DEERFIELD MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Mandatory Arbitration Isn’t All Bad, if. . .

July 13, 2026 — Christopher G. Hill - Construction Law Musings
In the past week or so mandatory arbitration has been all the rage. From those that argue that arbitration is becoming more burdensome than litigation, to my friend and fellow construction attorney Scott Wolfe who gives great advice on how to make arbitration worth it again. You can place me in the camp of those that think that mandatory arbitration clauses of the type typically found in contracts can add a layer of expense that can be unnecessary. However, if an arbitration clause is carefully drafted, and properly used, these clauses an be helpful in assuring that the streamlining effect for which arbitration was created actually occurs. Because the contract is king in Virginia, these provisions can essentially create the rule of civil procedure used to resolve any dispute relating to the project. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of The Law Office of Christopher G. Hill
Mr. Hill may be contacted at chrisghill@constructionlawva.com

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Modular Construction’s Hidden Risk: Where Things Go Wrong Between the Factory and the Field

June 15, 2026 — Jack Mayo - ConsensusDocs
Introduction As modular and prefabricated construction methods are increasingly adopted, so too are the potential challenges that come with them. The appeal is straightforward: faster timelines, controlled fabrication environments, and reduced on-site labor demands. But the risks that accompany these benefits are often less clear—and, in many cases, poorly defined. For example, what happens when a prefabricated component is delayed past its installation window? Who is responsible for a defect discovered inside a sealed, installed module? What happens to warranty obligations when a prefabricated component must be modified on site? Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Jack Mayo, Jones Walker LLP
Mr. Mayo may be contacted at jmayo@joneswalker.com

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Contractor Dispute Resolution Framework and Prevention

July 06, 2026 — Construction Executive
WHAT DEFINES A CONTRACTOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION FRAMEWORK A contractor dispute resolution framework is a structured system of contractual terms, governance processes and escalation pathways designed to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts between contracting parties with minimal disruption to cost, schedule and performance. The framework operates as both a preventive control and a corrective mechanism. Preventive elements establish clarity in scope, expectations and accountability before work begins. Corrective elements define how disagreements are identified, documented, escalated and resolved once they arise. Reprinted courtesy of Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

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Spain’s Sagrada Familia: Contemporary Construction Methods Speed Iconic Basilica to Completion

March 24, 2026 — Pam McFarland - Engineering News-Record
In 2014, the entity behind construction of one of the world’s most iconic churches—the wildly imaginative Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain—contacted global consultant Arup with a challenge: Could the firm help the project team update designs developed more than a century earlier, to ensure that a critical project component was built to be structurally sound? Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Pam McFarland, Engineering News-Record
Ms. McFarland may be contacted at mcfarlandp@enr.com

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Thomson Reuters Construction Law (Virginia Practice Series)

March 31, 2026 — Jennifer L. Harris & Michael A. Branca - Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
P&A Partners Michael A. Branca and Jennifer L. Harris have authored the most recent edition (2025) of Construction Law (Virginia Practice Series), part of Thomson Reuters’ ProView legal reference library. Associate Julia Loudenburg also provided substantial assistance for this edition. Construction Law includes summaries and analysis of statutes, regulations, and cases. It covers all major legal issues, including:

• Licensing
• Building code compliance
• Public-private partnerships
• Public contract bidding and performance
• Dispute resolution
• Damages
• Third-party liability
• Liens and bonds

Reprinted courtesy of Jennifer L. Harris, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. and Michael A. Branca, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. Ms. Harris may be contacted at jharris@pecklaw.com Mr. Branca may be contacted at mbranca@pecklaw.com Read the full story...

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Best Lawyers Honors Hundreds of Lewis Brisbois Attorneys, Names Five Partners 'Lawyers of the Year'

September 08, 2026 — Lewis Brisbois
Best Lawyers has selected 207 Lewis Brisbois attorneys across 45 offices for its 33rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America. It has also recognized five Lewis Brisbois partners on its "Lawyers of the Year" list: Akron Partner John R. Conley (Product Liability Litigation - Defendants); Akron Managing Partner David Kern (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates); Weirton Managing Partner Michelle L. Gorman (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants); Portland Partner Megan Cook (Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants); and San Diego Partner Craig T. Mann (Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants). Please join us in congratulating the following attorneys on their Best Lawyers recognition! You can also see the full list of attorneys named to Best Lawyers' Ones to Watch in America here. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois

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Course of Construction Exclusions and the CGL Policy

July 20, 2026 — Anna M. Perry, Rachel S. Kindseth & Nina Catanzaro - Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
I. Course of Construction Exclusions Course of Construction (“COC”) exclusions are found on General Liability and excess liability policies, typically a wrap-up or project specific policy, and generally exclude “all property damage occurring during the course of construction.” Insurers claim COC exclusions are not problematic because they are intended to prevent an overlap in coverage between the general liability policy and first-party property Builder’s Risk policy. However, because General Liability policies and Builder’s Risk policies provide coverage for different risks, COC exclusions can create a gap in coverage for owners and contractors. Therefore, any exclusion on a wrap-up or project specific policy that limits coverage for property damage liability should be scrutinized, and amendments sought when warranted and commercially achievable, for owners, developers and contractors because General Liability policies do not cover the same risk as that of a Builder’s Risk policy. General liability policies provide defense and indemnity to the insured(s) for claims made by a third-party against the insured. Broad COC exclusions serve to preclude coverage for all property damage, not just property damage to the insured project. This includes property damage to property other than the insured project, e.g. an adjacent property. On the other hand, Builder’s Risk policies provide first-party property coverage for direct physical loss to the project during the course of construction. The Builder’s Risk policy will not provide coverage for property other than the project itself (e.g., adjacent property) and it will not provide a defense or indemnity in the event the owner of the damaged property brings a claim against a potentially at-fault party. Reprinted courtesy of Anna M. Perry, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C., Rachel S. Kindseth, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. and Nina Catanzaro, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. Ms. Perry may be contacted at APerry@sdvlaw.com Ms. Kindseth may be contacted at rkindseth@sdvlaw.com Ms. Catanzaro may be contacted at NCatanzaro@sdvlaw.com Read the full story...

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California Poised for the Most Significant Residential Construction Defect Reforms in Decades

September 01, 2026 — Thomas D. Fama & Andrew J. Mallon - Wood Smith Henning Berman
The California Legislature is considering legislation that would dramatically alter the landscape of residential construction defect litigation. Assembly Bill 1903, currently pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee, proposes extensive amendments to California's Right to Repair Act (Civil Code sections 895-945.5) that would substantially strengthen procedural protections for builders while narrowing the scope of recoverable construction defect claims. If enacted, the legislation would affect virtually every stage of a construction defect dispute- from the initial notice of claim through litigation and settlement- and would introduce an entirely new certification process for newly constructed condominium projects. This article details some of the most significant proposed changes. Higher Burden for Construction Defect Plaintiffs Perhaps the most consequential change is the bill's modification of the proof required to establish liability. current law generally requires a claimant to demonstrate the residence fails to satisfy one of the statutory performance standards established under the Right to Repair Act. AB1903 would instead require claimants to establish three separate elements:

• A violation of an applicable statutory performance standard;
• The violation caused appreciable, present, non-speculative physical damage to another building component; and
• The violation resulted from the original construction.

Reprinted courtesy of Thomas D. Fama, Wood Smith Henning Berman and Andrew J. Mallon, Wood Smith Henning Berman Mr. Fama may be contacted at tfama@wshblaw.com Mr. Mallon may be contacted at amallon@wshblaw.com Read the full story...

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