News & Publications

Real estate attorney Steve Williams is quoted in GlobeSt regarding eviction proceedings in Pennsylvania. Steve stated, “Most of the larger landlords, at least the ones I’ve been speaking to, have not had a significant problem with tenants ...

In efforts to reduce worker misclassification, the State of Delaware recently enacted the “Delaware Contractor Registration Act,” which requires all businesses performing construction services or maintenance in Delaware to enroll with the ...

CNN legal analyst Shanlon Wu discussed Bill Cosby’s overturned conviction and the circumstances that led to it.

Since the COVID -19 pandemic began, universities around the country have been implementing strict guidelines to keep their students as safe as possible during the school year. From social distancing to contact tracing, the typical college experience ...

On June 24, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an order extending the eviction moratorium until July 31, 2021. The June 24th order incorporates the original moratorium order and all subsequent extensions and modifications. ...

In the last year, materials, equipment, parts, and crafts workers have been in scarce supply due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disruptions to supply chains have increased the cost of such goods and labor. NUCA Members have experienced delays in the ...

Cohen Seglias celebrates Pride Month each June to recognize and honor the contributions our LGBTQ+ colleagues, friends, and loved ones have made to our society and the legal industry. In support of the LGBTQ+ community this June, we are proud to ...

Now that the COVID -19 vaccine is becoming more accessible to young people, many college students are wondering when college life will go back to normal. Around the country, college leaders are saying that a high rate of vaccination is necessary ...

We are proud to announce that Cohen Seglias is ranked seventh in the latest national rankings in Construction Executive’s “The Top 50 Construction Law Firms® of 2021.” Construction Executive, a leading industry publication, surveyed hundreds ...

We are pleased to announce that numerous Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. The Super Lawyers lists recognize no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state and the Rising ...

What do you consider to be your greatest contribution to the success of your company/clients? Contractors, owners, subcontracts, and other construction industry members face complicated, often confusing legal issues. Being a resource for them is ...

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone. Regular operations have been disrupted in every corner of our society — from businesses to schools and communities. Over the past 13 months, universities have been setting new policies ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias is recognized in the 2021 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. The firm’s Construction Group is named a leading ...

Colleges and universities usually have fairly strict policies regulating student behavior on their campuses, and this has only become more true in the era of COVID -19. From how many students can be in any one building at once to where students can ...

Relief from the CDC Moratorium may be on its way for landlords and property owners. On May 5, 2021, Judge Dabney Friedrich of the DC District Court set aside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) moratorium that is currently in place ...

As a longtime supporter of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia and its mission to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter, Cohen Seglias was proud to sponsor their Building Hope Virtual Lunch-In on May 4. The Building Hope Lunch ...

In March, we spoke at ABC Eastern Pennsylvania’s Safety Committee Meeting about the employment law implications of employer-mandated COVID-19 tests and vaccines. Below is an overview of the topics we addressed during the presentation and answers ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that partners Julie Grohovsky and Shanlon Wu helped obtain a major civil settlement between all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico against Indivior, PLLC. for fraud committed against Medicaid and ...

Julie Grohovsky spoke with Verywell Health about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) bringing false marketing claims under the new COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act. The agency’s action against chiropractor Eric Nepute is the first such case ...

Two attorneys weigh in on mandatory and incentive-based employer policies for COVID vaccinations. For months now, employer COVID-19 vaccination programs have been the subject of much speculation and debate. Most of this discussion has focused on two ...

The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Transportation (OIG) continues with an aggressive campaign to find evidence of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) fraud in federal highway projects. This article shall focus on the ...

Daniel Fierstein, Kathleen Morley, and Jackson Nichols were recently promoted to the firm’s partnership. Our newsletter team sat down with them to discuss their practices. Q: Tell us a little about your practice and the services that you provide ...

At this point, avoiding the cliché is, well, unavoidable. We are now past the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic and much has changed. You don’t need a construction attorney to tell you so. While things have changed, we all must move forward ...

A common clause in many New York construction contracts is a “no-damage-for-delay” exculpatory provision, providing, in sum, that delay damages are not compensable and that if you are delayed, then you are only entitled to a time extension (at ...

