Ashburn Virginia Construction Expert Witness Directory

Identifying Unfair Clauses in Construction Contracts

February 17, 2026 — Curtis W. Martin - Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
In 1979, virtually all projects were completed under form contracts. As I started practicing construction law, it seemed that most form contracts were generally fair. They were negotiated by industry groups and over the next 10-20 years they appeared to become fairer. We could and did compare provisions in the AIA documents, the Federal contract forms, and the EJCDC agreements. When we did, we found subtle differences, but broad similarities in their approach to contract risk allocation. Today many (most?) private projects are done with “manuscript” contracts – instruments tailored to the owner’s interests. And many public entities have developed their own contracts. And not all those clauses seem so fair. This month I focus on contract clauses that I consider unfair. And while unfairness, like beauty, may be in the eye of the beholder, I think that the clauses described below aptly fit that descriptor. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Curtis W. Martin, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Mr. Martin may be contacted at cmartin@pecklaw.com

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...

If You Get ‘Reported to the Board’ for Your Professional License (Law Note)

January 21, 2026 — Melissa Dewey Brumback - Construction Law in North Carolina
The NC Board of Architecture and the NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (as well as other Boards, including the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors) have grievance procedures in which anyone – client or not—can file a grievance against you. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the Boards have seen it all before, and if the grievance is someone unhappy about a bill, or using the process to harass you for unfounded reasons, they will recognize those complaints for what they are. HOWEVER, this does not mean that you should treat any grievance, no matter how unfounded, lightly. The first thing you need to do is contact your insurance broker/agent and report the matter. Often times, your insurance carrier will hire an attorney (someone like me) to defend you free of charge (at least up to a certain dollar amount). This is part of your insurance coverage, and you should take full advantage of it. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Melissa Dewey Brumback, Ragsdale Liggett PLLC
Ms. Brumback may be contacted at mbrumback@rl-law.com

Thank You All for 10 Years Straight of VA Super Lawyers

May 05, 2026 — Christopher G. Hill - Construction Law Musings
It is with humility and a sense of accomplishment that I announce that I have been selected for the tenth straight year to the Virginia Super Lawyers in the Construction Litigation category for 2026. Add this to my recent election to the Virginia Legal Elite in Construction and I’ve had a pretty good year. As always, I am thrilled to be included on these peer-elected lists. Your confidence in my work is very gratifying. So without further ado, thank you to my peers and those on the panel at Virginia Super Lawyers for the great honor. I feel quite proud to be part of the 5% of Virginia attorneys that made this list for 2026. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of The Law Office of Christopher G. Hill
Mr. Hill may be contacted at chrisghill@constructionlawva.com

Chambers USA Recognizes Hunton’s Insurance Coverage Practice in 2026 Guide

June 29, 2026 — Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog
Hunton is pleased to announce that its insurance coverage practice was recognized nationally for Insurance: Dispute Resolution – Policyholder in the recently released 2026 Chambers USA guide. The team also received state rankings in Florida (Insurance: Dispute Resolution), Georgia (Insurance), the District of Columbia (Insurance: Policyholder), and Massachusetts (Insurance). In addition to the insurance team’s group recognition across multiple states, the 2026 guide included individual rankings for Lorelie “Lorie” S. Masters (USA Nationwide and District of Columbia), Latosha M. Ellis (District of Columbia), Michael S. Levine (District of Columbia), Koorosh “KT” Talieh (District of Columbia), Walter J. Andrews (Florida), Andrea DeField (Florida), Cary D. Steklof (Florida), Lawrence J. Bracken II (Georgia), and Geoffrey B. Fehling (Massachusetts). Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (3/18/25) – Data Center Frenzy, China’s Expanding REIT Market and Tariff-Affected Construction Costs

March 31, 2026 — Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
In our latest roundup, relistings reached highest total in a decade, Florida State Legislature passes bill to increase the state’s housing supply, data center construction adapts to changes and more!

The data center construction frenzy and a new, potentially larger highway bill were top of mind for builders during the latest round of contractor earnings calls and financial reports. (Joe Bousquin, Construction Dive)
Tariffs and associated policy uncertainty have increased construction costs and delayed leasing and investment choices. (J.P. Morgan)
Relistings hit the highest January figure since Redfin began tracking this metric a decade ago. (Diana Olick, CNBC).

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

Navigating Turbulent Waters Ashore: Insurance Lessons from a Navy Project Dispute

February 02, 2026 — Cary D. Steklof & Torrye Zullo - Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog
As we ring in the New Year, one thing remains the same: understanding the definitions and conditions in your insurance policy is critical. In a recent decision, a Florida federal court in Ohio Security Insurance Co. v. E Kelly Enterprises Inc. et al., No. 3:22-cv-24754, held that an insurer had no duty to defend or indemnify a general contractor and no duty to indemnify a subcontractor for damages from defective work on a naval base, based on the policy’s definition of “suit,” “property damage,” and allocation requirements. The decision highlights the importance of numerous issues in the context of commercial general liability policies, including the nuances of policy definitions, obtaining insurer consent when necessary, and allocation between covered and uncovered claims. Background In October 2014, a general contractor (“GC”) was awarded a contract by the Navy to renovate buildings at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. The GC subcontracted work to various subcontractors, including metal framing and drywall, to a subcontractor named EKE. Reprinted courtesy of Cary D. Steklof, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and Torrye Zullo, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Mr. Steklof may be contacted at csteklof@hunton.com Ms. Zullo may be contacted at tzullo@hunton.com Read the full story...

Lost in Translation: AEC Tech’s Missing Role

May 12, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
I once visited a construction site where the contractor’s headquarters had commissioned a tech company to build an on-site quality-inspection application. The developer had admitted to the site engineer that they had never set foot on a construction site before. The engineer showed me what he was actually using: his own phone camera and an Excel sheet. The new app did not map to how work actually happened on site. This is not an isolated story. The vendor builds something technically coherent but operationally disconnected. The client, somewhere up the chain, had fallen in love with the idea of the solution before anyone had built an honest business case for it. The result is a tool that gets demonstrated at a board meeting but isn’t used in the field. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

ASHBURN VIRGINIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES