ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

David Samani Joins BHBA Podcast on Mediation Best Practices

May 05, 2026 — Lewis Brisbois
Los Angeles Partner David Samani recently joined a Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA) podcast titled, “Mediation 360: Preparation from the Defense, Plaintiff, and Mediator Perspectives,” during which he shared his insights on various aspects of the mediation process. Mr. Samani, along with a plaintiff’s attorney and a mediator, presented their thoughts on topics including how to determine whether a case is appropriate for mediation, preparing to mediate a case, communicating with clients, and handling the mediation itself. Mr. Samani explained that early communication with clients is critical so that attorneys may learn what a client’s objectives are and develop an assessment of the case. He described that “from an early stage,” attorneys should determine the cost of litigation and ensure that the client understands “what an aggressive defense might entail.” As the matter progresses, attorneys and clients should “continue the dialogue” regarding costs as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the case, “making sure the client is apprised of the various alternatives that exist.” In addition, Mr. Samani discussed factors to consider when choosing a mediator, noting, “All mediators have their own styles and backgrounds.” He explained that some cases may call for a mediator with specialized knowledge in a particular area such as bankruptcy or securities, while other mediations may benefit from a mediator who understands the realities of private practice. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois

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Oracle's $16B Michigan Data Center Secures Financing as Power Contracts Face Appeals

June 08, 2026 — Bryan Gottlieb - Engineering News-Record
A $16 billion hyperscale data center under construction outside Ann Arbor, Mich., has secured financing backed by Blackstone and other institutional investors, even as the project's power supply agreements now face a legal challenge before the Michigan Court of Appeals. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Bryan Gottlieb, Engineering News-Record
Mr. Gottlieb may be contacted at gottliebb@enr.com

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Newmeyer Dillion Ranked in Chambers Spotlight California 2026 Guide

May 26, 2026 — Newmeyer Dillion
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – May 14, 2026 - Prominent business and real estate law firm Newmeyer Dillion has been ranked in Chambers Spotlight California 2026 guide and recognized as a leading firm in Litigation: General Commercial for Orange County. Newmeyer Dillion was selected based on an independent and in-depth market analysis, coupled with an assessment of the firm’s experience, expertise and caliber of talent where the firm stood out for its exceptional work and is recognized in Litigation: General Commercial. Managing Partner Paul Tetzloff expressed the firm's gratitude: “It is an honor for our firm to be recognized by Chambers and Partners in their Spotlight California 2026 guide. This acknowledgment reflects our commitment to providing high quality legal services tailored to the unique needs of our clients.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Newmeyer Dillion

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Achieving Sustainability Through Design-Build Delivery: Part I – An Overview

September 21, 2026 — Joshua M. Pruett, Jennifer L. Harris & Tiffany A. Harrod - Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
This article was written for the AGC’s Law in Brief and first appeared here. Sustainability is no longer optional. What was once a matter of public policy or corporate preference has become a regulatory mandate and is reshaping how construction projects are designed, built, and operated. This mandate is not solely figurative. Rather, states have started to follow Europe’s lead by beginning to codify sustainability requirements into regulations and law. California led the charge by adding mandatory embodied-carbon emissions regulations into CALGreen, and other states, such as New York, have introduced bills to implement similar requirements. Owners, designers, and builders must now treat sustainability not as aspirational, but as a clearly defined contract issue from the outset, particularly where the project is expected to achieve a third-party rating, meet energy or resiliency targets, qualify for incentives, or comply with evolving green building codes. In the federal public sector, construction contracts include a layered compliance framework—executive order-inspired policy, FAR-mandated clauses, and enduring statutory requirements—requiring contractors to integrate sustainability into design, material selection, and lifecycle management. Staying ahead means aligning with regulatory standards, conducting life-cycle cost analyses, and embedding sustainability into every procurement and construction decision. Reprinted courtesy of Joshua M. Pruett, Peckar & Abramson, P.C., Jennifer L. Harris, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. and Tiffany A. Harrod, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. Mr. Pruett may be contacted at jpruett@pecklaw.com Ms. Harris may be contacted at jharris@pecklaw.com Ms. Harrod may be contacted at tharrod@pecklaw.com Read the full story...

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Arizona Supreme Court Clarifies Parties’ Post-Default Conduct Cannot Validate Void Default Orders

August 24, 2026 — Joseph Kanefield, Ryan P. Hogan & Lilly M. Geiler - Snell & Wilmer
After filing a lawsuit, the first step is always serving process on the opposing party. While that preliminary step sounds basic enough, in McMahan v. Grasshopper, the Arizona Supreme Court recently provided a helpful refresher on the nuances of the service requirement and its importance in litigation for plaintiffs and defendants alike.1 Background McMahan arose from a hit-and-run where a tractor-trailer collided with safety barricades and injured a construction worker. The construction worker sued the tractor-trailer company, and he attempted to serve the company by leaving a copy of the complaint with the assistant to the company’s statutory agent who forwarded the complaint to the company. The assistant, however, was not authorized to accept service on the company’s behalf. Before the company appeared in the action, the construction worker successfully obtained an entry of default. Reprinted courtesy of Joseph Kanefield, Snell & Wilmer, Ryan P. Hogan, Snell & Wilmer and Lilly M. Geiler, Snell & Wilmer Mr. Kanefield may be contacted at jkanefield@swlaw.com Mr. Hogan may be contacted at rhogan@swlaw.com Ms. Geiler may be contacted at lgeiler@swlaw.com Read the full story...

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Communication Gaps Can Cost Construction Firms in the Data Center Boom

June 02, 2026 — Mike Lewis - Construction Executive
The data center construction boom is transforming the construction industry at a historic pace. Fueled by cloud computing, artificial intelligence and relentless demand for digital infrastructure, data centers have become one of the fastest-growing project types in the built environment. Billions of dollars are flowing into new facilities and expansions, creating unprecedented opportunities for construction firms positioned to deliver reliably. But opportunity alone does not guarantee success. As competition intensifies, communication failures and poor information management are emerging as some of the most common (and costly) reasons firms lose margins, miss deadlines or fail to secure repeat work. In data center construction, where schedules are compressed and tolerance for error is minimal, even small breakdowns in communication can have outsized consequences. Reprinted courtesy of Mike Lewis, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

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Surety Requiring Collateral Security Under General Agreement of Indemnity

September 08, 2026 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
In order to procure bonds (payment and performance bonds), you need to sign a General Agreement of Indemnity (referred to as the “GAI”) with the surety (bonding company). It does not matter the surety issuing the bonds, the terms and conditions in the General Agreement of Indemnity are largely consistent. These terms and conditions are one-sided written in favor of the surety. This is because bonds are not insurance. When a surety issues such bonds, it is doing so under the premise that it will get reimbursed every penny that it incurs relative to its exposure- whether incurred in attorney’s fees, consulting costs, or remediating a default or claim under the applicable bond. The General Agreement of Indemnity is one of the most powerful contracts in construction and is a contract that is not to be taken lightly. It provides the surety numerous rights in the event of a claim. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

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Chambers USA Recognizes GRSM as 2026 Industry Leader

June 29, 2026 —
2026 Construction Law Update

Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (11/5/25) – Apartment Conversion Projects Surge, Targeted AI in Real Estate Increases and Hotel Lobby Urge End of Government Shutdown

OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS Unveiled

MTA Implements Revised Contractors Debarment Regulations

Three Key Takeaways from Recent Hotel Website ADA Litigation

Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC recognized by Construction Executive in The Top 50 Construction Law Firms™ of 2025

U.S. Construction Value Flat at End of Summer

Nevada Court Adopts Efficient Proximate Cause Doctrine

Building Permits Hit Five-Year High
Contractual Waiver of Consequential Damages

Seyfarth’s Brenda Radmacher Presents at Construction Defect and Insurance Conference

Fourth Circuit Issues New Ruling on Point Sources Under the CWA

Client Alert: Expert Testimony in Indemnity Action Not Limited to Opinions Presented in Underlying Matter

Fifth Circuit Confirms: Insurer Must Defend Despite Your Work/Your Product Exclusion

Boston Contractor Faces More OSHA Penalties

Job Gains a Positive for Housing

Co-Founding Partner Jason Feld Named Finalist for CLM’s Outside Defense Counsel Professional of the Year

Revisiting Statutory Offers to Compromise

Jet Crash Blamed on Runway Construction Defect

Daily Journal Publishes Article by Brenda Radmacher on Proposed Overhaul of California Construction Defect Law

Appeals Court Overruled Insured as Additional Insured on Subcontractor’s Commercial General Liability Policy

Subsequent Owners of Homes Again Have Right to Sue Builders for Construction Defects

Construction Defect Risks Shifted to Insurers in 2013

Boston’s Tunnel Project Plagued by Water

That’s not the way we’ve always done it! (Why you should update your office practices)

Be Careful How You Terminate: Terminating for Convenience May Limit Your Future Rights

The Ghosts of Projects Past

New York Moves to Tighten Third-Party Practice: Key Changes to CPLR 1007

Get Construction Defects in Writing

Liability Policy’s Arbitration Endorsement Applies to Third Party Beneficiaries, Including Additional Insureds

Modular Construction’s Hidden Risk: Where Things Go Wrong Between the Factory and the Field

Is the Manhattan Bank of America Tower a Green Success or Failure?

Patagonia Will Start Paying for Homeowners' Solar Panels

No Coverage for Homeowner Named as Borrower in Policy but Not as Insured

Superior Court Of Pennsylvania Holds That CASPA Does Not Allow For Individual Claims Against A Property Owner’s Principals Or Shareholders

Be a Good Neighbor: Techniques to Mitigate the Risk of Claims from Adjacent Landowners

Google, Environmentalists and University Push Methane-Leak Detection

Judicial Panel Denies Nationwide Consolidation of COVID-19 Business Interruption Cases

Newmeyer Dillion Attorneys Named to 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

4 Steps to Take When a Worker Is Injured on Your Construction Site

New Zealand Using Plywood Banned Elsewhere

“Five for Five”: Newark Trial Team Achieves Another Favorable Result in Fifth 2025 Case to Proceed to Jury Selection

Municipalities Owe a Duty to Pedestrians Regardless of Whether a Sidewalk Presents an “Open and Obvious” Hazardous Condition. (WA)

Newmeyer & Dillion Selected to 2017 OCBJ’s Best Places to Work List

Union THUGS Plead Guilty

Protect Your Projects By Identifying and Controlling Hidden Contract Risks

Bond Principal Necessary on a Mechanic’s Lien Claim

General Partner Is Not Additional Insured For Construction Defect Claim

Loan Snarl Punishes Spain Builder Backed by Soros, Gates

Is Your Construction Business Feeling the Effects of the Final DBA Rule?

Suffolk and MassDOT Texts Played Role in State Contract Rebid Controversy

Kiewit-Turner Stops Work on VA Project—Now What?

Chattanooga Bridge Collapse Likely Resulted From Impact

Insureds Survive Motion to Dismiss Civil Authority Claim

Indemnity Provision Prevails Over "Other Insurance" Clause

President Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” Executive Order and the Construction Industry

Don’t Breach Your Contract, but If You Do, Don’t Breach First

Effective Allocation of Damages for Federal Contract Claims

ASCE Statement on Congress Passage of National Debt Limit Suspension