Capac Michigan Construction Expert Witness Directory

Data Center Construction: Contractors Must Step Up

May 26, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
I attended the Datacenter Forum 2026 in Helsinki last week. Over 400 people packed the room. Walking out, I had one overriding thought: Is construction operating in a different century from the technology it is being asked to house? Is Our Industry on Par? Ciarán Forde, Senior Vice President at CTS Nordics, opened the forum with a statement that set the tone for everything that followed: data centers are no longer just a technical challenge; they are a national strategy. Before AI, Ciarán had worked in telecoms, where data centers were already complex. But now, he said flatly, everything has changed, and the industry must rethink everything. The numbers behind the claim are staggering. Current AI data center racks run at 40 to 100 kW. In three years, 800 kW per rack is on the roadmap. And the development cycle for a new chip is roughly one year, which means deployments begin aging out almost as soon as they are commissioned. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

Ahlers Cressman & Sleight leads in recognized Construction Litigation Attorneys

September 01, 2026 — Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC
Ahlers Cressman & Sleight is pleased to announce its leading recognition in the 2026 Washington Super Lawyers magazine. With ten members named, ACS has more recognized Construction Litigation attorneys than any other firm on the 2026 Washington Super Lawyers list, compared to three at the next closest firm. Two ACS members were also recognized on the 2026 Washington Rising Stars list. Super Lawyers selects these recognized lawyers by using a patented multiphase selection process. First, lawyers enter the candidate pool by being nominated by their peers or by being identified by managing partner surveys, third-party feedback, or the Super Lawyersresearch team. Next, Super Lawyersconducts an independently researched evaluation using twelve indicators of professional achievement and peer recognition: verdicts/settlements, transactions, representative clients, experience, honors/awards, special licenses/certifications, position within a law firm, bar and/or professional activity, pro bono and community service, scholarly lectures/writings, education/employment background, and other outstanding achievements. Then, candidates with the highest point totals serve on a Blue Ribbon panel, evaluating other candidates within their primary practice area. Finally, only 5% of attorneys are selected for the Super Lawyers list, and 2.5% of attorneys are selected for the Rising Stars list. More information about the Super Lawyers Selection Process can be found here. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC

When Projects Go Off Schedule: Navigating Construction Delays and Disputes

October 20, 2026 — Shay Kulkarni - Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Shay Kulkarni, Partner in P&A’s San Diego office, was recently featured on Racho Mesa Insurance Services’ StudioOne™ Safety and Risk Management Podcast Network, in an episode titled, “When Projects Go Off Schedule: Navigating Construction Delays and Disputes.” During the episode, Shay joins Josh Hill, Surety Account Executive at Rancho Mesa, to discuss the best practices for navigating delays, disruptions, and disputes that arise during construction projects. The conversation explores how careful contract review, thorough project documentation, timely notice, and proactive risk management can help contractors safeguard their rights and more effectively address potential conflicts. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Shay Kulkarni, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Mr. Kulkarni may be contacted at skulkarni@pecklaw.com

Pulling the Plug, Preserving the Product: Protecting Rights to a Modular Subcontractor’s Work Post-Termination

June 08, 2026 — Paul Williamson - ConsensusDocs
Volumetric Modular Construction (VMC) is a building method where a structure is divided into large components or modules, fabricated in an offsite factory and then transported to a construction site for assembly.[1] Proponents of VMC hail it as a cost-efficient alternative to traditional building methods that leads to more consistent quality and shorter construction duration.[2] Due to a growing labor shortage, high demand for compressed project schedules, and stagnant construction productivity rates, the construction industry is embracing VMC.[3] A recent report on the market size of prefabricated construction estimates that from 2026 to 2031, VMC will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.16% and become a 413.11-billion-dollar industry.[4] As VMC becomes more prevalent, owners, general contractors, and subcontractors must consider how to effectively contract for modular construction. One important consideration, which this article focuses on, is navigating termination of a modular subcontractor. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Paul Williamson, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Mr. Williamson may be contacted at pwilliamson@pecklaw.com

Five Snell & Wilmer Partners Named to Utah Business’ 2026 Legal Elite

September 29, 2026 — Snell & Wilmer
SALT LAKE CITY – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that five partners have been named to Utah Business’ 2026 “Legal Elite.” The annual recognition honors leading Utah attorneys who are making a meaningful impact in their respective areas of practice. Honorees are peer-nominated and selected by a panel of experienced legal and law enforcement professionals based on their legal knowledge, commitment to ethical standards, and professional achievements. Wade R. Budge is a land use and real estate lawyer with significant experience advising developers and owners in all aspects of real estate development. He has negotiated entitlements for master planned communities, industrials projects, retail centers, office buildings, subdivisions, and mountain resorts throughout Utah. He also regularly represents clients in the use, acquisition, and disposition of real estate projects throughout the Western United States. Budge has advised developers in obtaining public incentives and using public finance tools, including tax increment financing, to facilitate new and redevelopment projects, and regularly advises clients with government relations matters involving state and local governments. Budge has negotiated public-private partnerships with dozens of local governments and with every one of the state’s development agencies, including the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, the Military Installation Development Authority, and the Utah Fairpark Area Investment and Restoration District. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Snell & Wilmer

Urban Digital Twins: How Virtual Cities Could Help Build Smarter Cities

August 11, 2026 — Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
Traffic congestion, endless construction, flooded streets and power outages. For city leaders and residents alike, these disruptions are simply part of daily urban life. But an emerging tool, known as the urban digital twin, could help cities anticipate problems before they occur by allowing planners to simulate responses, stress-test infrastructure, and evaluate decisions before implementing them in the real world. What Is an Urban Digital Twin? An urban digital twin is a dynamic, data-driven virtual model of a real city. It uses AI analytics and combines 3D modeling with real-time data and information from sources such as IoT sensors, traffic cameras, satellite feeds, infrastructure databases, utility networks, and environmental data including weather systems and heat maps to create a continuously updated digital representation of the urban environment that mirrors infrastructure, movement and systems in real time. In other words, it is a living digital replica of a city. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Pillsbury

OC Streetcar Project Mediation Sets $50M Payment to Walsh

July 20, 2026 — Richard Korman - Engineering News-Record
Walsh Construction told a California state court judge last month that lawsuit mediation of its claims on an Orange County light-rail project—known as OC Streetcar—had produced a settlement of some claims under which the county agreed to pay the contractor almost an additional $50 million. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Richard Korman, Engineering News-Record
Mr. Korman may be contacted at kormanr@enr.com

Insurer Cannot Dispose of Water Leak or Bad Faith Claims on Motion for Summary Judgment

July 20, 2026 — Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law Hawaii
The insurer’s motion for summary judgment seeking to eliminate the insured’s claims for damage from a water leak, bad faith and punitive damages failed. Nargizyan v, State Farm General Ins. Co., 2026 Cal App. LEXIS 302 (Cal. Ct. App. April 15, 2026). The insured noticed tiles on his kitchen floor were warmer than usual. He found water dripping from the top of the crawl space under the house. He noticed water was “dripping in different places” but not pouring like a faucet. “There were too many places to count where water was dripping and there was water all over the place.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert
Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

CAPAC MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES