The Importance of the Recent Amendment to Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence
January 22, 2024 —
Andrew G. Vicknair - The Dispute ResolverEvery litigator understands that expert witnesses play a key role in litigation, especially when dealing with construction issues. Expert testimony at trial can be a deciding factor in persuading a judge or jury in your client’s favor. It is so important that, as parties get closer to trial, litigators often spend considerable time filing motions to limit or disqualify certain aspects of expert testimony in an effort to gain an advantage at trial. Because experts are a key aspect of the trial process, it is important to understand the various rules governing use of expert testimony, primarily Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence.
On December 1, 2023, amendments to Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence went into effect which added the language in underline below and removed the language which is crossed out:
Rule 702. Testimony by Expert Witness
A witness who is qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise if the proponent demonstrates to the court that it is more likely than not that:
(a) the expert’s scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue;
(b) the testimony is based on sufficient facts or data;
(c) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods; and
(d) the expert has reliably applied expert’s opinion reflects a reliable application of the principles and methods to the facts of the case.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Andrew G. Vicknair, D'Arcy Vicknair, LLCMr. Vicknair may be contacted at
agv@darcyvicknair.com
Empowering Success: The Advantages of Female Attorneys in Construction Defect Law
December 11, 2023 —
Alexa Stephenson, Hoosai Kabiri & Ivette Kincaid - Kahana FeldPer the most recent U.S. Census records, women make up 50.4% of the U.S. population. It should come as no surprise then that women currently outnumber men in U.S. law schools. Nevertheless, as of 2022, only 38% of attorneys, 30% of federal judges, 22% of equity partners, and 12% of managing partners nationwide are comprised of women. While great strides have been made in the last century to increase gender equality in the legal field, there is undoubtedly still a long way to go.
Studies have shown that women in the workforce lead to a number of benefits not only to the business itself, but to a business’ employees and culture. In the realm of construction defect law in particular, the presence and contributions of female attorneys have become increasingly impactful and essential. As the legal landscape evolves, the benefits of having female attorneys practicing in this specialized field are becoming more evident, offering a range of advantages that contribute to a more diverse, comprehensive, and successful legal environment. These advantages include:
1. Diverse Perspectives: Female attorneys bring a unique perspective to the practice of construction defect law, enriching the field with their insights and experiences. Their diverse backgrounds and viewpoints can lead to innovative strategies and fresh approaches when tackling complex legal issues.
Reprinted courtesy of
Alexa Stephenson, Kahana Feld,
Hoosai Kabiri, Kahana Feld and
Ivette Kincaid, Kahana Feld
Ms. Stephenson may be contacted at astephenson@kahanafeld.com
Ms. Kabiri may be contacted at hkabiri@kahanafeld.com
Ms. Kincaid may be contacted at ikincaid@kahanafeld.com
Read the full story...
Insured Cannot Sue to Challenge Binding Appraisal Decision
December 16, 2023 —
Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law HawaiiThe court dismissed the insured condominium association's challenge to an appraisal award. The Courtyards at Prairie Fields Condominium Association v. West Band Mut. Ins. Co., 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169458 (N. D. Ill. Sept. 22, 2023).
In July 2020, the insured filed a claim with West Bend for damage to the property's roof and other building components as a result of wind and hail. West Bend inspected and estimated the replacement cost for the damage was $60,989.54. This amount was paid to the insured minus the $10,000 deductible. The insured believed the damage was so severe that the roofs need to be replaced, which the insured estimated would cost $1,389,600. The insured demanded an appraisal.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak HastertMr. Eyerly may be contacted at
te@hawaiilawyer.com
Thanks to All for the 2024 Super Lawyers Nod!
May 13, 2024 —
Christopher G. Hill - Construction Law MusingsIt is with humility and a sense of accomplishment that I announce that I have been selected for the seventh straight year to the
Virginia Super Lawyers in the Construction Litigation category for 2024. Add this to my recent election to the
Virginia Legal Elite in Construction and I’ve had a pretty good year. As always, I am thrilled to be included on these peer-elected lists.
So without further ado, thank you to my peers and those on the panel at Virginia Super Lawyers for the great honor. I feel quite proud to be part of the
5% of Virginia attorneys that made this list for 2024.
The full list of Virginia Super Lawyers will appear in the May edition of Richmond Magazine. Please check it out.
If you want to see the lists before then, a digital version of the Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine is
available here (click on the Virginia magazine).
Thanks again to all of you who participated in my nomination and election.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
The Law Office of Christopher G. HillMr. Hill may be contacted at
chrisghill@constructionlawva.com
A Termination for Convenience Is Not a Termination for Default
April 22, 2024 —
David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal UpdatesA termination for convenience is NOT a termination for default. They are NOT the same. They should NOT be treated as the same. I am a huge proponent of termination for convenience provisions because sometimes a party needs to be able to exercise a termination for convenience, but the termination is not one that rises to a basis for default. However, exercising a termination for convenience does not mean you get to go back in time and convert the termination for convenience into a termination for default. It does not work like that. Nor should it.
An opinion out of the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals – Williams Building Company, Inc. v. Department of State, CBCA 7147, 2024 WL 1099788 (CBCA 2024 – demonstrates a fundamental distinction between a termination for convenience and a termination for default, i.e., that you don’t get to conjure up defaults when you exercise a termination for convenience:
Because a termination for convenience essentially turns a fixed-price construction contract into a cost-reimbursement contract, allowing the contractor to recover its incurred performance costs, the resolution of this appeal will involve identifying the total costs that [Contractor] incurred in performing this contract before [Government] terminated it for convenience. Since [Government] terminated the contract for convenience rather than for default, it no longer matters whether, in the past,[Contractor] acted intentionally in overstating the amount of its incurred costs or committed a contract breach. Ultimately, as permitted in response to a termination for convenience, [Contractor] will recover those allowable costs that [Contractor]establishes it incurred in performing the contract.
Williams Building Company, supra.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris, P.A.Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at
dma@kirwinnorris.com
AAA Revises its Construction Industry Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures
April 02, 2024 —
Garret Murai - California Construction Law BlogThis one is for the lawyers. Or for those of you who are claims-minded . . .
Effective March 1, 2024, the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) revised its Construction Industry Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures. For those involved in construction, this is important since the AAA Rules are the default arbitration rules contained in AIA form contracts and are often the arbitration rules referenced in other construction contracts as well.
So, what are the changes?
- General: Fax numbers have gone the way of the Dodo bird and replaced by email addresses for all parties. Also, while already done in practice, preliminary hearings may now be held via videoconference in addition to telephone and in-person (Rule R-23).
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Garret Murai, Nomos LLPMr. Murai may be contacted at
gmurai@nomosllp.com
Corporate Transparency Act’s Impact on Real Estate: Reporting Companies, Exemptions and Beneficial Ownership Reporting (webinar)
December 04, 2023 —
Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law BlogOn October 23, 2023, colleague
Andrew Weiner and Kevin Gaunt, counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth, examined the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), effective Jan. 1, 2024, and its impact on real estate entities and transactions, including who is considered a reporting company subject to new beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements and whether an exemption applies. The panel also discussed certain state laws that impose similar reporting requirements as the CTA and described best practices for real estate counsel to assist their clients with preparing for the CTA’s implementation and ongoing compliance.
The panel also reviewed other important considerations, including:
- Which real estate entities will likely be most affected by the CTA’s implementation and why?
- What exemptions may apply?
- How will the CTA’s reporting requirements affect real estate transactions for lenders and investors/buyers?
Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team
Want More Transit (and Federal Funding)? Build Housing That Supports It
January 08, 2024 — M. Nolan Gray - Bloomberg
After decades of planning (and $2.1 billion spent), Los Angeles’ newest light rail line opened in October 2022. Joined by geeky rail obsessives and chaperoned children, I rode the K Line on opening day. A blend of underground, elevated and at-grade track, it’s a route only a politician could love. Stations were lavished with public art, and when the train wasn’t stuck in traffic, it glided through the sprawl.
Yet one year later, it is Los Angeles’ least-used line, averaging just over 2,000 riders on an average weekday this fall.
It isn’t hard to see why: The line begins at a vacant patch in Crenshaw and ends in a low-slung industrial park about six miles away, lined by strip malls the entire way. Walk one block east or west from any given station, and you’ll find yourself amid single-story postwar bungalows on 7,500-square-foot lots — all illegal to redevelop into apartments, thanks to local zoning. The Hyde Park Station deposits riders into a cluster of gas stations and drive-thru fast-food joints. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of M. Nolan Gray, Bloomberg