SEATTLE WASHINGTON CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Construction of World's Tallest Building to Resume With New $1.9B Contract for Jeddah Tower

October 28, 2024 — James Leggate - Engineering News-Record
Construction of the Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia—which is planned to be the world’s tallest building—is set to resume with original contractor Saudi Binladin Group Co. after a years-long pause, owner Jeddah Economic Co.'s parent company, Kingdom Holding Co., announced Oct. 2. Reprinted courtesy of James Leggate, Engineering News-Record Mr. Leggate may be contacted at leggatej@enr.com Read the full story...

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The Benefits of Incorporating AI Into the Construction Lifecycle

December 23, 2024 — Ian Warner - Construction Executive
Interest in artificial intelligence has been spreading like wildfire over the past few years. AI is not a new term for Trimble, which has been capturing and leveraging construction data for decades. From hardware to software, the field to the office or among stakeholders, harnessing and making meaning out of data is the crux of Trimble’s business. Generative AI is simply a new set of tools that provide a richer narrative around data, making it more insightful and actionable. As a company that helps connect stakeholders across the entire construction lifecycle—design, construction and operations/ maintenance—AI has been woven in and leveraged across a number of Trimble solutions to help contractors do more with less, while also giving them greater decision-making power and the ability to focus on other key challenges. While the use cases for AI are diverse and ever-changing, below are a few key areas where Trimble has doubled down on AI, with the goal of making contractors’ jobs less cumbersome and repetitive, safer and more capable of being upskilled—efforts which will only continue to grow in the coming years. Reprinted courtesy of Ian Warner, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

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Congratulations to Las Vegas Partner Jeffrey W. Saab and Associate Shanna B. Carter on Obtaining Another Defense Award at Arbitration!

January 14, 2025 — Dolores Montoya - Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP
The case arose from an incident at Plaintiff’s residence where she alleged that a failure to properly diagnose an issue with her HVAC unit led to its destruction, displacement from her home, and damage to her roof and kitchen, resulting in a diminution of value to her house. Jeff and Shanna represented the HVAC contractor, who denied any wrongdoing during the two-day arbitration at which a total of six witnesses were examined. Jeff and Shanna utilized Plaintiff’s own experts’ testimony to successfully challenge liability and bring forth a motion for spoliation, resulting in a complete defense award for Jeff and Shanna’s client, which included an award of costs. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Dolores Montoya, Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP

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Recovering Time and Costs from Hurricane Helene: Force Majeure Solutions for Contractors

November 18, 2024 — Matthew DeVries - Best Practices Construction Law
When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, it caused severe disruptions to construction projects across the state. Baxter International’s North Cove facility in Marion, N.C., was completely shut down after floodwaters damaged the site and bridges leading to it. Elsewhere, landslides and floods wiped out large sections of Interstate 40, making transportation of materials and equipment nearly impossible. Many contractors in western North Carolina found their projects halted, and their schedules thrown off by this force majeure event. In situations like these, contractors and subcontractor need a plan to mitigate the impact of such natural disasters on their projects. Here are five practical tips to help you secure time extensions and/or compensation for delays: 1. Include a Robust Force Majeure Clause in Your Contract When disaster strikes, your contract is your first line of defense. A well-drafted force majeure clause can make the difference between bearing the costs yourself and getting an extension or compensation. The clause should clearly list specific events such as hurricanes, floods, and road closures as qualifying force majeure events. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Matthew DeVries, Buchalter
Mr. DeVries may be contacted at mdevries@buchalter.com

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How U.S. Design and Architecture Firms Can Profit from the Chinese Market and Avoid Pitfalls

December 23, 2024 — Chengdong ("C.D.") Xing - The Dispute Resolver
Despite recent challenges, including obvious political tensions, economic cooling in the PRC, and increased local competition, the Chinese market remains an attractive destination for U.S. design and architecture firms. For instance, PEI Architects has maintained its success in China through long-standing relationships with key clients and is currently involved in two major projects for the Bank of China: a 1.9 million-square-foot complex in Shanghai and a financial center in Haikou.[i] Similarly, NBBJ is playing a critical role in the development of Tencent’s Net City in Shenzhen, a 2-million-square-meter smart city project that aligns with China's goals of sustainable and tech-driven urbanization.[ii] These examples show that while the Chinese market presents challenges, it continues to offer significant opportunities, particularly in sectors where innovative and cutting-edge architectural solutions are in high demand. At the same time, U.S. firms should exercise care: proper advance planning and strategic alliances are crucial for profitable forays into the Chinese market. JR Design Project: A Cautionary Tale When operating in China, U.S. design firms often encounter regulatory challenges, particularly with respect to China’s strict qualification requirements for architectural design services. Failure to meet these requirements can result in serious legal issues, including the potential invalidation of design contracts, as demonstrated in a leading case decided by the Supreme People’s Court of PRC (the nation’s highest court). Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Chengdong ("C.D.") Xing, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Mr. Xing may be contacted at chengdong.xing@rajahtann.com

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A Funny Thing Happened to My Ground Lease in Bankruptcy Court

November 25, 2024 — Christopher F. Graham & Morgan A. Goldstein - White and Williams LLP
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ground leases are an important – if somewhat unusual – part of the real estate finance industry. Because they typically cover large expensive properties like Rockefeller Center and The Empire State Building, to name two, and last a long time (99 years and up to start) the likelihood of something unexpected or unintended happening is high. This likelihood increases dramatically if, as highlighted below, one or both of the lease parties’ files for bankruptcy. Accordingly, real estate professionals should take note and take care when entering into any transaction involving a ground lease. Reprinted courtesy of Christopher F. Graham, White and Williams LLP and Morgan A. Goldstein, White and Williams LLP Mr. Graham may be contacted at grahamc@whiteandwilliams.com Ms. Goldstein may be contacted at goldsteinm@whiteandwilliams.com Read the full story...

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Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (8/21/24) – REITs Show Their Strength, Energy Prices Increase Construction Costs and CRE Struggles to Keep Pace

October 01, 2024 — Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
In our latest roundup, UBS to liquidate $2 billion real estate fund, hotel workers in San Francisco vote to strike, housing market to change after blockbuster settlement, and more!

• When it comes to buying and selling homes, new rules are about to be put in play, five months after the National Association of Realtors agreed to a settlement over how its 1.5 million agents across the U.S. are paid commissions. (Kate Gibson, CBS)
• Project abandonments tumbled in July in one of the largest monthly declines ever due to the anticipated interest rate cut. (Sebastian Obando, Construction Dive)
• Increases in energy prices drove most of the total rise in construction input costs over the past month. (Sebastian Obando, Construction Dive)

Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team

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Los Angeles Wildfires Rage on, Destroying Structures and Displacing Residents

January 14, 2025 — Aileen Cho - Engineering News-Record
Wildfires in Los Angeles have already destroyed thousands of buildings, but the full extent of the damage will not be known for some time, according to local officials during a media briefing Jan. 9. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aileen Cho, Engineering News-Record
Ms. Cho may be contacted at choa@enr.com

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