ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

IRMI Expert Commentary: NY Highest Court Confronts Downstream Risk Transfer for Subcontractor Bodily Injury Claims

March 17, 2026 — Gregory D. Podolak & Alexander G. Hopkins - Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
Originally published on IRMI.com, copyright 2026 International Risk Management Institute, Inc. Subcontractor employee bodily injury claims (so-called action over claims) are a staple of construction risk management in the Empire State—so much so that the phrase “labor law” instinctively invites a shudder among the most experienced general contractors. The savvy among them intensely monitor case law developments and the evolution of the insurance market to ensure a cutting-edge, meticulously developed downstream risk transfer plan. And when guidance arrives from an appellate-level court, it’s a moment to take note. This is one of those moments. In late 2025, New York’s highest court—the NY Court of Appeals—had the rare opportunity to examine an all-too-routine bodily injury fact pattern and took the opportunity to closely examine the scope of contractual indemnity and its interplay with additional insured coverage in Dibrino v. Rockefeller Center N., Inc., 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 07077, 2025 WL 3670593 (Ct. App. Dec. 18, 2025). Reprinted courtesy of Gregory D. Podolak, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. and Alexander G. Hopkins, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. Mr. Podolak may be contacted at GPodolak@sdvlaw.com Mr. Hopkins may be contacted at AHopkins@sdvlaw.com Read the full story...

---

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

---

Segal McCambridge Recognized in 2026 Chambers USA Rankings

June 15, 2026 — Segal McCambridge
Los Angeles, CA, June 8, 2026 - Segal McCambridge is pleased to announce that the firm has been recognized as a leader by Chambers USA in California. The firm is listed in the Chambers-ranked department, receiving a Band 5 ranking for construction in California. The ranking further reinforces the firm's commitment to supporting California's construction market, from owners to developers and contractors, in high-stakes disputes statewide. "Chambers' research-driven process and independence make this acknowledgment especially meaningful. We're proud of this ranking and grateful to our clients and colleagues whose consistent trust and collaboration make our work possible," said Jason P. Eckerly, Managing Shareholder of Segal McCambridge. Chambers and Partners is widely regarded as one of the legal industry's most respected and independent ranking organizations. Operating across 200 jurisdictions and relied on in more than 70 countries, Chambers has, since 1990, conducted rigorous research to identify leading lawyers and law firms through a methodology that combines analysis of firm capability, achievement, and market presence through interviews and assessment of recent matters across more than 1,400 U.S. ranking tables, covering all 50 states, Washington, DC, and nationwide. About Segal McCambridge Segal McCambridge has built a reputation as a national law firm of accomplished trial attorneys for almost four decades. Founded in 1986, the firm has grown from a four-lawyer shop in Chicago to a firm with more than 20 offices nationwide. The firm routinely counsels and defends clients, including Fortune 500 companies, corporations, and individuals, across the United States in complex litigation matters, including, but not limited to: asbestos, class action, construction, employment, environmental, food and beverage, insurance coverage and bad faith, life sciences, product liability, professional liability, technology and cyber risk, transportation, and warranty. For more information, visit: www.segalmccambridge.com.

---

Navigating Wind and Solar Development Opportunities on State and Private Lands During Uncertain Times for Renewable Energy

February 02, 2026 — Cara M. MacDonald, Robert G. Howard & Andrew Jacobs - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
Recent executive actions and federal guidance have targeted wind and solar development, creating substantial uncertainty for the U.S. offshore wind industry and also reshaping the regulatory landscape governing onshore wind and solar development. Wind and solar projects on federal lands are now subject to heightened review processes and enhanced regulatory scrutiny. As a result, many developers are considering opportunities on state-owned and privately held lands rather than federal lands. 2025 Federal Executive Actions Impacting Wind and Solar At the federal level, renewable energy development on public lands is governed primarily by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The agency provides rights of way and leases (in designated leasing areas) for energy project development. Despite significant incentives for renewable energy development under the Biden administration, the Trump administration has deprioritized renewable energy in support of traditional energy sources like oil, gas and coal, as well as nuclear and geothermal energy. Reprinted courtesy of Cara M. MacDonald, Pillsbury, Robert G. Howard, Pillsbury and Andrew Jacobs, Pillsbury Ms. MacDonald may be contacted at cara.macdonald@pillsburylaw.com Mr. Howard may be contacted at robert.howard@pillsburylaw.com Mr. Jacobs may be contacted at andrew.jacobs@pillsburylaw.com Read the full story...

---

Modern Building-Sundt $17M Claim Is Stranded by Hospital Bankruptcy

April 27, 2026 — Richard Korman - Engineering News-Record
A $16.9-million claim for work on a hospital addition by a joint venture of contractors Modern Building Co. and Sundt Construction is stuck and delayed indefinitely following the California hospital's December bankruptcy filing. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Richard Korman, Engineering News-Record
Mr. Korman may be contacted at kormanr@enr.com

---

HHMR Honored as a 2026 Denver Business Journal Best Places to Work Recipient

March 10, 2026 — David McLain - Colorado Construction Litigation Blog
We are pleased to share that Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell has been named a 2026 Denver Business Journal Best Places to Work honoree, a recognition grounded entirely in direct feedback from our own team members. The Denver Business Journal Best Places to Work program, in partnership with Quantum Workplace, ranks organizations based on anonymous employee engagement survey results that measure culture, leadership, communication, trust, team dynamics, and satisfaction. This year’s list includes 65 companies across the Denver metropolitan area, judged by the people who know these workplaces best: their employees. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David McLain, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell
Mr. McLain may be contacted at mclain@hhmrlaw.com

---

Travelers Injury Impact Report Highlights Longer Recovery Times Amid Declining Injury Rates

May 05, 2026 — The Travelers Companies, Inc.
HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) today released its 2026 Injury Impact Report, an analysis of more than 1.2 million workers compensation claims received by the company from 2021 through 2025. The report finds that even as workplace injury rates decline, the injuries that do occur are growing more complex and taking longer to heal – a trend driven by an aging workforce and the disproportionate vulnerability of first-year employees. “The decrease in workplace injuries is a positive story, yet injured workers are still missing an average of 80 workdays,” said Claude Howard, Vice President of Workers Compensation Claim at Travelers. “This report is a reminder that progress doesn’t mean the risk environment requires any less attention, and an employer’s commitment to safety must keep pace with an ever-evolving workforce and injury landscape.” Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of The Travelers Companies, Inc.

---

Contractor Dispute Resolution Framework and Prevention

July 06, 2026 — Construction Executive
WHAT DEFINES A CONTRACTOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION FRAMEWORK A contractor dispute resolution framework is a structured system of contractual terms, governance processes and escalation pathways designed to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts between contracting parties with minimal disruption to cost, schedule and performance. The framework operates as both a preventive control and a corrective mechanism. Preventive elements establish clarity in scope, expectations and accountability before work begins. Corrective elements define how disagreements are identified, documented, escalated and resolved once they arise. Reprinted courtesy of Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

---