Sumas Washington Construction Expert Witness Directory

LA Scores Major Victory in a High-Exposure Premises Liability Action

July 06, 2026 — Dolores Montoya - Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP
Our firm is proud to announce a decisive defense victory obtained by Partner Daniel Crespo and Associate Lauren Landau for our client in a high-exposure premises liability action arising from a 2022 incident at an active school construction site in Perris, California. On March 10, 2026, the Riverside County Superior Court granted Summary Judgment in full for our client, dismissing all claims brought by Plaintiff, who alleged she tripped and fell over a curb while picking up her daughter from school and sustained ankle and wrist injuries as a result. Through meticulous preparation and the strategic use of construction plans, contractual documents, and onsite surveillance video evidence, our team demonstrated that our client had no ownership, possession, or control over the portion of the existing sidewalk where the incident occurred, with construction plans unambiguously designating the area as pre-existing concrete outside our client’s scope of work, and the Construction Services Agreement expressly reserving control over all existing site improvements to the school district. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP

Ball Janik LLP Strengthens Miami Construction Defect Team with Litigator Nicolas Aixala

October 26, 2026 — Ball Janik LLP
MIAMI, FL, October 22, 2026 — Ball Janik LLP has added Nicolas Aixala to its Construction Defect Practice Group as an associate in the firm's Miami office. Aixala brings experience in construction and civil litigation, along with a perspective many litigators don't have: a view from the public side of development, gained researching land use and zoning matters for the City of Miami. "Construction disputes in South Florida rarely stay inside the four walls of a building. Zoning, permitting, and local regulation are often part of the story," said James C. Prichard, Managing Partner of Ball Janik LLP. "Nicolas has seen that landscape from the city's side of the table, and he pairs it with solid litigation training. That combination helps us quickly size up the development and regulatory issues our clients face. We're glad to have him on our Miami team." Before joining Ball Janik, Aixala clerked at Miami-area law firms, supporting attorneys in construction litigation and a range of civil matters through legal research, motion practice, discovery, deposition preparation, and trial preparation. He also interned with the City of Miami, assisting with legal research and opinions on land use and zoning matters, including the City of Miami Zoning Code, known as Miami 21. That work gave him a close look at how local policy shapes development, and how it affects the neighborhoods and property owners who live with the results. "A building is one of the biggest investments a property owner will ever make, and when construction goes wrong, they need advocates who understand both the courtroom and the local landscape," said Aixala. "Ball Janik handles complex construction litigation with a practical, client-focused approach. I'm excited to bring my litigation experience and local knowledge to this team and to the property owners it serves across South Florida." Aixala earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, where he was a member of the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team and the Cuban American Bar Association. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida, with a minor in Legal Studies and a certificate in Entrepreneurship. About Ball Janik LLP Ball Janik LLP is a Florida-based law firm offering construction defect, construction law, insurance recovery, and commercial litigation counsel, to its local and national clients. The firm was founded in 1982 and has expanded its capabilities, professionals, and geographic footprint. What started as a small firm focused on real property, land use, and litigation (known then as Ball Janik & Novack) has grown to a team of 70-plus attorneys and paralegals in five offices in Florida, with centuries of combined experience and capabilities. The firm has been recognized by Chambers USA, including for its construction law capabilities in Florida, U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®, The Best Lawyers in America©, Super Lawyers, and Corporate International. Read more at www.balljanik.com.

White and Williams LLP Ranked in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide

June 15, 2026 — White and Williams LLP
White and Williams LLP is proud to celebrate the Chambers USA 2026 Guide which has ranked several of the Firm's attorneys and practice groups, underscoring the Firm's overall commitment to providing client service excellence. The Chambers USA 2026 Guide recognized attorneys Tim Davis, Managing Partner, and Nancy Frantz, Chair of the Real Estate Group, for Real Estate: Finance in the state of Pennsylvania. Randy Maniloff, Partner, Patricia Santelle, Chair Emeritus/Former Managing Partner, and Robert Walsh, Partner were ranked for Insurance in Pennsylvania, and Thomas Pinney, Partner, was ranked in Pennsylvania for Bankruptcy/Restructuring. In the state of Maryland, Partners David Gilliss and Eric Korphage were recognized for their work in Construction. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of White and Williams LLP

