ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

New Law Prompts ABC Minnesota/North Dakota to Design New Telecommunications Safety Training Program

June 29, 2026 — Grace Calengor - Construction Executive
On the first day of the year, a Minnesota law requiring installers of underground telecommunication infrastructure broadband, fiber or phone lines (when projects utilize directional drilling, and/or work is being conducted within 10 feet of existing utilities) to undergo a 40-hour certification went into effect. Originally passed in mid-2024 and proposed to go into effect in July 2025, the law’s requirements were postponed until January 2026, giving ABC Minnesota/North Dakota—in partnership with NCCER and the Minnesota Cable Communications Association—time to roll out their Safety Qualified Underground Telecommunications Installer training program, which would ensure the workforce of their contractor members were certified. Reprinted courtesy of Grace Calengor, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

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A Green Light for Housing? What Executive Order 14394 Means for Your Next Project

May 26, 2026 — Bennett Houck, Miranda Martinez & Byron Sarhangian - Snell & Wilmer
On March 13, 2026, President Trump signed Executive Order 14394, “Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction” (the “Order”). The Order directs federal agencies to reduce regulatory burdens on residential development, streamline environmental permitting, and encourage state and local governments to adopt housing-friendly policies. The Order includes several key provisions that developers and homebuilders should be aware of moving forward. Key Provisions The Order targets four main areas: 1. Federal Environmental Regulations First, it directs the Secretary of the Army and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise permitting standards, including stormwater permits, wetlands permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and related construction-site requirements. The Order also targets energy-efficiency mandates for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) financed housing. For developers and homebuilders, these revisions could reduce project delays and compliance costs associated with stormwater management, wetlands mitigation, and energy-efficiency upgrades, expenses that often add significant time and cost to residential development projects. Reprinted courtesy of Bennett Houck, Snell & Wilmer, Miranda Martinez, Snell & Wilmer and Byron Sarhangian, Snell & Wilmer Mr. Houck may be contacted at bhouck@swlaw.com Ms. Martinez may be contacted at mimartinez@swlaw.com Mr. Sarhangian may be contacted at bsarhangian@swlaw.com Read the full story...

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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

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At the Intersection of Indemnity and Prevailing Wages

March 17, 2026 — Garret Murai - California Construction Law Blog
In a case that I’m frankly surprised I don’t see more of, the 2nd District Court of Appeal of California examined an indemnity claim by a subcontractor against a general contractor and public entity who mistakenly believed that a construction project did not require the payment of prevailing wages. The Nabors Case In Nabors Corporate Services, Inc. v. City of Long Beach, 108 Cal.App 540 (2025), subcontractor Nabors Corporate Services, Inc. sued general contractor Tidelands Oil Production Company and the City of Long Beach after it was found liable in a class action lawsuit for failing to pay prevailing wages to its employees. Nabors’ contract with Tidelands did not require the payment of prevailing wages and neither Tidelands nor the City believed that the project, which involved “oil well plug and abandonment” work, required the payment of prevailing wages. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Garret Murai, Nomos LLP
Mr. Murai may be contacted at gmurai@nomosllp.com

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That’s a Wrap! Pennsylvania Court Holds Arbitration Clause in Online Agreement Unenforceable

May 14, 2026 — Gus Sara - The Subrogation Strategist
In Duffy v. Tatum, 2026 Pa. Super. LEXIS 112, 2026 PA Super 41, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania (Superior Court) considered whether an arbitration provision contained in the online Terms of Service on the defendant’s website were enforceable. The plaintiff, Daniel Duffy (Duffy), visited the website of defendant, Dolly, Inc. (Dolly), to purchase moving services. Duffy selected the number of movers, items to be moved and the type of vehicle needed. To complete the booking, the website required Duffy to checkmark a box labeled “By checking this box I accept the Dolly Terms of Service.” Duffy did not have to open the link or scroll to the bottom of the agreement before being able to click on the checkmark box. The Terms of Service included an arbitration provision requiring that any dispute related to the moving services to be resolved by arbitration in accordance with the American Arbitration Association. The Terms of Service did not include any statement that the user was waiving the right to a jury trial. The Superior Court found the internet Terms of Service unenforceable. During the moving process, an accident occurred and injured Duffy. In May 2024, Duffy and his wife sued Dolly and other related entities alleging negligence and loss of consortium. Dolly filed preliminary objections alleging that the parties agreed to alternative dispute resolution. The lower court overruled the preliminary objections, finding that Dolly’s website did not provide reasonably obvious notice of its Terms of Service to Duffy and, as such, Duffy never agreed to waive his constructional right to a jury trial. Dolly filed an appeal to the Superior Court. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Gus Sara, White and Williams LLP
Mr. Sara may be contacted at sarag@whiteandwilliams.com

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2026 Top Business Risks for Construction and Engineering Companies

May 26, 2026 — Darren Tasker - Construction Executive
The 2026 Allianz Risk Barometer revealed some surprising findings for construction and engineering businesses. Now in its fifteenth year, this annual business risk ranking by corporate insurer Allianz Commercial incorporates the views of 3,338 global risk management professionals on the main perils on their radar for the year. Survey respondents included construction and engineering risk experts who identified the threats keeping them up at night. Here is how they ranked the top industry risks for 2026: Natural Catastrophes Natural catastrophe risk retains the top spot, with 38% of construction and engineering respondents citing this risk as their leading concern for 2026. From the insurance perspective, economic and insured losses remained high, albeit lower than the 10-year average. The evolving nature of natural catastrophes continues to pose significant challenges to businesses and the (re)insurance industry. Insured losses from natural catastrophes are set to reach $107 billion for 2025, according to Swiss Re—the sixth year in a row they have exceeded $100 billion, while economic losses are well in excess of $200 billion. Reprinted courtesy of Darren Tasker, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

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Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice Earns Prestigious Band One Ranking in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide

June 22, 2026 — White and Williams LLP
White and Williams LLP's Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice Group is pleased to share that it has received a Band One ranking in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide for Insurance, Pennsylvania. Additionally, Patricia B. Santelle, Chair Emeritus, Randy Maniloff, Partner, and Robert Walsh, Partner have all been individually ranked on the Chambers USA 2026 Guide in Insurance in Pennsylvania. The Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice's consistent focus on their clients and handling of complex claims were just two of the attributes contributing to their elite Band One ranking, after 11 years on the Chambers USA list. When asked about their experience working with White and Williams’ Pennsylvania Insurance Practice, one client stated, “What distinguishes White and Williams is the high level of service and accountability. The team is responsive, organized and reliable, which allows our internal teams to move quickly and make informed decisions with confidence.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of White and Williams LLP

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California Enacts Change Order Fair Payment Act

March 24, 2026 — Michael J. Baker - Snell & Wilmer
For private works construction contracts entered on or after January 1, 2
An Occurrence Under Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy Is Based on the Language in the Policy

How Drones are Speeding Up Construction

Condo Board Goes after Insurer for Construction Defect Settlement

Damage Control: Major Rebuilds After Major Weather Events

Court Adopts Magistrate's Recommendation to Deny Insurer's Summary Judgment Motion in Collapse Case

Ninth Circuit Finds No Coverage for Construction Defects Under California Law

Insured’s Breach of Contract Claim Survives Motion to Dismiss, but Bad Faith Claim Does Not

The Power of Planning: Four Key Themes for
Court of Appeals Upholds Default Judgment: Serves as Reminder to Respond to Lawsuits in a Timely Manner

Nevada Governor Signs Construction Defect Reform Bill

With Historic Removal of Four Dams, Klamath River Flows Again Unhindered

Seventh Circuit Remands “Waters of the United States” Case to Corps of Engineers to Determine Whether there is a “Significant Nexus”

Greg Dillion & Newmeyer Dillion Named 2019 Good Scout Award Recipient

Search in Florida Collapse to Take Weeks; Deaths Reach 90

Ball Janik LLP Welcomes Construction Defect Associate Miguel Bonnelly as Orlando Office Continues to Grow

Texas School System Goes to Court over Construction Defect

Arbitration in Construction Disputes: Process and Best Practices

Louisiana Couple Sues over Defects in Foreclosed Home

How the Cumulative Impact Theory has been Defined

Scott Saylin Expands Employment Litigation and Insurance Litigation Team at Payne & Fears

Construction May Begin with Documents, but It Shouldn’t End That Way

Texas exclusions j(5) and j(6).

Colorado Nearly Triples Damages Caps for Cases Filed in 2025, Allows Siblings to File Wrongful Death Claims

WARN Act Exceptions in Response to COVID-19

Significant Ruling in PFAS Litigation Could Impact Insurance Coverage

Traub Lieberman Recognized in the 2026 Edition of Chambers USA

Effects of Amendment to Florida's Statute of Repose on the Products Completed Operations Hazard

Vacation Rentals: Liability of the Owner for Injury Suffered by the Renter

Virginia General Assembly Helps Construction Contractors

West Virginia Wild: Crews Carve Out Corridor H Through the Appalachian Mountains

South Carolina Legislature Defines "Occurrence" To Include Property Damage Arising From Faulty Workmanship

Newport Beach Attorneys John Toohey and Nick Rodriguez Receive Full Defense Verdict

Can a Non-Signatory Invoke an Arbitration Provision?

Connecticut Court Clarifies a Limit on Payment Bond Claims for Public Projects

Construction Up in Northern Ohio

NTSB Outlines Pittsburgh Bridge Structure Specifics, Finding Collapse Cause Will Take Months

School District Client Advisory: Civility is not an Option, It is a Duty

Consider the Risks Associated with an Exculpatory Clause

The Potential (Second) Death of Project Labor Agreements

Defining a Property Management Agreement

Nevada Legislature Burns Insurers' Rights to Offer Eroding Limits

Construction Defect Fund Approved for Bankrupt Las Vegas Builder

IoT: Take Guessing Out of the Concrete Drying Process

You Are Your Brother’s Keeper. Direct Contractors in California Now Responsible for Wage Obligations of Subcontractors

Policing Those Subcontractors: It Might Take Extra Effort To Be An Additional Insured

Chambers USA 2025 Recognizes Four Partners and Three Practices at Lewis Brisbois

U.S. Supreme Court Oral Arguments: Maritime Charters and the Specter of a New Permitting Regime

Gut Feeling Does Not Disqualify Expert Opinion

We've Surveyed Video Conferencing Models to See Who Fits the CCPA Bill: Here's What We Found

Housing Isn’t Expensive for Everyone

Florida Accuses Pool Contractor of Violating Laws

Blackstone to Buy Cosmopolitan Resort for $1.73 Billion

Insurer’s Duty to Indemnify Not Ripe Until Underlying Lawsuit Against Insured Resolved

TOP TAKE-AWAY SERIES: The 2023 Annual Meeting in Vancouver

Subcontractor Default Insurance (“SDI”): What Is It?

Gene Witkin Celebrates First Anniversary as Member of Ross Hart’s Mediation Team

AB5 Construction Exemption – A Checklist to Avoid Application of AB5’s Three-Part Test

Construction Worker Falls to His Death at Kyle Field