ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Massachusetts Construction Industry Continues to Wait While Prompt Payment Law Is Put to the Test

March 31, 2026 — Catherine Maronski - Construction Law Zone
Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) heard argument in J.C. Cannistraro, LLC v. Columbia Construction Co. et al., a dispute concerning the state’s Prompt Payment Act (PPA). Although a decision has yet to be issued, it could potentially pose widespread implications for high-value private construction projects moving forward – and perhaps backwards. The PPA, G. L. c. 149, § 29E, enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2010, has become a keystone in the construction industry. It was enacted to address, in part, downstream cash flow issues that tend to pervade construction projects by mandating a series of strict guidelines for submitting, and responding to, payment applications for private projects valued over $3,000,000. Amongst these requirements are set timeframes to respond to an application, as well as what must be contained in an application rejection. Critically, if an owner or upper-tier contractor fails to fully comply with all the statutory requirements in response to a proper payment application, the application is automatically “deemed to be approved” and payable. Significantly, however, this is not always the end of the line. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Catherine Maronski, Robinson Cole
Ms. Maronski may be contacted at cmaronski@rc.com

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Navigating Turbulent Waters Ashore: Insurance Lessons from a Navy Project Dispute

February 02, 2026 — Cary D. Steklof & Torrye Zullo - Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog
As we ring in the New Year, one thing remains the same: understanding the definitions and conditions in your insurance policy is critical. In a recent decision, a Florida federal court in Ohio Security Insurance Co. v. E Kelly Enterprises Inc. et al., No. 3:22-cv-24754, held that an insurer had no duty to defend or indemnify a general contractor and no duty to indemnify a subcontractor for damages from defective work on a naval base, based on the policy’s definition of “suit,” “property damage,” and allocation requirements. The decision highlights the importance of numerous issues in the context of commercial general liability policies, including the nuances of policy definitions, obtaining insurer consent when necessary, and allocation between covered and uncovered claims. Background In October 2014, a general contractor (“GC”) was awarded a contract by the Navy to renovate buildings at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. The GC subcontracted work to various subcontractors, including metal framing and drywall, to a subcontractor named EKE. Reprinted courtesy of Cary D. Steklof, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and Torrye Zullo, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Mr. Steklof may be contacted at csteklof@hunton.com Ms. Zullo may be contacted at tzullo@hunton.com Read the full story...

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White and Williams LLP is Honored to be Recognized Among the 2026 Best Law Firms Ranked by Best Lawyers®

November 21, 2025 — White and Williams LLP
White and Williams LLP is honored to be recognized among the 2026 Best Law Firms ranked by Best Lawyers®. The Firm earned National Tier 1 and 3 recognitions across six practice areas, reflecting the strength and depth of its legal expertise. In addition, 30 practice areas were recognized among the Regional Tier rankings in Philadelphia, Allentown (Lehigh Valley), New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Delaware and New Jersey. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation and research process that includes client and lawyer evaluations, peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field, industry leader interviews and reviews of a law firm's highlights provided as part of the formal research submission process. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of White and Williams LLP

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Mind The Gap!

November 04, 2025 — Daniel Lund III - JD Supra
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York addressed the scope of insurance coverage for workplace injuries on a Brooklyn, New York, construction project, holding that the project owner’s insurer had no duty to defend or indemnify the owner in a personal injury lawsuit stemming from a construction accident. The property owner hired a general contractor for a condominium project. In March 2020, an employee of one of the GC’s subcontractors was injured when a scaffold collapsed. The employee sued both the property owner at the general contractor in state court. The owner sought coverage and a defense from its commercial general liability insurer, but the insurer denied coverage, citing three exclusions: Contracted Persons, Independent Contractors, and Condominium. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Daniel Lund, Phelps
Mr. Lund may be contacted at daniel.lund@phelps.com

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Under Construction – November 2025

January 06, 2026 — Snell & Wilmer
Letter From the Editor Welcome to the fall edition of Snell & Wilmer’s Under Construction Newsletter. As brisk autumn air sets in, it’s an ideal moment to shore up the basics — both in your projects and in your grasp of the continually shifting field of construction law. In this newsletter, we explore a variety of topics related to current construction trends and legal news that may be relevant and helpful to you and your business. We have assembled a selection of articles that include discussions of state-specific issues including how Idaho’s Contractor Registration Act bars unregistering contractors from enforcing contracts or filing liens, though the state Supreme Court allows remedies for post-registration work if severable. This edition discusses how contractors can maximize cash flow and profits by substituting security for retainage on public projects. We also highlight the California Court of Appeals discussion and latest decision relating to subcontractor substitution protections under Public Contract Code §4107. We round out our newsletter summarizing how the Colorado Supreme Court clarified that the economic loss rule bars tort claims for purely economic harm arising from contracts — even when alleging willful and wanton misconduct. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Snell & Wilmer

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Forget Fifth Graders - Are You Smarter Than a CEO?

