Philadelphia Construction Law Blog

On the heels of our successful Spring Seminar Series, Kaplin Stewart’s Construction Law Group is in the process of planning its next program offering. Our Fall Seminar Series will follow a similar set-up to our Spring Seminar Series and offer some great new topics. We will have another announcement in the near future with more details, but here are some of the particulars.

Part 2 of a 3 part series on risk management My previous post in this series addressed the most obvious reason why a construction company’s contract is not keeping it out of court: the contract simply isn’t good enough. It bears repeating that no contract is perfect; and even the best contracts, which allocate risk as opposed to eliminate it, can’t prevent every possible lawsuit. Because the contract itself cannot completely insulate a company from litigation, the next logical question becomes whether there is anything else that can be done.

Part 1 of a 3 part series on risk management In my years as a construction attorney, I have had countless conversations with contractors who are frustrated by the “drag” created by litigation. Many of those with whom I have spoken have expressed confusion over the fact that their contract – perhaps even one prepared by a lawyer – is good and should be keeping them out of Court; and they cannot understand why they still find themselves in costly and time consuming litigation. This 3 part series will endeavor to provide some answers to this dilemma and some ideas about how to cut down on some of that frustration.

One of the most misunderstood concepts in construction contracts is the interplay between indemnification clauses and the immunity provided for employers under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. Because it is almost always the case – emphasis on almost – contractors and subcontractors assume they are immune from further liability as soon as payments are made to an injured employee under the workers’ compensation policy. The statute and Pennsylvania case law, however, say otherwise.

At Kaplin Stewart, we recognize that America is great because of the people that serve her and its people.  Those who work in the military, the police, and as firefighters are among our nation’s finest.  They put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – asking for very little in return.  Some – who we especially remember on Memorial Day – pay the ultimate sacrifice by laying their lives down in the line of duty.  For that, we are eternally grateful. We could never repay that debt.  Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

At Kaplin Stewart, we recognize that America is great because of the people that serve her and its people.  Those who work in the military, the police, and as firefighters are among our nation’s finest.  They put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – asking for very little in return.  Some – who we especially remember on Memorial Day – pay the ultimate sacrifice by laying their lives down in the line of duty.  For that, we are eternally grateful. We could never repay that debt.  Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

The Neighborhood Improvement Zone, otherwise known as the “NIZ” in the Lehigh Valley, is serving as the springboard for another large development in downtown Allentown. J.B. Reilly is planning to build a $45 million 12 story office project in the NIZ by 2018.

People working in the construction industry, like any other business enterprise, are in it to make money. While some enjoy their work and get “payment” in the form of loving what they do, we don’t need to take a poll to know that participants in the construction industry would all be agreeable to making more money.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced on April 7, 2016, that it was levying a huge fine on New Jersey contractor Berlin Builders. The citations and fines relate to multiple projects, the two most recent of which are the Springford Estates development in Limerick Township, Pennsylvania, and the American House project in Perkasie.

The City of Philadelphia and its people take a great deal of pride in any number of things – and rightly so. From great food and fantastic culture to a history older than America itself, there is so much to appreciate about the place we call home. But ask any Philadelphian what they are most proud of and they will tell you, perhaps in their own way, it’s the City’s indomitable spirit.