Cambridge Massachusetts Building Expert Directory

Idaho Business Review Names VF Law Attorney Brittaney Bones Women of the Year Honoree

July 31, 2023 — VF Law
Meridian, Idaho: June 23, 2023 – VF Law, a full-service law firm with offices across the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest, is pleased to announce that associate Brittaney Bones has been recognized as an honoree for the 2023 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year Awards. The distinguished recognition celebrates 50 female leaders across Idaho who have made their mark while continuing to pave the path of leaders for the future. When reviewing the applications, the judges considered excellence in leadership and a willingness to advance mentorship opportunities among the other considerations. In her work with the Community Associations Institute (CAI) Idaho, Bones currently serves as Vice Chair for the Legislative Action Committee. She monitors state legislation coming out of Boise. Accordingly, Bones seeks to educate lawmakers specifically on how pending legislation will affect the lives of people living and working throughout the Gem State. She also mentors students at the College of Idaho and has donated her time to the Rock Bottom Foundation, which provides meals to the unhoused. Bones’s other accolades include an International Law Writing Award from Davis Wright Tremaine (DWT) for her 2020 article “Potential Solutions to Concerns over the Treatment of U.S. Investment in China: The Need for a U.S.-China Bilateral Investment Treaty.” She frequently speaks at CAI events, helping to prepare her fellow legal professionals for challenges in the field—and those yet to come. About VF Law VF Law is a full-service, multi-state law firm. At VF, we believe that experience and knowledge are crucial; that’s why every attorney on our staff maintains a high level of expertise to ensure client success. VF possesses unmatched experience in providing HOA guidance, planning for healthy buildings from the ground up, helping small businesses and corporations run smoothly, handling real estate transactions and disputes, creating wills and trusts, and more. Visit www.vf-law.com. Read the court decision
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Insurer's Motion to Dismiss Complaint for Collapse Coverage Fails

March 22, 2018 — Tred R. Eyerly.- Insurance Law Hawaii

The insurer's motion for summary judgment seeking dismissal of the insured's claim for collapse coverage was rejected by the Supreme Court of New York. Parauda v. Encompass Ins. Co. of Am., 2018 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 269 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Jan. 25, 2018).

The insureds submitted a claim to Encompass for damage to the brick siding, or façade, of their home, which was bulging near the front door. Encompass hired H2M Architects and Engineers to inspect the home and issue a report. H2M determined that the brick façade near the front door was separated from the house. Photos showed that the bricks had separated, the mortar joints were cracked, and there were cracks and deterioration in the mortar. H2M concluded that the brick façade was in poor condition and need repairs and/or replacement. H2M concluded that the separation of the brick façade was caused by water infiltration behind the wood trim and brick façade, occurring over a several year period. Encompass denied the claim based upon exclusions for "freezing, thawing," "wear and tear," and "inadequate maintenance."

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Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Insurance Law Hawaii
Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

Mexico City Metro Collapse Kills 24 After Neighbors’ Warnings

May 17, 2021 — Max De Haldevang & Maya Averbuch - Bloomberg
The collapse of a long-troubled Mexico City metro track killed 24 people and put two of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s top allies in the line of fire Monday night, after a decade of safety concerns and probes surrounding the project. About 79 people were injured, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday. A broken beam led to the incident on the Golden Line of the metro system, she said. An international agency and the attorney general’s office will investigate. Reprinted courtesy of Max De Haldevang, Bloomberg and Maya Averbuch, Bloomberg Read the court decision
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One Way Arbitration Provisions are Enforceable in Virginia

October 07, 2019 — Christopher G. Hill - Construction Law Musings
Here at Construction Law Musings, I’ve discussed arbitration clauses (pros and cons) as well as the fact that in our fair Commonwealth, contracts are enforced as written (for better or worse). A case out of the Eastern District of Virginia takes both of these observations and uses them to make it’s decision. In United States ex rel. Harbor Constr. Co. v. T.H.R. Enters., the Newport News Division of the Eastern District of Virginia federal court considered the following provision and it’s enforceability:

At CONTRACTOR’s sole election, any and all disputes arising in any way or related in any way or manner to this Agreement may be decided by mediation, arbitration or other alternative dispute resolution proceedings as chosen by CONTRACTOR…. The remedy shall be SUBCONTRACTOR’s sole and exclusive remedy in lieu of any claim against CONTRACTOR’s bonding company pursuant to the terms of any bond or any other procedure or law, regardless of the outcome of the claim. The parties further agree that all disputes under this Subcontract shall be determined and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia….

This provision was the crux of the argument made by T. H. R., the Defendant, in making a motion to dismiss or stay the lawsuit for payment filed by Harbor Construction. As background, Harbor Construction contracted with T. H. R. to perform work at Langley Air Force Base. Alleging non-payment of approximately $250,000.00, Harbor filed a complaint with three counts, one under the Federal Miller Act, one for breach of contract, and a third for unjust enrichment. Read the court decision
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Reprinted courtesy of The Law Office of Christopher G. Hill
Mr. Hill may be contacted at chrisghill@constructionlawva.com

The Future of Airport Infrastructure in a Post-Pandemic World

March 21, 2022 — Cait Horner & Adam J. Weaver - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many service industries are reevaluating their physical footprint, and the aviation industry is no exception. Opportunities abound for developers, designers, and contractors to update and expand airport terminals to accommodate traditional needs while also meeting the growing demand for more open space (including larger outdoor areas in terminals and larger cargo facilities to meet the needs of Amazon, FedEx and UPS). The Future of Passenger Terminals In nearly every service industry, safety and hygiene policies are being overhauled, with a specific emphasis on the desire for more space across the board. Even before the pandemic caused a seismic shift in the way individuals interact with each other, airports and airlines had started reducing the number of unnecessary interactions between travelers and employees by introducing self-service check-in kiosks and contactless ordering at restaurants. The automation inside the airport will only continue to advance. Reprinted courtesy of Cait Horner, Pillsbury and Adam J. Weaver, Pillsbury Ms. Horner may be contacted at cait.horner@pillsburylaw.com Mr. Weaver may be contacted at adam.weaver@pillsburylaw.com Read the court decision
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Do Not Forfeit Coverage Under Your Property Insurance Policy

February 22, 2021 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
If you have read prior articles (see here and here as an example), then you know that when it comes to first-party property insurance policies, an insured must comply with post-loss obligations in the policy. Failure to comply with a post-loss obligation gives the insurer the argument that the insured materially breached the policy and, therefore, forfeited rights to coverage. Naturally, this is avoidable by ensuring post-loss obligations are complied with, ideally under the guidance of counsel and qualified public adjusters to ensure your rights are being preserved and maximized.

[W]hen an insurer has alleged, as an affirmative defense to coverage, and thereafter has subsequently established, that an insured has failed to substantially comply with a contractually mandated post-loss obligation, prejudice to the insurer from the insured’s material breach is presumed, and the burden then shifts to the insured to show that any breach of post-loss obligations did not prejudice the insurer. Universal Property & Casualty Ins. Co. v. Horne, 46 Fla.L.Weekly D201b (Fla. 3d DCA 2021) quoting American Integrity Ins. Co. v. Estrada, 276 So.3d 905, 916 (Fla. 3d DCA 2019).

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Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris, P.A.
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

How Data Drives the Future of Design

April 11, 2022 — Marcin Kosicki - AEC Business
Data has become the currency of modern society. It is the most abundantly generated product of the 21st century. Every action in our lives, from asking for directions using Google Maps to liking a post on social media, produces data that is being mined in a variety of imaginative and profitable ways. If our daily actions generate an avalanche of information, how much data could the design, construction, and operation of a building produce? Sketches and drawings, simulations and building analyses, BIM models, construction logistics and procurement, post-occupancy data gathered by sensors, and 3D scans all produce an abundance of data. It is, therefore, unfortunate that the adoption of Big Data and Cloud Computing in the building industry is substantially less developed than in other fields. Read the court decision
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Reprinted courtesy of Marcin Kosicki, AEC Business

Select the Best Contract Model to Mitigate Risk and Achieve Energy Project Success

October 17, 2022 — Gregory S. Seador - Construction Executive
Power and energy projects are inherently complex and risky. Therefore, management and proper allocation of risk among project participants are essential to success. Careful drafting of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract is a critical first step in managing risk. The standard contract format used for power and energy construction projects is the EPC contract. In its traditional form, the EPC contract makes the EPC contractor responsible for the entire project, including engineering (design of the power plant), procurement (purchase, installation and performance of all equipment) and construction (construction of the plant). EPC contracts can, however, employ different contract models and pricing structures, each of which carries differing levels of risk for project participants. Selecting the appropriate contract model and pricing structure to meet the unique needs of the project is important. Reprinted courtesy of Gregory S. Seador, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the court decision
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Mr. Seader may be contacted at seador@slslaw.com

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