December 02, 2025 — Daniel Lund III - JD Supra
The Supreme Court of South Dakota says that (in certain circumstances) you need to be. That court wrangled with the evidentiary requirements for professional negligence and breach of contract claims arising from the construction of a clinical research facility in Brookings, South Dakota. The general contractor on the project alleged defects in the design and installation of the HVAC system and suspended ceiling, resulting in contamination and operational failures. The general contractor sued the architect, engineers, and contractors, asserting breach of contract and implied warranties. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Daniel Lund III, Phelps Dunbar
Mr. Lund may be contacted at daniel.lund@phelps.com

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Why the Renovation of Federal Reserve Headquarters Costs $2.5 Billion

January 21, 2026 — Kriston Capps - Bloomberg
For months, the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters in Washington has been a subject of friction between the White House and the central bank. On Jan. 11, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the Justice Department had issued subpoenas in advance of a possible criminal indictment related to the ongoing work. The cost of the work has ballooned to $2.5 billion, and allies of President Donald Trump have previously pressed for an investigation. Powell described the DOJ inquiry as a pressure campaign led by the White House. Any evidence of mismanagement or fraud, as Trump administration officials have suggested, could prove a useful pretext for removing Powell, who the president has repeatedly lambasted for interest rates higher than he’d like. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Kriston Capps, Bloomberg

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John Palmeri and Peter Siachos Named to 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers
Render Unto Caesar: Considerations for Returning Withheld Sums

“The Myth of Sisyphus”

Stephen Henning Receives “Legend of an Era” Award

Benford’s Law: A Seldom Used Weapon in Forensic Accounting

Cooperation and Collaboration With Government May Be on the Horizon

Can an Owner Preemptively Avoid a Mechanics Lien?

Federal Interpleader Dealing with Competing Claims over Undisputed Payable to Subcontractor

Look Up And Look Out: Increased Antitrust Enforcement Of Horizontal No-Poach Agreements Signa
Another Colorado District Court Refuses to Apply HB 10-1394 Retroactively

In Oregon Construction Defect Claims, “Contract Is (Still) King”

There’s an Unusual Thing Happening in the Housing Market

Alabama Supreme Court Reverses Determination of Coverage for Faulty Workmanship

How to Properly Fill Out and Use the Conditional Waiver and Release on Final Payment Form Used in California Construction

Colorado “property damage” caused by an “occurrence” and exclusions j(5) and j(6) “that particular part”

First Circuit Limits Insurers’ Right to Recoup Defense Costs or Settlement Payments

Construction Contractors Must Understand Retainage In 2021

How to Fireproof a Neighborhood

The New Industrial Revolution: Rebuilding America and the World

Indemnity Provision Provides Relief to Contractor; Additional Insured Provision Does Not

Traub Lieberman Attorneys Recognized as 2023 New York – Metro Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars

Equal Access to Justice Act Fee Request Rejected in Flood Case

Demanding a Reduction in Retainage

Virginia Multi-Employer Site Safety Issues–and How to Deal with Them

Everyone's Moving to Seattle, and It's Stressing Out Sushi Lovers

Firm Leadership – New Co-Chairs for the Construction Law Practice Group

Property Owner Entitled to Rely on Zoning Administrator Advice

Critical Materials for the Energy Transition: Of “Rare Earths” and Even Rarer Minerals

American Arbitration Association Revises Construction Industry Rules and Mediation Procedures

Hovnanian Increases Construction Defect Reserves for 2012

Tech Focus: Water Tech Getting Smarter

Auburn Woods Homeowners Association v. State Farm General Insurance Company

Rattlesnake Bite Triggers Potential Liability for Walmart

Insurer Ordered to Participate in Appraisal

As Evidence Grows, Regions Prepare for Sea Level Rise

Port Authority Reaches Deal on Silverstein 3 World Trade

When Must a New York Insurer Turn Over a Copy of the Policy?

GRSM Partner Gretchen Harris Sperry Featured in ABA Article on Importance of Appellate Counsel in Trial Proceedings

Everybody Is Going to End Up Paying for Texas' Climate Crisis

California Court of Appeal Vacates $30M Non-Economic Damages Award Due to Failure to Properly Apportion Liability and Attorney Misconduct During Closing Argument

How Many New Home Starts are from Teardowns?

OSHA Issues Final Rule on Electronic Submission of Injury and Illness Data

Settlement Conference May Not Be the End in Construction Defect Case

Las Vegas Sphere Lawsuits Roll On in Nevada Courtrooms

Federal Judge Dismisses Insurance Coverage Lawsuit In Construction Defect Case

Owner Bankruptcy: What’s a Contractor to Do?

New Jersey Construction Company Owner and Employees Arrested for Fraud

Colorado’s Workers’ Compensation Act and the Construction Industry

Supplement to New California Construction Laws for 2019

Indiana District Court Finds Crane Inspection Services Do Not Trigger “Professional Services” Exclusion in Liability Policy

Massachusetts High Court to Decide if Insurers Can Recoup Defense Costs

Ongoing Operations Exclusion Bars Coverage

Second Circuit Court Differentiates the Standard for Determining Evident Partiality for a Neutral Arbitrator and a Party-Appointed Arbitrator

Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (10/16/24) – Chevron Ruling’s Impact on Construction Industry, New Kind of Public Housing and Policy Recommendations from Sustainable Building Groups

Town Concerned Over Sinkhole at Condo Complex

Filing Motion to Increase Lien Transfer Bond (Before Trial Court Loses Jurisdiction Over Final Judgment)

Meet the Forum's In-House Counsel: RACHEL CLANCY

Why Construction Tendering Needs Specialized Intelligence

Ill-fated Complaint Fails to State Claims Against Broker and FEMA