In construction litigation, home-field advantage is a concept that arises quite frequently. Certainly, in the sports world where we are used to hearing this term, home-field advantage is a controversial phenomenon. But, in the legal realm, the ...

A harsh reality in any business, including construction, is that there will be people who owe you money but do not have it. In general, a simple collection action can be brought against these individuals to obtain a judgment that can be executed ...

We hope that you had a productive start to the new year. In this issue, you will learn about New York’s strong enforcement of no-damages-for-delay provisions, how to preserve the priority of your judgments in New Jersey, and how to secure and ...

We hope that you had a productive start to the new year. In this issue, you will learn about New York’s strong enforcement of no-damages-for-delay provisions, how to preserve the priority of your judgments in New Jersey, and how to secure and ...

On February 22, 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMMA), legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults twenty-one and ...

On April 16, 2021, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an Interim Final Rule which, effective May 3, 2021, requires all “debt collectors” pursuing an eviction to provide written notice to the tenant(s) of possible protections ...

Chris Carusone and Brionna Denby spoke with The ACHR News about recent criminal charges levied against G&R Drywall and Framing for misclassification of workers. Brionna explained the background of the state attorney general’s program and ...

During his first term, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the creation of the first-ever Fair Labor Section of the Office of Attorney General to combat what he described as wage theft, tip stealing, misclassification and similar ...

Christopher Carusone spoke with Law360 about the Goodco and Hawbaker cases and the growing threat of the criminal enforcement of state labor laws by newly aggressive prosecutors. In the article, Chris states that the recent criminal charges ...

Shanlon Wu spoke with The Washington Post about his experience charging hate crimes as a federal prosecutor, and the misconception that hate crimes are harder to prove. Shan stated that proving hate crimes is no different from what happens ...

Remote learning is hard on everyone—students, professors, school staff, and even parents. With a new platform for education comes a new etiquette, with spoken and unspoken rules about what you can say, how you can act, and what is required of you ...

On April 19, 2021, Gateway Development Commission Trustee Jerry Zaro updated New Jersey Alliance members on the much anticipated and critically needed Gateway Program (the Program). The estimated $30 billion, 10-year Program will increase capacity ...

Julie Grohovsky spoke with NBC News NOW about the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. She discussed the potential impact the verdict will have on the trials of the three other officers charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and ...

Julie Grohovsky spoke with NBC News NOW anchor Joe Fryer about the possible outcomes of the Derek Chauvin trial. She discussed the jury’s deliberation process and the closing arguments.

As a legal analyst on CNN, Shan Wu discussed the Derek Chauvin trial in Minnesota. He explained the disparity between the number of witnesses called by the defense and the prosecution, noting that the prosecution bears the burden of proof.

Of the countless issues contractors face on a construction project, immediate problems like scheduling, workforce, payment, and materials supply often overshadow intellectual property concerns. But, they shouldn’t—especially for the design-build ...

On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Whether you celebrated this ceremony or not, it is undeniable that the Biden administration means big changes for the future of education in the ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that partner Michael McKenna is listed on NJBiz’ inaugural “Leaders in Law” list. A panel of independent judges, experienced with the justice system, selected honorees (lawyers and general counsel) for ...

This week, President Biden introduced the $2 trillion American Jobs Plan (AJP), which includes his blueprint for investing in the country’s infrastructure, utility, and transportation systems over the next eight years. If made into law, the ...

We are excited to announce that the firm and Whitney O’Reilly are recognized by the 2021 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards. Whitney is listed as a Top Author for her thought leadership in wealth preservation in 2020. The Readers’ Choice Awards ...

On March 29, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the current eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021. If a tenant previously provided a signed declaration to the landlord and/or property owner invoking the ...

Jonathan Landesman spoke with Construction Dive about the Davis-Bacon federal wage rules. In the article, he cautions construction companies that it is not always clear-cut if a construction project is subject to Davis-Bacon. Jon said, “Even if in ...