Lewis Brisbois Partner and National Trial Team Member Ian B. Lane Elected President of ABOTA’s Southern New York Chapter

October 20, 2026 — Lewis Brisbois
Lewis Brisbois is pleased to announce that New York Partner Ian B. Lane, a member of the firm’s National Trial Team, has been elected president of the Southern New York Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) for the 2027-2028 term. In this role, Mr. Lane will help lead the organization's efforts to promote excellence in trial advocacy, to foster professionalism within the legal profession, and to advance the chapter's educational, professional, and public service initiatives. Lewis Brisbois has nearly 40 ABOTA members across the country. "I am deeply honored by the confidence my colleagues have placed in me," said Mr. Lane. "ABOTA plays a vital role in preserving the right to trial by jury and promoting the highest standards of professionalism, civility, and advocacy. I look forward to working with our members to advance those goals, support the development of the next generation of trial lawyers, and strengthen the important role of the civil justice system." Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois

Seattle Team Obtains Summary Judgment in Real Estate Broker Professional Liability Action

July 20, 2026 — Lewis Brisbois
Seattle Partner Kathleen A. Nelson and Associate Synova M. L. Edwards prevailed on a hotly contested motion for summary judgment in Whatcom County, Washington court in a real estate broker professional liability action. The plaintiff filed an action against Lewis Brisbois' clients, a real estate agent and brokerage firm, among several others, including the title company, purchasers and others related to the sale of real property following his complicated and long running divorce action. These claims primarily arose out of the clients’ reliance on an order signed by the court in the underlying divorce action. The order allowed the clients to execute the purchase and sale agreement, as the plaintiff was non-cooperative. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois

4th Department Narrowly Interprets Professional Services

August 11, 2026 — Craig Rokuson - Traub Lieberman
In the recent case of Cty. of Erie v. Selective Ins. Co. of Am., 2026 NY Slip Op 04092 (App. Div. 4th Dept.), New York’s Appellate Division, Fourth Department held that a general liability carrier for a construction manager owed additional insured coverage to the County of Erie, notwithstanding an exclusion in the construction manager’s policy for injuries arising out of professional services. The underlying case involved injuries sustained when the underlying plaintiff fell off of her bicycle at a park owned by the County when she transitioned from the pavement edge to grass. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Craig Rokuson, Traub Lieberman
Mr. Rokuson may be contacted at crokuson@tlsslaw.com

2026 Colorado Super Lawyers Recognizes 11 Snell & Wilmer Attorneys

May 05, 2026 — Snell & Wilmer
DENVER – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that eleven attorneys in its Denver office have been selected for inclusion in the 2026 Colorado Super Lawyers publication. Of those eleven, four were recognized as Rising Stars. Super Lawyers is a listing of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. The final published list represents no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Snell & Wilmer

Kahana Feld Obtains Favorable Result in High-Exposure NY Premises Liability Case

June 15, 2026 — Leigh Katz - Kahana Feld
Kahana Feld partner Leigh Katz obtained a significant victory in a recent matter involving a videotaped alleged trip and fall on the sidewalk in front of the client’s commercial residence. The plaintiff claimed he suffered a knee injury that necessitated surgery, along with other assorted injuries that prevented him from continuing high-level athletic activities. Leigh was able to demonstrate that the fall was staged and received a voluntary discontinuance with prejudice. At mediation, Leigh emphasized that KF’s expert witness challenged the plaintiff’s claim that the fall was caused by a sidewalk height differential after reviewing the videotape footage and determining the plaintiff’s fall began before his feet made contact with the alleged defect. Based on this analysis, the expert concluded the reported height differential did not initiate the fall, which supported KF’s position that the incident depicted in the video was unrealistic and appeared staged. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Leigh Katz, Kahana Feld
Ms. Katz may be contacted at lkatz@kahanafeld.com

SUMAS WASHINGTON CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES