Our Blog
Our blog, Column and Beam, features articles from our attorneys regarding design and construction matters.
Records to Get and Keep When Hiring
All businesses, including architecture and engineering firms and construction contractors, have to fill vacant or new positions from time to time. There are a number of records that such firms must obtain during the hiring process. There are other documents that...
Smart Document Retention Policies
Imagine that your architectural, engineering, or construction firm just finished a project that generated thousands of documents including contracts, drawings, specifications, memoranda, emails, calculations, requests for information, and change orders. Now, you’re...
Learn from Your Project Mistakes
Every construction professional makes mistakes, some of which result in legal disputes. What is disheartening as attorneys who routinely represent architects, engineers and other construction professionals, is to see the same firm make the same mistake more than...
Effective Responses to Submittals
The review of requests for information, shop drawings and other submittals are an key part of the job of architects and engineers in construction administration. The timely review of RFIs and other submittals promotes smooth progress of the project, while untimely...
Simple Strategies Will Reduce Your Liability for Submittal Reviews
Design professionals routinely review shop drawings and other submittals during the course of a project. Review of submittals can, however, subject design professionals to additional liability. In particular, when there is an error in work that was the subject of a...
Shop Drawings: Enforce the Contractor’s Obligations
In the specifications, design professionals typically include requirements that certain shop drawings must be submitted by the contractor. To avoid liability for shop drawing review and to ensure a high quality project, architects and engineers need to know about and...
Do not Send that Email! Five Common-Sense Risk Management Strategies for Communications
Many people have sent an emotional, ill-conceived email without considering the consequences. It is important for any construction professional to recognize that his communications are discoverable and can – and likely will – be seen by others if a project ends in...
What Should You Consider When Purchasing Professional Liability Insurance?
Because no design professional is perfect, all architects and engineers are exposed to potential claims for errors and omissions. The vast majority of design professionals purchase professional liability coverage. What should you consider when purchasing or renewing...
Show Me The Money! – Why Design Professionals Are Often Lawsuit Targets.
Why are design professionals attractive targets in litigation relating to construction projects? The answer is easy - they have good insurance coverage. To understand why, you need to know the differences between the Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies...
Why Design Professionals Should Disclaim Implied Warranties
South Carolina is one of a handful of states that recognizes an implied warranty that applies to design services. In South Carolina, certain warranties are implied into every design contract that is governed by South Carolina law. The South Carolina Supreme Court...