Joanna South Carolina Construction Expert Witness Directory

Are Robotic Coworkers Soon a Reality in Construction?

March 24, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
General-purpose humanoid robots are in the headlines, but is the hype justified? What’s the point of having a robot home assistant when it still needs a “guy behind the curtain” to control it remotely? Despite the challenges, robots, even those that look like humans, are seriously considered as future coworkers in business environments. According to the McKinsey report ‘Will embodied AI create robotic coworkers?‘ the idea that AI-powered robots will become general-purpose coworkers is grounded in real technological progress, but not an overnight reality. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

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

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

Civil Megaprojects: The Evolving Use of Dispute Prevention and Collaborative Delivery Methods in Public Contracting

January 13, 2026 — Lisa D. Love - The Dispute Resolver
Civil megaprojects are large, complex ventures in civil engineering and construction that typically cost over $1 billion to construct. These projects generally have significant and long-lasting impacts on the economy, environment and society, and involve multiple public and private stakeholders. Typical civil megaprojects include infrastructure projects, such as highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, dams, power plants and public buildings, which require extensive planning, design, coordination and construction over an extended period of time. In the United States, there is over $500 billion worth of civil megaprojects in the pipeline, with an average of four megaprojects per month in 2024 and a total monthly value of $9.2 billion.[i] Here are some recent examples of civil megaprojects: The Hudson Tunnel Project (a portion of the Gateway Program), under construction in the states of New York and New Jersey, involves the construction of two new tunnels and the renovation of aging rail tunnels used by Amtrak and New Jersey Transit that were damaged by Superstorm Sandy along the Northeast Corridor. This has been deemed one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country. It is projected to be completed in 2027 at a cost of over $16 billion.[ii] Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lisa D. Love, JAMS

Traub Lieberman Recognized in the 2026 Edition of Chambers USA

June 29, 2026 — Traub Lieberman
In the 2026 edition of Chambers USA, Traub Lieberman has been awarded rankings in the following categories: Illinois – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer In the Chambers research, clients noted: "The team are technically very strong, responsive, and on top of their cases." Florida – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer In the Chambers research, clients noted: "Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry distinguishes itself through a combination of deep subject-matter expertise, responsiveness, and practical risk-management orientation." Commenters went on to say: “The team has deep knowledge of Florida property insurance statutes, regulations and case law, enabling effective handling of disputes, appeals and third-party litigation." Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Traub Lieberman

Arizona Court Enters $323 Million Judgment Against ZOM Living Following Unanimous Jury Verdict

May 26, 2026 — Gray Development Group
PHOENIX, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A Maricopa County court has entered a $323 million compensatory damages judgment in favor of Gray Development Group against ZOM Holding Inc., doing business as ZOM Living, following a 12-day trial, a unanimous jury verdict and post-trial proceedings related to a proposed business transaction. The jury found ZOM liable on claims of breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing stemming from a proposed joint venture tied to a planned pipeline of luxury multifamily and commercial projects in Phoenix and Scottsdale. The lawsuit centered on a 13-project, $1.4 billion development pipeline originated and planned by Gray Development Group over more than a decade. In 2019, Gray invited Florida-based ZOM to participate in a joint venture involving the completion of five projects, which would have marked ZOM's entry into the Arizona market. According to court findings presented at trial, the companies entered into a mutual confidentiality and non-circumvention agreement before Gray shared extensive sensitive and proprietary information related to the projects, including planning, market analysis, costs, financial data, local business relationships and operational strategies developed by Gray over decades in Arizona. Evidence presented during trial showed that over a 10-month period while under contract, ZOM made hundreds of requests for confidential project and market information before circumventing Gray and pursuing the projects independently, ultimately displacing Gray from projects it spent years planning and developing. ZOM Living, headquartered in Orlando, develops multifamily and senior housing communities across the United States and operates regional offices in Boston, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, Phoenix, and Raleigh. ZOM is owned by Timeless Investments, the Amsterdam-based family office of Dutch businessman Hans van Veggel, which acquired the company in 1997. About Gray Development Group Gray Development Group was founded by architect Bruce Gray in 1991. The Phoenix-based company was the top-ranked multifamily developer in Arizona for more than a decade. The company designed and developed more than 15,000 apartment and condominium units throughout metropolitan Phoenix. Two Gray-designed developments — a Tempe midrise and a San Diego high-rise — received National Apartment Community of the Year awards.

CA Civil Code § 8850: What Private Multi-state Owners and Developers Building in California in 2026 Need to Know

January 26, 2026 — Anand Gupta - Construction Law Zone Blog
Owners and developers building in California must be aware of a new statute, CA Civil Code § 8850, which takes effect for contracts entered into, on, and after January 1, 2026. The statute will likely apply to most private construction projects; however, a carve-out exists for residential projects that are not mixed use and are four stories or less. When a contractor—or, with proper authorization, a subcontractor—submits a claim related to payment, time extensions, damages, or change orders (encompassing the majority of construction disputes), the owner must provide a written response within 30 days. This response must clearly state which portions of the claim are disputed and which are not. The owner has 60 days from the date of its response to issue payment for those undisputed amounts. Late payments will accrue interest at a rate of two percent per month. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Anand Gupta, Robinson & Cole
Mr. Gupta may be contacted at agupta@rc.com

PSA: Getting the First Mechanic’s Lien on a Project is a Plus

January 26, 2026 — Christopher G. Hill - Construction Law Musings
As those that read this construction law blog are aware, I am a big fan of mechanic’s liens as a way to get paid. These powerful and tricky beasts are a great way to get an owner’s attention and to put payment pressure on those that owe you money. Recently I was reminded that getting a lien prepared and recorded both carefully and quickly can be key to getting paid on a problem project. Not only should construction professionals keep the 150-day rule and the 90-day rule in mind, but they should also be quick on the trigger when it becomes clear that a mechanic’s lien will be necessary. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of The Law Office of Christopher G. Hill
Mr. Hill may be contacted at chrisghill@constructionlawva.com

JOANNA SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES