LAUREL MISSISSIPPI CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

White and Williams LLP Secures Trio of Cyber Coverage Wins

May 12, 2026 — Gabriel Darwick & Sean Elman - White and Williams LLP
Three weeks, three jurisdictions, three cyber wins. White and Williams picked up the first victory on March 9, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, where the court granted summary judgment to their client enforcing a Cyber Crime Loss sublimit. See Perry & Perry Builders, Inc. v. Cowbell Cyber and Obsidian Specialty Ins. Co., 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49409 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 9, 2026). In Perry, the insured was deceived into transferring money intended for a vendor to an unintended third party. The insurer acknowledged that the loss was covered and paid the insured the policy’s Cyber Crime Loss sublimit. Discontent with a single sublimit, the insured argued that because it wired the money to the fraudster in separate transfers, it was entitled to a second Cyber Crime Loss sublimit. Reprinted courtesy of Gabriel Darwick, White and Williams LLP and Sean Elman, White and Williams LLP Mr. Darwick may be contacted at darwickg@whiteandwilliams.com Mr. Elman may be contacted at elmans@whiteandwilliams.com Read the full story...

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Surety Requiring Collateral Security Under General Agreement of Indemnity

September 08, 2026 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
In order to procure bonds (payment and performance bonds), you need to sign a General Agreement of Indemnity (referred to as the “GAI”) with the surety (bonding company). It does not matter the surety issuing the bonds, the terms and conditions in the General Agreement of Indemnity are largely consistent. These terms and conditions are one-sided written in favor of the surety. This is because bonds are not insurance. When a surety issues such bonds, it is doing so under the premise that it will get reimbursed every penny that it incurs relative to its exposure- whether incurred in attorney’s fees, consulting costs, or remediating a default or claim under the applicable bond. The General Agreement of Indemnity is one of the most powerful contracts in construction and is a contract that is not to be taken lightly. It provides the surety numerous rights in the event of a claim. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

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Legal 500 US Ranks Hunton’s Insurance Coverage Team Among Top Policyholder Practices in 2026 Guide

July 06, 2026 — Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog
Hunton’s insurance coverage practice was once again recognized among the nation’s top policyholder insurance practices, receiving a Band 2 national ranking in the 2026 United States Edition of The Legal 500 for Insurance: Advice to Policyholders. The Legal 500 recognizes firms solely based on merit through numerous factors including client feedback and peer input. Bolstering the team’s national recognition, several coverage lawyers received individual accolades: special counsel Lorelie “Lorie” S. Masters was named to The Legal 500’s Hall of Fame; team head Syed S. Ahmad and partner Michael S. Levine were named Leading Lawyers; and partners Andrea DeField and Latosha M. Ellis were named Next Generation Partners. In addition, partners Walter J. Andrews, Lawrence J. Bracken II, and Koorosh “KT” Talieh were recognized as Key Lawyers on the team. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

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Snell & Wilmer’s Los Angeles Office Recognized as One of the “Best Places to Work” by the Los Angeles Business Journal

September 15, 2026 — Snell & Wilmer
LOS ANGELES – Snell & Wilmer is proud to announce that its Los Angeles office has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work by the Los Angeles Business Journal as part of its annual Best Places to Work awards. The recognition honors outstanding employers across the Los Angeles region that are fostering strong workplace cultures and creating positive employee experiences. Selections are based on confidential employee surveys conducted by Workforce Research Group, which evaluate organizations on leadership, corporate culture, communication, employee engagement, and other key workplace factors. “We are honored to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles,” said Joshua Schneiderman, managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office. “This recognition reflects the collaborative culture we have built and the dedication of our attorneys and professional staff who contribute to making our office a great place to work. We remain committed to providing opportunities for growth, fostering meaningful connections, and supporting our team members’ continued success.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Snell & Wilmer

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Insufficient Notice of Commencement and Construction Lien Rights

August 03, 2026 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
When a party is preserving their construction lien rights, the party will look to the recorded Notice of Commencement. This is the recorded document that provides the lienor with the information for purposes of preserving construction lien rights. A Notice to Owner company will typically rely on the Notice of Commencement to serve Notices to Owners from lower tiers not in contract with the owner. However, when it comes to preparing the lien, a lienor should look beyond just the Notice of Commencement and also look to the property appraiser’s website as a backstop. In a recent case, a window company had the homeowner sign the Notice of Commencement and then filled in the information. The company naturally did this for the convenience of the homeowner that probably was unfamiliar with the Notice of Commencement process. Regardless, information in the Notice of Commencement was inaccurate. It failed to include all the real property owners. Thus, when a payment dispute arose and a construction lien was prepared, it did not identify all of the real property owners. All of the real property owners were added later during the pendency of a lien foreclosure lawsuit. The trial court denied the lien because of the defective / insufficient Notice of Commencement — the lienor assumed the risk of error by filling out the information in the Notice of Commencement. The trial court further denied the lien holding that because the work did not commence within 90 days of the Notice of Commencement, the Notice of Commencement is void. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

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Travelers Injury Impact Report Highlights Longer Recovery Times Amid Declining Injury Rates

May 05, 2026 — The Travelers Companies, Inc.
HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) today released its 2026 Injury Impact Report, an analysis of more than 1.2 million workers compensation claims received by the company from 2021 through 2025. The report finds that even as workplace injury rates decline, the injuries that do occur are growing more complex and taking longer to heal – a trend driven by an aging workforce and the disproportionate vulnerability of first-year employees. “The decrease in workplace injuries is a positive story, yet injured workers are still missing an average of 80 workdays,” said Claude Howard, Vice President of Workers Compensation Claim at Travelers. “This report is a reminder that progress doesn’t mean the risk environment requires any less attention, and an employer’s commitment to safety must keep pace with an ever-evolving workforce and injury landscape.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of The Travelers Companies, Inc.

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The Most Expensive Signature to Not Get: Why Change Orders Matter

August 16, 2026 — Kathryne E. Baldwin - Wilke Fleury
George Bernard Shaw has a quote we use a lot in my family: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” This is pertinent to contractors and homeowners alike because the cost of failing to get proper signatures on documents like construction contracts, and particularly, change orders, is heavy. Both contractors and homeowners are in the same boat as far as wanting to complete a job as swiftly as possible: contractors go on to their next job and homeowners can return to peace in their home. This is prime territory for either party to suggest the work be completed today and the contract or change order executed tomorrow, or even later. However, without a contract, there is no memorialization of the communication between the parties, which can lead to confusion and missed expectations on both sides. Construction plans are rarely as neat and tidy as they originally seem to be. A contractor may uncover unforeseen conditions, an owner may request additional work or changes that require additional work, or weather interferes with project schedules or the work itself. Unfortunately, the signature that never gets collected can become one of the most expensive omissions on a project – for both sides. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Kathryne E. Baldwin, Wilke Fleury
Ms. Baldwin may be contacted at kbaldwin@wilkefleury.com

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Colorado’s New Mechanic’s Lien Law: Bigger Claims, Stronger Protections, and New Risks for Owners and Contractors

October 12, 2026 — David McLain - Colorado Construction Litigation Blog
On April 6, 2026, the same day that the Colorado Supreme Court issued its decision in Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company, LLC v. Regional Rail Partners, Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 26-074 into law. The legislation, which took effect on August 12, 2026, clarifies the amounts that may be included in mechanic’s liens and public construction payment claims, as well as the circumstances under which those claims may be considered excessive. While the timing of the Supreme Court’s decision and the Governor’s approval of SB 26-074 is noteworthy, the legislation has implications extending beyond the public works claims addressed in Wadsworth. Most significantly, it expressly addresses disputed and unliquidated amounts, including delay and disruption costs, in mechanic’s liens filed against private construction projects. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David McLain, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLC
Mr. McLain may be contacted at mclain@hhmrlaw.com

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