Anaheim California Construction Expert Witness Directory

$356 Million Judgement Against Developer for Defective Construction of DC Condominium

August 16, 2026 — Nicholas D. Cowie - Cowie Law Group
On July 31, 2026, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia entered a $356,085,513.00 judgment against developers JBG Smith for defective construction and renovation of the Wardman Tower Residential Condominium in Washington, D.C. The case is Wardman Tower Residential Condominium Unit Owners Association v. JBG Smith Properties, et al., No. 2020 CA 004807 B (D.C. Super. Ct.). In a 148-page Trial Order, the D.C. Superior Court awarded $118,695,171.00 in damages in favor of the condominium association and against the condominium developers, including JBG Smith. The Court trebled those damages pursuant to the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“CPPA”) to reach an ultimate judgment of $356,085,513.00. See Cowie Law Group: DC Condominium Construction Defects: Recovering Attorney’s Fees, Litigation Expenses & Treble Damages Under the Consumer Protection Procedures Act. Cowie Law Group, P.C. filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Association in 2020. The firm represented the Association throughout years of pretrial discovery and ultimately served as trial counsel with Williams & Connolly LLP during a lengthy bench trial before the Honorable Yvonne Williams. The Cowie Law Group team included attorneys, George A. Bealefeld, III, Albert G. McCarraher, Stanford L. Kimmel, III and Nicholas D. Cowie. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Nicholas D. Cowie, Cowie Law Group
Mr. Cowie may be contacted at ndc@cowielawgroup.com

The Most Expensive Signature to Not Get: Why Change Orders Matter

August 16, 2026 — Kathryne E. Baldwin - Wilke Fleury
George Bernard Shaw has a quote we use a lot in my family: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” This is pertinent to contractors and homeowners alike because the cost of failing to get proper signatures on documents like construction contracts, and particularly, change orders, is heavy. Both contractors and homeowners are in the same boat as far as wanting to complete a job as swiftly as possible: contractors go on to their next job and homeowners can return to peace in their home. This is prime territory for either party to suggest the work be completed today and the contract or change order executed tomorrow, or even later. However, without a contract, there is no memorialization of the communication between the parties, which can lead to confusion and missed expectations on both sides. Construction plans are rarely as neat and tidy as they originally seem to be. A contractor may uncover unforeseen conditions, an owner may request additional work or changes that require additional work, or weather interferes with project schedules or the work itself. Unfortunately, the signature that never gets collected can become one of the most expensive omissions on a project – for both sides. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Kathryne E. Baldwin, Wilke Fleury
Ms. Baldwin may be contacted at kbaldwin@wilkefleury.com

Steel Cooling: Steel Costs Steadily Decline After Pandemic Price Shock

May 12, 2026 — Construction Executive
Steel prices have continued trending downward after several years of volatility, according to Gordian’s latest analysis based on RSMeans Data. After dramatic spikes during the pandemic-era supply disruptions, the market has gradually stabilized as supply chains improve and demand softens in some construction segments. However, selective volatility and tariff uncertainty continue to influence pricing across the sector. Key findings from the report include:

Steel prices declining: The national average price of structural steel fell to about $2,343.93 per ton in January 2026, down 5.38% from the previous quarter and 7.18% year over year.
Longer-term price correction: Steel costs have been trending downward since 2024 after earlier volatility driven by inflation, supply shortages and global demand swings.

