Philadelphia Construction Law Blog

In the first 2 posts of this series, we talked about why even the best of contracts don’t prevent all litigation and provided some tips on how to manage risk in a way that minimizes the chances of seeing the inside of a courtroom. In reality, the best approach is an integrated one that includes preparing the most appropriate contract possible (understanding there is no such thing as a perfect one), providing good leadership, and managing the risk in the field. It is this last component that is the subject of this final post.

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.

A recent issue of ENR raised the prospect of an interesting issue on the horizon for the construction industry: marijuana.

The next time you think your crane, backhoe, or front end loader will be there in the morning, pause for a moment and consider if you are doing all you can to protect your equipment.