VILLISCA IOWA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Kahana Feld Opens New Office in Sacramento, Adding Key Litigator and Expanding Northern California Footprint

August 24, 2026 — Kahana Feld
IRVINE, CA – Aug. 11, 2026 – Kahana Feld is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Sacramento, CA. This will be the firm’s 19th office across the United States. Partner Melvin F. Marcia has joined Kahana Feld and will lead the opening of the Sacramento office. He is joined by attorneys Matthew Brenner and Britney Lucchesi as well as paralegal Michelle Welcker. “We’re excited to welcome Melvin to the Kahana Feld team and expand our footprint in Northern California,” said Amir Kahana, Firmwide Managing Partner of Kahana Feld. “His addition strengthens Kahana Feld’s capabilities and will allow us to work more closely with our general liability, construction defect, and labor and employment clients in the Sacramento area while continuing to provide the level of service and experience they have come to expect from our firm.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Kahana Feld

---

ACEC Supports BUILD America 250 Act as Important First Step on Surface Reauthorization

May 26, 2026 — The American Council of Engineering Companies
WASHINGTON -- The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), the business voice of America’s engineering and design services industry released the following statement on the BUILD America 250 Act: "Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen have taken an important bipartisan step toward reauthorizing the federal surface transportation programs that are critical to economic growth in every state. The BUILD America 250 Act provides five years of stability in funding road and transit projects, raises new revenues to address the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, and includes meaningful provisions to strengthen project delivery, advance digital infrastructure, and improve the contracting framework that engineering firms rely on every day. ACEC will continue to advocate for investment levels that keep pace with the country's growing infrastructure needs, and we urge the Committee to keep this process moving forward." The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) is the business association of America’s engineering industry, representing more than 5,500 independent engineering firms and more than 650,000 professionals throughout the United States engaged in the development of America’s transportation, water, and energy infrastructure, along with environmental, industrial, and other public and private facilities. Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations.

---

"Resilient Rebuild Hub" Helps Wildfire-Impacted Homeowners Build Back Stronger

September 21, 2026 — California Nevada Cement Association
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- When homeowners in a fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades neighborhood banded together last year to rebuild with fire-hardened materials rather than standard wood framing, they weren't just rebuilding houses: they were rewriting the playbook for how California communities can rebuild after wildfire. Today, the Building with Resilience effort is making that playbook available to every homeowner facing the same decision with the launch of its new Resilient Rebuild Hub for exploring fire resistant, non-combustible construction options. The Resilient Rebuild Hub helps homeowners understand options for fire-resistant, concrete-based construction and connect with architects, engineers, and contractors who can build them. This includes six noncombustible building systems:

• Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF): stackable, high-density foam blocks filled with concrete which save 20-50% on monthly heating and cooling costs, reduce outside noise by up to 80%, offer exceptional earthquake performance and 4-hour fire resistance rating.
• Insulated Composite Concrete Forms (ICCF): similar formwork to ICF construction with composite materials that enhance strength, simplify installation, and improve long-term performance.
• Concrete Masonry: strong, durable wall systems used for decades across California and the U.S.
• Precast Insulated Sandwich Panels: a complete building enclosure system consisting of two layers of concrete separated by a continuous layer of rigid insulation.
• 3D Shotcrete: air-sprayed concrete for strong, fast, and versatile wall systems that enable a high degree of artistic freedom together with unparalleled fire resistance.
• 3D Concrete Printing: the cutting edge of residential construction, a large-scale robotic 3D printer "squeezes" a specialized concrete mixture layer by layer to allow for organic, curved designs that are often too expensive or impossible to build with traditional methods. The Resilient Rebuild Hub is available now at buildingwithresilience.com/how-to-build. Each part is free to access and includes case studies, technical resources, and a directory of architects, engineers, and contractors experienced in each building method. CNCA is a not-for-profit organization committed to developing sustainable and economical construction solutions for California and Nevada with an emphasis on the use of cement and concrete. For more information, visit www.cncement.org. CalCIMA is a trade association for the construction and essential mineral industries in California, including aggregate, essential and rare earth minerals, ready mixed concrete, and asphalt producers. In all, there are about 70 producer member companies that include 500 production sites in every county of California. Our members also include more than 100 suppliers and service providers to the industry. Founded in 1930, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) is the leading industry advocate with a mission to provide exceptional value for our members by responsibly representing and serving the entire ready mixed concrete industry through leadership, promotion, education and partnering to ensure ready mixed concrete is the building material of choice.