Defend Now, Allocate Later? An Unresolved Tension in Colorado Construction Law

August 16, 2026 — David McLain - Colorado Construction Litigation Blog
For decades, Colorado law has recognized an important distinction between the duty to defend and the duty to indemnify. The former ordinarily arises at the beginning of litigation; the latter generally cannot be determined until the underlying liability is known. That distinction makes intuitive sense. A defense that becomes due only after litigation concludes is not much of a defense. But Colorado’s construction anti-indemnity statute, C.R.S. § 13-21-111.5(6), raises an interesting question about how that familiar rule operates in construction disputes. The statute expressly regulates contractual obligations not only to indemnify, but also to insure and defend, and it reflects a legislative policy that construction businesses should bear financial responsibility for their own negligence. Those principles have developed along separate tracks. At some point, a Colorado appellate court may have to decide precisely how they fit together. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David McLain, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLC
Mr. McLain may be contacted at mclain@hhmrlaw.com

Amazon’s Latest Response to AI Data Center Backlash: $1 Billion

October 20, 2026 — Matt Day – Bloomberg
Amazon.com Inc.’s latest attempt to address the intensifying blowback to an unprecedented buildout of computing infrastructure: a commitment to spend more than $1 billion over the next five years on initiatives for the communities near its server farms. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Matt Day, Bloomberg

Could Your Project-Level AI Prompt Become the Other Side’s Smoking Gun?

October 20, 2026 — Ryan Glass - ConsensusDocs
A dispute is brewing on the project. Wanting a quick assessment, the project manager opens ChatGPT, Claude, or another generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) platform. The project manager types the dispute background into the prompt, including concerns, explanations, and a frank discussion of what may have gone wrong on the contractor-side. The AI response identifies potential weaknesses in the contractor’s position, including possible failures to meet contractual obligations. Unhappy with the answer, the project manager starts a new chat, revises the prompt, and tries again. If the dispute escalates to arbitration or litigation, can the owner force the contractor to provide these prompts and the resulting responses? Frustratingly, the answer is: it depends. Courts have reached different conclusions. For now, the safest course is to involve your counsel before using AI to evaluate a demand letter, default notice, or threatened lawsuit, or before using AI to draft dispute-related emails, claim letters, or other communications that contain project-specific facts. Otherwise, what feels like a private conversation may later become key evidence for the opposing party. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Ryan Glass, Jones Walker LLC
Mr. Glass may be contacted at rglass@joneswalker.com

We’re Burning Tokens to Clean Up Bad PDFs

August 24, 2026 — Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
Last Thursday, researchers from Tampere and Aalto universities reported on preliminary results of two AI- and digitalization-related projects. One project demonstrated how AI can automate the Bill of Materials process; the other tried to quantify the impact of data-driven construction and AI. The conclusion was that AI-powered automation can dramatically increase productivity, but unevenly. However, the substantial benefits may come from better outcomes rather than project efficiency. Various standards, company-specific practices, project-specific schemas, and traditions are designed for humans to comprehend. 2D drawings and text documents as PDF files, Excel sheets, and design and planning software have the information, but not the data in ideal form for automation. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Aarni Heiskanen, AEC Business
Mr. Heiskanen may be contacted at aec-business@aepartners.fi

Colorado’s New Mechanics’ Lien Protections: What S.B. 26-074 Means for Your Next Project

October 27, 2026 — Maria Conversa - Snell & Wilmer
Starting August 12, 2026, Colorado’s mechanics’ lien statute underwent its most significant update in years. Colorado’s General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 26-074 on April 6, 2026, and the new law directly addressed a problem that has plagued contractors and subcontractors for decades. For years, a contractor and subcontractor who filed a lien for the full amount it believed was due — particularly when that amount included disputed costs, delay damages, or lost productivity — risked triggering the “excessive lien” penalty. That penalty could force the claimant to forfeit its lien rights entirely and pay the other side’s attorney fees. The new law expands the categories of costs to be claimed by good-faith lien claimants, while still protecting against truly abusive filings. General contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, owners, and lenders all need to understand these changes. What the Bill Changed 1. Lien Value May Include Disputed Amounts The bill amends the core lien statute to insert the phrase “whether
Housing Affordability Down

Construction Litigation Roundup: “Sudden Death”

The Hidden Price of Outdated Damage Prevention Laws: Part I

Hawaii Federal District Court Compels Appraisal

Benefits and Pitfalls of Partnerships Between Companies

Buyer Beware: Insurance Agents May Have No Duty to Sell Construction Contractors an Insurance Policy Covering Likely Claims Finding Insurer's Declaratory Relief Action Raises Unsettled Questions of State Law, Case is Dismissed

Delays in Filing Lead to Dismissal in Moisture Intrusion Lawsuit

Construction Job Opening Rise in October

Kiewit Seeks Millions in Added Connecticut Pier Renovation Costs

Malerie Anderson Named to D Magazine’s 2023 Best Lawyers Under 40

Federal Lawsuit Accuses MOX Contractors of Fraud

Partners Leigh Katz and Darnisha Lewis-Bonilla Join Kahana Feld’s General Liability Practice Group in New York

New York Federal Court Enforces Construction Exclusion, Rejects Reimbursement Claim

ESFI Spreads Awareness of Overhead Power Line Safety With "Always Look Up" Campaign

Alabama Court Determines No Coverage For Insured's Faulty Workmanship

Identifying Unfair Clauses in Construction Contracts

Colorado General Assembly Sets Forth Prerequisites for an Insurance Company to Use Failure to Cooperate as a Defense to a Claim for First Party Insurance Benefits

Newmeyer & Dillion Attorney Casey Quinn Selected to the 2017 Mountain States Super Lawyers Rising Stars List

No Additional Insured Coverage for Subcontractor's Work Outside Policy Period

Last Call: Tokyo Iconic Okura Hotel Meets the Wrecking Ball

The 2017 ASCDC and CDCMA Construction Defect Seminar and Holiday Reception

Arizona Court of Appeals Awards Attorneys’ Fees in Quiet-Title Action

Nicholas A. Thede Joins Ball Janik LLP

Long-Planned Miami Mega Mixed-Use Development Nears Initial Debut

Ohio Court Finds No Coverage for Construction Defect Claims

Wake County Justice Center- a LEED Silver Project done right!

Contractors Should be Aware of Homeowner Duties When Invited to Perform Residential Work

Construction Defects in Roof May Close School

BWB&O’s Colorado Lawyers Successfully Defend Damages of more than $150 Million in Historic Construction Lawsuit!

Toll Brothers Honored at the Shore Builders Association of Central New Jersey Awards

What is a Subordination Agreement?

What Prevents Innovation in Construction from Taking Off

Deterioration Known To Insured Forecloses Collapse Coverage

Insurance Agent Sued for Lapse in Coverage after House Collapses

A Place to Study Eternity: Building the Giant Magellan Telescope

Pollution Exclusion Found Ambiguous

Million-Dollar Home Sales Thrive While Low End Stumbles

10 Year Anniversary – Congratulations Greg Podolak

Massachusetts Appellate Court Confirms Construction Defects are Not Covered Under Commercial General Liability Policies

The Fair Share Act Impacts the Strategic Planning of a Jury Trial

No Coverage for Additional Insured

New Orleans Reviews System After Storm Swamps Pumps

World's Longest Suspension Bridge Takes Shape in Turkey

Feds to Repair Damage From Halted Border Wall Work in Texas, California

Working Safely With Silica: Health Hazards and OSHA Compliance

Winning Construction Disputes: Strategic Negotiation for Better Outcomes

Court Invalidates Project Labor Agreement Mandate on Federal Construction Projects

Candis Jones Named to Atlanta Magazine’s 2022 “Atlanta 500” List

Inside the Old Psych Hospital Reborn As a Home for Money Managers

Potential Construction Liabilities Contractors Need to Know

The Requirement to State a “Sum Certain” No Longer a Jurisdictional Bar to Government Contract Claims

BHA has a Nice Swing: Don’t Forget to Visit BHA’s Booth at WCC to Support Charity

New Report: Civil Engineering Salaries and Job Satisfaction Are Strong and Climbing at a Faster Rate Than Past Reports

Judge Sentences Roofing Contractor Owner in Florida PPP Fraud Case

Study Finds Construction Cranes Vulnerable to Hacking

ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES