ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Risk Reset: Concerns Top of Mind for Top Construction Law Firms

September 28, 2026 — David McMillin - Construction Executive
In the summer of 2025, contractors were consumed by one major issue: tariffs. Owners, builders and suppliers were trying to understand how shifting trade policy would affect bid pricing and ongoing projects. While those concerns have eased after a Supreme Court ruling, some of the industry’s top legal experts—all of whom practice at some of CE’s Top 50 Construction Law Firms—point to a different set of worries that are keeping their clients up at night and keeping their offices busy. Inflation is not fading away, creating continued price challenges. Artificial intelligence is moving at a breakneck pace, offering potential time-saving benefits paired with major liability concerns. The federal government continues to make surprising policy changes, and contractors remain focused on managing financial risk across increasingly complex projects. Reprinted courtesy of David McMillin, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

---

Four Families Now Live in the Season Six Rock the Block Homes in Grantsville, Utah

April 20, 2026 — Hamlet Homes
SALT LAKE CITY, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The premier of Rock the Block season seven aired last Monday and is set in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rock The Block is HGTV's highest rated show. Last year, season six was set in Utah and had HGTV's highest rating yet, with over 14 million viewers. All episodes of season six were filmed in the Worthington Ranch community in Grantsville, Utah. The four homes on the show were built by Utah builder Hamlet Homes. During the show, the location of the four Rock The Block homes had to be kept secret and were surrounded by a locked gate. After over a year of being inaccessible, the Utah public was invited in May 2025 to tour the homes and help raise money together for charity. On May 30-31, 2025, Hamlet hosted a 'Rock The Block Party' where the public was able to walk through the homes made famous by the show. Hamlet Owner, VP of Marketing & Design Tami Ostmark shares stories from the show and her perspective of what it's like to be the builder on a national show like this. Ostmark was on set almost the entire time. "As expected, there were times when there was tension on the set. All four designers were super competitive with each other. It's amazing that the production team was able to produce the show as well as they did. I'm very impressed," said Ostmark. Another interesting point related to the show is how much work the local builder is responsible for. Some nights as many as 30 Hamlet team members worked through the night to keep up with the pace of production. "Each designer provided their own trusted carpenters to do finishing work. In two of the cases, designers' flew their favorite carpenters in to carry out their visions. Given the quick turnaround, it's not always practical for finishing work to be permanent. Sometimes, it just needs to look appealing on camera," said Ostmark. This is frequently referred to as 'TV Magic'. "When the show was over, Hamlet re-did any areas that required extra attention". The show really does shoot in only 7 weeks as depicted. This creates a fast pace that was very exciting to be a part of", continued Ostmark. All four of the homes featured on the show have since been purchased; four Utah families currently call them home. ABOUT HAMLET HOMES Hamlet Homes (www.hamlethomes.com) crafts quality customer-oriented townhomes and single-family homes located in attractively designed communities in Utah and Idaho. Since the company's founding in 1995, Hamlet has built over 5,000 homes in 80 communities. The company is a proud recipient of many awards on Sustainable Business & Design, Quality Builder Awards; recognized both locally and nationally. Named by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce as the 'Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year, in 2019'. Hamlet has since been named several times to the Professional Builder's Housing Giants List and annual HOME AWARDS Best Customer Experience. Most recently in 2026, Hamlet was named Utah's 'Best of State for Real Estate Development and Utah Businesses 'Best Companies to Work For' for the 6th consecutive year.

---

Federal Bid Protest Standard of Review and Disparate Treatment with Ratings

August 16, 2026 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
A recent decision out of the Federal Claims Court explains the post-award bid protest standard of review. In Massman Construction Co. v. U.S., 2026 WL 1971985 (Fed.Cl. 2026), a protestor brought a post-award bid protest after the Army Corps of Engineers awarded the contract to another contractor. The protestor argued that the Army Corps (government) acted irrational in its evaluation through disparate treatment. The Court of Federal Claims agreed and remanded for the Army Corps to “either justify this disparity or explain why [awardee’s] lower-priced, but technically inferior proposal provides the best value to the government.” Massman Construction, supra at *1. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

---

The Grenfell & Champlain Towers: Risk Management Considerations in the Wake of Catastrophic Loss — A UK/US Comparison

June 02, 2026 — Eric M. Clarkson - Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
1. Introduction As part of the multinational collaborative relationship between Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. and Fenchurch Law, we continually find ourselves in conversations about the sometimes subtle but sometimes drastic differences between risk management and coverage considerations from one country to the next. These differences are often highlighted by the fallout from large catastrophic losses that are widely publicized and illuminate sometimes widespread risks and perils that many others may be facing in the coming years. The response of governments and their subdivisions to the needs of victims and/or commercial parties, and insurance markets’ evaluation of and reactions to catastrophic losses vary widely from country to country and jurisdiction. In this article, we discuss these responses and reactions in the cases of the Grenfell Tower Fire in London, England, and the Champlain Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, within the United States. These two widely publicized losses involved different risk management and insurance considerations based on where they occurred. They also saw substantially different government responses and raised varied questions about what the next steps are for their respective commercial and insurance markets. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Eric M. Clarkson, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
Mr. Clarkson may be contacted at EClarkson@sdvlaw.com

---

Construction Liens and the “Substantial Performance” Doctrine

April 08, 2026 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
In a recent case dealing with a construction lien, the driving issue was whether the air conditioning contractor “substantially performed” before recording its construction lien against residential property. The importance here pertains to the substantial performance doctrine with respect to construction liens. The Third District Court of Appeal explained, with relevant citations, this doctrine as follows: Under Florida law, a contractor is entitled to a mechanic’s lien if he complies with all provisions of Chapter 713, governing construction liens, and “has substantially performed the contract.” Grant v. Wester, 679 So. 2d 1301, 1307 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996) (quotation omitted); Langley v. Knowles, 958 So. 2d 1149, 1151 (Fla. 5th DCA 2007) (“The substantial performance doctrine recognizes that a contactor who complies with all of the provisions of the contactor’s lien statute is entitled to enforce a lien if he has substantially, but not completely, performed his contractual obligations.”). Substantial performance is performance “so nearly equivalent to what was bargained for that it would be unreasonable to deny the promisee the full contract price subject to the promisor’s right to recover whatever damages may have been occasioned him by the promisee’s failure to render full performance.” Ocean Ridge Dev. Corp. v. Quality Plastering, Inc., 247 So. 2d 72, 75 (Fla. 4th DCA 1971). Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

---

It’s More Than a Feeling: Proving Construction Damages and When You Should Hire an E
Cyber Security Insurance and Design Professionals

Jobsite Safety Should Be Every Contractors' Priority

Travelers v. Larimer County and the Concept of Covered Cause of Loss

Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Rise to One-Year High

Expanded Virginia Court of Appeals Leads to Policyholder Relief

Standard Lifetime Shingle Warranties Aren’t Forever

Congratulations to Partners Alison Hurley and Nicholas Rodriguez for Prevailing on Their Motion for Summary Judgment!

Lack of Credibility Can Destroy a Claim

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

Gibbs Giden is Pleased to Announce Four New Partners and Two New Associates

Connecticut Supreme Court Finds Faulty Work By Subcontractor Constitutes "Occurrence"

Understand and Define Key Substantive Contract Provisions

Housing Isn’t Expensive for Everyone

Be Careful with Mechanic’s Lien Waivers

Recent Developments with California’s Right to Repair Act

Contractor Removed from Site for Lack of Insurance

Home Builder Doesn’t See Long Impact from Hurricane

Alabama Appeals Court Rules Unexpected and Unintended Property Damage is an Occurrence

Nevada Assembly Sends Construction Defect Bill to Senate

Anti-Concurrent Causation Clause Bars Coverage for Pool Damage

Ready, Fire, Aim: The Importance of Targeting Your Delay Notices

ALERT: COVID-19 / Coronavirus-Related Ransomware and Phishing Attacks

Insurer Must Produce Documents After Failing To Show They Are Confidential

Maximizing Contractual Indemnity Rights: Components of an Effective Provision

Allegations That COVID-19 Was Physically Present and Altered Property are Sufficient to Sustain COVID-19 Business Interruption Suit

Contractor Suffolk's Hospital Project Is on Critical List After Steward Health Care Bankruptcy

SCOTUS to Weigh Landowners' Damage Claim Against Texas DOT

Safer Schools Rendered Unsafe Due to Construction Defects

When OSHA Cites You

The California Privacy Rights Act Passed – Now What?

Estoppel Certificate? Estop and Check Your Lease

Janus v. AFSCME

Denver Council Committee Approves Co
New York Bars Developers from Selling Condos due to CD Fraud Case

Construction Litigation Roundup: “It’s One, Two… Eight Strikes: You’re Out!”

Texas Legislative Update: Breaking Down the New Texas Laws Impacting Construction

Construction Litigation Roundup: “A Less Than Valiant Effort”

Options When there is a Construction Lien on Your Property

New Case Alert: California Federal Court Allows Policy Stacking to Cover Continuous Injury

Inspired by Filipino Design, an Apartment Building Looks Homeward

Guidance for Construction Leaders: How Is the Americans With Disabilities Act Applied During the Pandemic?

Construction Defect Not a RICO Case, Says Court

No Coverage Where Cracks in Basement Walls Do Not Amount to Sudden Collapse

Next Steps for Policyholders in the Aftermath of the California Wildfires

Two Texas Cities Top San Francisco for Property Investors

New Certification Requirements for Veteran-Owned Small Business Concerns and Service-Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business Concerns Seeking Public Procurement Contracts

Commercial Construction in the Golden State is Looking Pretty Golden

Delaware State Court Holds that Defective Workmanship Claims do not Trigger Coverage by a Builder’s Commercial General Liability Policy

Supreme Court Overrules Longstanding Decision Supporting Collection of Union Agency Fees

Construction Contract’s Scope of Work Should Be Written With Clarity

Los Angeles Construction Sites May Be on Fault Lines

Project-Specific Commercial General Liability Insurance

Quick Note: Lis Pendens Bond When Lis Pendens Not Founded On Recorded Instrument Or Statute

The Right to Repair Act (Civ.C §895 et seq.) Applies and is the Exclusive Remedy for a Homeowner Alleging Construction Defects

Using Lien and Bond Claims to Secure Project Payments

What ENR.com Construction News Gained the Most Views

Summary Judgment in Construction Defect Case Cannot Be Overturned While Facts Are Still in Contention in Related Cases

Endra Rethinks MEP Design with AI

The Administrative Procedure Act and the Evolution of Environmental Law

Nevada Insureds Can Rely on Extrinsic Facts to Show that An Insurer Owes a Duty to Defend

Have the Feds Taken Over Arbitration?

Navigating Casualty Challenges and Opportunities

The Economic Loss Rule: From Where Does the Duty Arise?

Construction Contracts Fall in Denver

Structural Problems May Cause Year-Long Delay Opening New Orleans School

Virtual Reality for Construction

Responding to Ransomware Learning from Colonial Pipeline

From Dark Data to Building Intelligence

Hawaiian Electric Finalizes $2 Billion Maui Fire Settlement

Illinois Earns C- on its 2022 Infrastructure Report Card while Making Strides on Roads and Transit

Backpacks, Broadway, and Building Restrictions: A Legal Reminder

Expert's Opinions On Causation Leads Way To Summary Judgment For Insurer

The Age of Uncertainty: Monitoring Construction Policy Shifts

White and Williams LLP Secures a Clean Sweep Dismissal of Architect's Professional Liability Coverage Lawsuit

City Potentially Liable for Cost Overrun on Not-to-Exceed Public Works Contract

Traub Lieberman Partner Eric D. Suben Obtains Federal Second Circuit Affirmance of Summary Judgment in Insurer’s Favor

The COVID-19 Impact: Navigating the Legal Landscape’s New Normal

Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (02/08/23) – The Build America, Buy America Act, ESG Feasibility, and University Partnerships

No Duty to Defend Additional Insured for Construction Defects

When a Request for Equitable Adjustment Should Be Treated as a Claim Under the Contract Disputes Act

Happenings in and around the 2015 West Coast Casualty Seminar

Is Solar the Next Focus of Construction Defect Suits?

Dust Obscures Eleventh Circuit’s Ruling on “Direct Physical Loss”