  ---

  Actual Controversy Without Actual Exhaustion: California Supreme Court Allows Declaratory Relief and Bad Faith Claims Against Excess Insurers

  August 24, 2026 — Kyle A. Rudolph - Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
  California courts were previously split on the issue of whether an insured may bring declaratory relief claims against excess insurers prior to the exhaustion of underlying insurance. Some California courts held that the actual exhaustion of underlying insurance was necessary, whereas other courts allowed for these types of claims to proceed.[1] Recently, the California Supreme Court addressed this split of authority and, in doing so, handed down a significant win for policyholders. In Fox Paine & Company, LLC, et al. v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company et al., the Court held that insureds may proceed with bringing forth viable declaratory relief and bad faith claims against excess insurers prior to the exhaustion of underlying insurance.[2] A summary of the Court’s opinion is provided below. Read the full story...
  Reprinted courtesy of Kyle A. Rudolph, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
  Mr. Rudolph may be contacted at KRudolph@sdvlaw.com

  ---

  Wadsworth v. Regional Rail Partners — Verified Statements of Claim Under the Colorado Public Works Act

  August 25, 2026 — Olivia Barden - Colorado Construction Litigation Blog
  Editor’s Note: Wadsworth Revisited In August 2024, following the Colorado Court of Appeals’ decision in Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company, LLC v. Regional Rail Partners, we published Colorado Court of Appeals’ Ruling Highlights Dangers of Excessive Public Works Claims. At the time, the decision warranted a significant warning to contractors and subcontractors performing public work in Colorado. The Court of Appeals concluded that Wadsworth’s verified statement of claim improperly included unliquidated delay damages and that, because the claim was excessive, Wadsworth forfeited its right to recover the amounts included in the claim. We cautioned contractors to carefully scrutinize verified statements of claim and to avoid including unliquidated damages or amounts that were not yet due and payable. The Colorado Supreme Court has now reversed that decision. Read the full story...
  Reprinted courtesy of Olivia Barden, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLC
  

  ---

  Builders Risk/Construction All Risks and Delay in Start-Up Coverage for Large Energy Projects: Protecting Revenue Before Operations Begin

  September 21, 2026 — Will Bennett - SDV Fenchurch
  The Most Significant Loss May Be the Delay, Not the Damage Power and energy projects are uniquely vulnerable to losses during construction. Whether the project involves a utility-scale solar facility, battery storage installation, a wind farm, transmission project, LNG terminal, or conventional generation facility, loss events in this sector often have consequences far more impactful than the actual cost of repairing damaged property. Any number of construction losses can delay commercial operation of the facility by months, triggering lost revenues, financing impacts, contractual penalties, and investor concerns. In many cases, those delay-related losses significantly exceed the underlying repair costs. Construction All Risk (“CAR”) insurance and Delay in Start-Up (“DSU”) coverage are designed to respond to these exposures. However, recovering delay-related losses is far more complicated than many insureds anticipate, particularly when projects involve international stakeholders, global supply chains, and London market insurance placements. Read the full story...
  Reprinted courtesy of Will Bennett, SDV Fenchurch
  Mr. Bennett may be contacted at will.bennett@sdvfenchurch.us

  ---

  Segal McCambridge Shareholders and Associates Recognized in 2027 Best Lawyers in America®

  September 01, 2026 — Segal McCambridge
  Segal McCambridge is pleased to announce that 24 firm shareholders and associates have been recognized in the 2027 editions of the Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Best Lawyers® is an elite global network of legal professionals recognized through a trusted, peer-reviewed distinction. For more than four decades, its Purely Peer Review® methodology has upheld the principle that recognition should be earned through the opinions of fellow attorneys, not marketing influence or paid listings. No fees are accepted for consideration or inclusion.    "This Best Lawyers recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the caliber of advocacy our attorneys bring to clients every day, across a wide range of practice areas," said Jason P. Eckerly, Segal McCambridge Managing Shareholder. "We are proud to see so many of our colleagues honored for their legal skills, dedication, and professionalism. This continued recognition underscores the strength of our national platform and the depth of talent across our firm." <
  Pennsylvania Federal Court Finds No Coverage For Hacking Claim Under E&O Policy
  
  2016 Hawaii Legislature Enacts Five Insurance-Related Bills
  
  U.K. Construction Unexpectedly Strengthens for a Second Month
  
  Pinterest Nixes Big San Francisco Lease Deal in Covid Scaleback
  
  The Reptile Theory in Practice
  
  Developer’s Failure to Plead Amount of Damages in Cross-Complaint Fatal to Direct Action Against Subcontractor’s Insurers Based on Default Judgment
  
  Appetite for Deconstruction
  
  High-Rise Design and Construction: Then, Now, and Next
  
  Gillotti v. Stewart (2017) 2017 WL 1488711 Rejects Liberty Mutual, Holding Once Again that the Right to Repair Act is the Exclusive Remedy for Construction Defect Claims
  
  How to Properly Fill Out and Use the Conditional Waiver and Release on Progress Payment Form Used in California Construction
  
  Another TV Fried as Georgia Leads U.S. in Lightning Costs
  
  Construction Defect Reform Bill Passes Colorado Senate
  
  Whitney Stefko Named to ENR’s Top Young Professionals, formerly ENR’s Top 20 Under 40, in California
  
  New Defendant Added to Morrison Bridge Decking Lawsuit
  
  Insurers Need only Prove that Other Coverage Exists for Construction Defect Claims
  
  BHA has a Nice Swing: Firm Supports Wounded Warrior Project at WCC Seminar
  
  Court Finds California FAIR Plan Unlawful
  
  OSHA/VOSH Roundup
  
  Colorado Drillers Show Sensitive Side to Woo Fracking Foes
  
  Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (08/30/23) – AI Predicts Home Prices, Construction’s Effect on the Economy, and Could Streamline Communications for Developers
  
  Could This Gel Help Tame the California Fires?
  
  Kahana Feld Secures Discontinuance with Prejudice in Fraudulent Case
  
  Newmeyer & Dillion’s Alan Packer Selected to 2018 Northern California Super Lawyers List
  
  Is Your Design Professional Construction Contract too Friendly? (Law Note)
  
  Risk Associated with Design-Build Project Delivery Method
  
  How Palm Beach Balances Mansion Politics Against Climate Change
  
  White and Williams LLP Ranked in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide
  
  Additional Insured Is Covered Under On-Going Operations Endorsement Despite Subcontractor's Completion of Work
  
  Digital Twins for a Safer Built Environment
  
  The Court-Side Seat: FERC Reviews, Panda Power Plaints and Sovereign Immunity
  
  Property Damage Caused By Construction Next Door Covered as Ensuing Loss
  
  Giant Floating Solar Flowers Offer Hope for Coal-Addicted Korea
  
  Amazon’s Latest Response to AI Data Center Backlash: $1 Billion
  
  Georgia Legislature Passes Additional Procurement Rules
  
  Repeated Use of Defective Fireplace Triggers Duty to Defend Even if Active Fire Does Not Break Out Until After End of Policy Period
  
  Bar to Raise on Green Standard
  
  Erasing Any Doubt: Arizona FED Actions Do Not Accrue Until Formal Demand for Possession is Tendered
  
  Used French Fry Oil Fuels London Offices as Buildings Go Green
  
  How to Challenge a Project Labor Agreement
  
  No Coverage for Roof Collapse During Hurricane
  
  Unpaid Hurricane Maria Insurance Claims, New Laws in Puerto Rico, and the Lesson for all Policyholders
  
  Mediation Fails In Federal Lawsuit Seeking Damages From Sureties for Alleged Contract Fraud
  
  Washington State May Allow Common Negligence Claims against Construction Professionals
  
  Inside New York’s Newest Architectural Masterpiece for the Mega-Rich
  
  How Mansions Can Intensify Wildfires
  
  Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (11/5/25) – Apartment Conversion Projects Surge, Targeted AI in Real Estate Increases and Hotel Lobby Urge End of Government Shutdown
  
  Preserving your Rights to Secure Payment on Construction Projects (with Examples)El Paso Increases Surety Bond Requirement on Contractors
  
  Payment Bond Claim Notice Requires More than Mailing
  
  Congratulations to Partners Alison Hurley and Nicholas Rodriguez for Prevailing on Their Motion for Summary Judgment!
  
  Why Financial Advisers Still Hate Reverse Mortgages
  
  Local Government’s Claims on Developer Bonds Dismissed for Failure to Pursue Administrative Remedies
  
  Oregon Supreme Court Confirms Broad Duty to Defend
  
  Wildfire Insurance Coverage Series, Part 4: Coverage for Supply Chain Related Losses
  
  CISA Guidance 3.1: Not Much Change for Construction
  
  New York Court of Appeals Finds a Proximate Cause Standard in Additional Insured Endorsements
  
  ASCE Statement on Passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022
  
  Ohio subcontractor work exception to the “your work” exclusion
  
  3D Printing Innovations Enhance Building Safety
  
  Contractors and Force Majeure: Contractual Protection from Hurricanes and Severe Weather
  
  Dispute Erupts Into Public Over Castro Theater Rehab Project Costs
  
  A Win for Policyholders: California Court of Appeals Applies Vertical Exhaustion for Continuous Injury Claims
  
  Chicago Aldermen Tell Casino Bidders: This Is a Union Town
  
  Just a House That Uses 90 Percent Less Energy Than Yours, That's All
  
  Top Developments March 2024
  
  Gary Bague Elected Chairman of ALFA International’s Board of Directors
  
  Senate Committee Approves Military Construction Funds
  
  Drilling Rig Topples at Citadel Miami Headquarters Site, Injuring Four
  
  Library to Open with Roof Defect Lawsuit Pending
  
  Massachusetts High Court to Decide if Insurers Can Recoup Defense Costs
  
  Eighth Circuit Considers Judicial Estoppel in Hazardous Substance Release-Related Personal Injury Case
  
  Design Immunity Defense Gets Special Treatment on Summary Judgment
  
  Recent Federal Court Decision Favors Class Action Defendants
  
  The Insurance Coverage Debate on Construction Defects Continues
  
  Construction of $3B Data Center in North Dakota Spurs Annexation Battle
  
  Serial ADA Lawsuits Targeting Small Business Owners
  
  TOP TAKE-AWAY SERIES: The 2023 Annual Meeting in Vancouver
  
  Nevada Insureds Can Rely on Extrinsic Facts to Show that An Insurer Owes a Duty to Defend
  
  Building 47 Bridges in Two Years
  
  Sobering Facts for Construction Safety Day
  
  A Court-Side Seat: Coal-Fired Limitations, the Search for a Venue Climate Change and New Agency Rules that May or May Not Stick Around
  
  Wharf Holdings to Sell Entire Sino-Ocean Stake for $284 Million
  
  Forget Fifth Graders - Are You Smarter Than a CEO?
  
  Owner Can’t Pursue Statutory Show Cause Complaint to Cancel Lien… Fair Outcome?
  
  Making the World’s Longest Undersea Railway Tunnel Possible with BIM
  
  Landlords Beware: Subordination Agreements
  
  CA Supreme Court Rejects Proposed Exceptions to Interim Adverse Judgment Rule Defense to Malicious Prosecution Action
  
  Project Labor Agreements Will Now Be Required for Large-Scale Federal Construction Projects
  
  Public Policy Prevails: Homebuilders and Homebuyers Cannot Agree to Disclaim Implied Warranty of Habitability in Arizona
  
  Be Proactive Now: Commercial Construction Quickly Joining List of Industries Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks
  
  Jobsite Safety, Workforce Shortage Drive Innovation in Machine Automation
  
  Failure to Meet Code Case Remanded to Lower Court for Attorney Fees
  
  Beyond the Disneyland Resort: Special Events
  
  AB 1701 – General Contractor Liability for Subcontractors’ Unpaid Wages
  
  Products Liability Law – Application of Economic Loss Rule
  
  Hong Kong Popping Housing Bubbles London Can’t Handle
  
  MapLab: Why More Americans Are Moving Toward Wildfire