COULEE CITY WASHINGTON 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

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Idaho Contractor Registration: Lessons from the Ward v. Bishop Decision

April 20, 2026 — Tara Martens Miller - Snell & Wilmer
The Idaho Supreme Court’s recent decision in Ward v. Bishop Constr., Ltd. Liab. Co., No. 51118, 2025 Ida. LEXIS 143 (Dec. 31, 2025) offers valuable guidance for contractors and construction attorneys navigating the Idaho Contractor Registration Act (ICRA). The December 2025 ruling clarifies critical questions about when and how defendants may raise contractor registration defenses, the weight of pretrial stipulations, and the consequences of procedural missteps in construction litigation. This article examines the key takeaways from the decision and offers practical actions for consideration by those working in Idaho’s construction industry. The Facts Behind the Dispute The case arose from a long-standing working relationship between cousins Joel Ward and Ren Bishop dating to the 1990s. Ward performed general construction work for Bishop Construction, LLC, including building, plumbing, electrical, framing, roofing, and siding work on projects in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Bishop agreed to pay Ward $10 per hour, later increased to $12 per hour, plus one-way travel expenses. Between 2017 and 2019, Ward worked over 1,100 hours but was never paid, totaling $12,443.54 in claimed damages. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Tara Martens Miller, Snell & Wilmer
Ms. Miller may be contacted at tmmiller@swlaw.com

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New Report Outlines Roadmap for Construction Jobsites to Cut Carbon Emissions by 2040

April 20, 2026 — PCL Construction
Denver, Colo., April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new industry report outlines five practical steps that, when implemented together, could reduce construction jobsite emissions by up to 75% without compromising cost, schedule or performance. Grounded in real operational data from 617 construction projects across the U.S. and Canada, Growing and Greening Canadian Construction represents the most comprehensive sector-wide analysis of jobsite emissions conducted to date. The report was developed through a collaboration among leading general contractors, including PCL Construction, in partnership with the Transition Accelerator, an organization that drives projects, partnerships, and strategies to promote economic competitiveness in a carbon‑neutral world. The report focuses specifically on emissions from construction jobsite activities and reflects a shared commitment to advancing practical, scalable solutions for the industry. About PCL Construction PCL is a group of independent construction companies that operates throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Australia. As one of the largest contracting organizations in North America, PCL completes more than $9.9 billion USD in work annually, building projects that shape communities. The company’s 100% employee ownership model fuels a culture of commitment for clients in the buildings, civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and solar markets. With a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers, PCL’s leadership teams consistently drive innovation and set new benchmarks for excellence, bringing unparalleled skill to every project. Watch us build at PCL.com. About the Transition Accelerator The Transition Accelerator works with 300+ partner organizations across Canada to build out pathways to a prosperous low-carbon economy and avoid costly dead-ends along the way. We help governments and industry harness the global shift towards clean growth to secure permanent jobs, abundant energy, and strong regional economies across the country. By connecting systems-level thinking with real-world analysis, we’re enabling a more affordable, competitive, and resilient future. Read the full story...

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Wilke Fleury is proud to congratulate attorneys recognized in the 2027 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.

September 15, 2026 — Wilke Fleury
The Best Lawyers in America®: Dan Egan, Daniel Foster, David Frenznick, and George Guthrie. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America: Islam M. Ahmad, Kathryne Baldwin, Melissa Eaton, Jason Eldred, and Mustafa Karim. Congratulations to this outstanding group! Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Wilke Fleury

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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

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Every High-Tech Building Has Many Lifespans

August 16, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
When I worked as an architect, our team designed a laboratory for fuel research. The facility included a large research hall where various boilers and other devices were tested and analyzed. The setup required extensive floor channeling under the thick concrete floor. We suggested building a modular system that would allow flexibility in the future, when requirements would certainly change. They did not want that because of budget constraints. The high-tech construction trend is spreading. Data centers, semiconductor fabs, battery plants, and life science facilities share one property that sets them apart from ordinary buildings. The technology inside turns over faster than the structure around it. Server generations change every three to five years. Rack densities have risen from 10 or 20 kW to 130 kW and beyond in just a few years. A high-tech facility is really several buildings with different lifespans inside one envelope, and we keep designing them as if they were one. The failure is not that things become obsolete. It is that we never say when each layer is expected to. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

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From Dark Data to Building Intelligence

July 13, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
In this episode, I talk with Mark Sorsa-Leslie, founder and CEO of Auttaa AI, whose team just won first place in Luotea’s inaugural hackathon in Helsinki for turning property maintenance from reactive firefighting into proactive forecasting with AI. Mark is a chartered surveyor with 30 years of real estate data experience, previously the founder of the UK sensor company Beringar. We discuss why so much building data stays dark and siloed, from outdated networking technology to the shortage of people who understand both engineering and property. Mark explains how Auttaa bridges real-time building data with large language models, using what he calls an “influence graph” to surface correlations and causation across previously disconnected systems, such as linking occupancy patterns to CO2 readings to diagnose ventilation problems in minutes rather than days. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

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Labor Shortages in Construction: Managing Legal and Operational Risks

April 14, 2026 — Meghan Douris - Construction Executive
Labor shortages in the construction industry have become more than a scheduling headache—they are a legal and financial risk multiplier. As contractors scramble to meet deadlines with limited manpower, shortcuts in compliance, safety and subcontractor oversight become more likely. These gaps can expose companies to regulatory penalties, contractual disputes and reputational damage. Understanding how workforce constraints intersect with labor laws and contractual obligations is critical to mitigating the risks and navigating these challenges without compromising compliance or project integrity. The construction industry has faced persistent workforce challenges for years, but recent trends have intensified the problem. Factors such as an aging workforce, reduced immigration and post-pandemic recovery pressures have left contractors struggling to find skilled labor. According to Associated Builders and Contractors, the construction workforce shortage surpassed half a million workers in 2024; in the same year, Associated General Contractors reported 88% of construction companies had difficulty finding qualified workers. Reprinted courtesy of Meghan Douris, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

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