Philadelphia Construction Law Blog

On Thursday, August 28, 2014, two attorneys from Kaplin Stewart’s construction law department will deliver a presentation on contract administration and handling construction disputes to New Jersey architects. 

Florida Governor Rick Scott recently signed legislation making a significant chan Rick Scottge  to the potential liability of individuals providing design professional services in the state. The new law, which takes effect July 1, 2013, will enable a business entity to contractually limit the liability of its individual professionals to the extent of that professional’s scope of work performed under the contract. In other words, the individual design professional can now immunize himself for liability in design or project administration. The design firm remains potentially liable.

Engineering News-Record is reporting that the large New Jersey design firm Birdsall Services Group is embroiled in a pay-to-play scandal that could cause significant additional damage to the company. Birdsall recently filed for bankruptcy and is working through the process of reorganization.

Releases of claims are commonly negotiated and signed by parties involved in the construction process. But the content of a release has significant bearing on the rights of the parties relative to claims between them and should be carefully negotiated. This principle was recently highlighted in a case decided by the Supreme Court of Delaware (Riverbend Community LLC et al. v Greenstone Engineering LLC et al.).