 — Olivia Barden - Colorado Construction Litigation Blog
In Acuity v. Kinsale Insurance Company, 750 F. Supp. 3d 1229 (D. Colo. 2024), the United States District Court for the District of Colorado addressed the duties and rights of multiple insu

GRSM Named Among 2026 “Best Law Firms” by Best Lawyers®

December 08, 2025 — Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani has been recognized in the 2026 “Best Law Firms” survey published by Best Lawyers®. To be eligible for a 2026 ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer recognized in the 2026 edition of the Best Lawyers in America® in a “Best Law Firms” practice area and geographic jurisdiction. GRSM announced earlier this year that 172 lawyers were recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America®, while 69 lawyers were named to the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch. Explore the full list of GRSM recognized attorneys. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Five Payne & Fears Attorneys Named 2026 Southern California Super LawyersMarch 10, 2026 — Suppliers Must Also Heed “Right to Repair” Claims

U.K. Broadens Crackdown on Archaic Property Leasehold System

California Case Is a Reminder That Not All Insurance Policies Are Alike Regarding COVID-19 Losses

Insurer Must Pay for Matching Siding of Insured's Buildings

Not a Waiv
Florida Continues Enacting Tort Reforms, This Time Shortening the Statute of Repose

“Unwinnable”: Newark Trial Team Obtains Unanimous “No Cause” Verdict in Challenging Matter on Behalf of NYC Mutual Housing Association

Iowa Apartment Complex Owners Awarded Millions for Building Defects

St. Mary & St. John Coptic Orthodox Church v. SBS Insurance Services, Inc.

Netflix Plans $900M Facility At Former New Jersey Army Base

WSHB Ranks No.10 in Law360’s Best of Law Firms for Women

Walmart and Alquist 3D Set New Standards with 3D Printed Supercenter Expansion

Chinese Brooklyn-to-Los Angeles Plans Surge: Real Estate

ARUP, Rethinking Green Infrastructure

What Should Be in Every Construction Agreement

Asbestos Confirmed After New York City Steam Pipe Blast

EPA Looks to Reduce Embodied Carbon in Materials With $160M in Grants

Differing Site Conditions: What to Expect from the Court When You Encounter the Unexpected

Bridging the Information Gap of Alternative Delivery Methods on Public Projects

Reduce Suicide Risk Among Employees in Remote Work Areas

Governor Brown Signs Legislation Aimed at Curbing ADA Accessibility Abuses in California

County Sovereign Immunity Invokes Change-Order Ordinance

Georgia Law: “An Occurrence Can Arise Where Faulty Workmanship Causes Unforeseen or Unexpected Damage to Other Property”

Deadline for Hurricane Ian Disaster Recovery Applications Announced

These Are the 13 Cities Where Millennials Can't Afford a Home

LEEDigation: A Different Take

No Conflict in Successive Representation of a Closely-Held Company and Its Insiders Where Insiders Already Possess Company’s Confidential Information

Does a Landlord’s Violation of the Arizona Residential Landlord-Tenant Act Constitute Negligence Per Se?

The Dominguez Case and Deed Fraud: Who Criminals Target and How to Protect Yourself Against Fraud

Congratulations to Karen Baytosh and August Hotchkin on Their Recognition as 2021 Nevada Legal Elites!

"Multiple Claims" Provisions on Contractor's Professional Liability Policy Creates a Trap for Policyholders

Axa Unveils Plans to Transform ‘Stump’ Into London Skyscraper

Surplus Lines Carriers Cannot Compel Arbitration in Louisiana

Time is Money. Unless You’re an Insurance Company

Going Digital in 2019: The Latest Technology for a Bright Future in Construction

Skipping Depositions does not Constitute Failure to Cooperate in New York

Outcry Over Peru’s Vast Graft Probe Prompts Top Lawyer to Quit

Nebraska’s Prompt Pay Act for 2015

"On Second Thought"

Williams v. Athletic Field: Hugely Important Lien Case Argued Before Supreme Court

Quick Note: Insurer’s Denial of Coverage Waives Right to Enforce Post-Loss Policy Conditions

Insurance Client Alert: Mere Mailing of Policy and Renewals Into California is Not Sufficient Basis for Jurisdiction Over Bad Faith Lawsuit

The Seventh Circuit Rejects Navigators Insurance Company’s Attempt to Escape Additional Insured Coverage For a Gas Explosion

Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (08/30/23) – AI Predicts Home Prices, Construction’s Effect on the Economy, and Could Streamline Communications for Developers

Rhode Island Examines a Property Owner’s Intended Beneficiary Status and the Economic Loss Doctrine in the Context of a Construction Contract

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Shares Fall on Wind-Down Measure

How Berlin’s Futuristic Airport Became a $6 Billion Embarrassment

No Coverage for Contractor's Faulty Workmanship

Liability Coverage For Construction Claims May Turn On Narrow Factual Distinctions

Nuclear Fusion Pushes to Reach Commercial Power Plant Stage

Construction Law Alert: Builder’s Alternative Pre-litigation Procedures Upheld Over Strong Opposition

New Jersey Law Firm Sued for Malpractice in Construction Defect Litigation

Blurred Lines: New York Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Privileged Documents in Connection with Pre-Denial Communications Prepared by Insurer's Coverage Counsel

Charles Carter v. Pulte Home Corporation

Seattle’s Audacious Aquarium Throws Builders Swerves, Curves, Twists and Turns