Julie Grohovsky was interviewed on NBC News NOW about the Derek Chauvin trial. She discussed the prosecution’s strategy and the defense’s argument in regard to the recordings and bystanders.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students and professors have all had to adapt to online teaching and learning. Among the many challenges that this adjustment has presented is the increased specter of online cheating. As the opportunity for ...

We are pleased to announce that three Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s New Jersey Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. The Super Lawyers list recognizes a maximum of 5 percent of attorneys in each state and the Rising Stars ...

Cohen Seglias is proud to announce that four partners, Julie Grohovsky, Michael Payne, Bob Ruggieri and Steve Williams, have been selected to serve on editorial advisory boards for Law360. The advisory boards, focused on a variety of practices and ...

Shan Wu was a guest on the NPR 1A podcast where he discussed the attacks in Atlanta, GA. Drawing on his experience as a federal prosecutor, Shan explained the challenges of charging and prosecuting hate crimes.  The shooter in the deadly ...

Lori Wisniewski Azzara, chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative, spoke with The National Law Review about Cohen Seglias’ efforts to support our women attorneys throughout the pandemic. Lori discussed a number of topics, including ...

Ed Seglias is quoted in Construction SuperConference newsletter. When asked about his level of optimism when it comes to in-person events, Ed answered, “With the vaccine rollout and businesses reopening, we are hopeful that hybrid and in-person ...

“There’s no time like the present”—cliché or not, this may become the new rule for when contractors should file their New Jersey lien claims during the pandemic, and probably after. Unlike lawsuits and other legal actions, New Jersey liens ...

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the City of Pittsburgh have imposed important additional requirements and restrictions upon landlord/tenant evictions in Allegheny County. The ordinance passed by the Pittsburgh City Council is particularly ...

Whether you are following the financial headlines or reviewing recent supply invoices, one thing is clear: the cost of materials is on the rise and far from slowing down as the rate continues to accelerate. Contractors are under mounting pressure to ...

As a legal analyst on CNN, Shan Wu discussed the charges against the Boulder, CO shooter and the arguments the defense is likely to make in the trial.

Michael Metz-Topodas spoke with Construction Dive about the new law in New York that expands the definition of workers and puts more responsibility on contractors to report fatalities to a state registry of on-the-job construction deaths. Michael ...

Prosecutors need to charge anti-Asian violence as hate crimes. While any violent crime impacts the victim, a crime motivated by hate can impact entire groups of people, be they of a particular race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. To ...

In September 2019, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed to review the decision in Gregg v. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL). The issue before the court was whether a ...

Corporate clients rely heavily on their law departments when legal issues arise. This responsibility puts no small amount of pressure on our in-house counterparts, considering that outside counsel fees can be enormous, and few nonlawyer ...

College is a time of freedom and independence for many students. However, with that independence comes an increased potential to run up against the law. If your university student has been accused of a crime, you might be completely freaked out. ...

Christopher Carusone is quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer article about the firm’s representation of Michael Boffo and Nikolas McKinnon in the Mariner East pipeline bribery case. The security contractors were facing charges of conspiracy, ...

Despite the exhaustion and chaos that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the construction industry in 2020, turning the page to 2021 offers several reasons for cautious optimism, including two approved coronavirus vaccines (with a possible third soon ...

Christopher Carusone is mentioned in a Daily Local News article in regard to the firm’s representation of Michael Boffo and Nikolas McKinnon in the Mariner East pipeline bribery case. The security contractors were facing charges of conspiracy, ...

Being accused or convicted of a criminal offense can have far-reaching repercussions not only in your private life but in your education as well. Even when you’ve not been accused or convicted of a crime, the idea of facing a disciplinary hearing ...

Over the past 30 years, Cohen Seglias has grown from a three-attorney construction-focused law firm to a firm with over 75 attorneys across eight offices offering a wide range of legal services. Managing Partner and CEO George Pallas spoke ...

President Joseph Biden has directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to revamp its efforts to protect employees from COVID-19, including workers in the construction industry. Among the instructions given in a January 21, 2021 ...

Please note, this article was updated on March 3, 2021. Rarely do corporate filings make a non-lawyer’s New Year’s resolutions list, but Pennsylvania businesses should be mindful about protecting their names and registered insignias or marks ...

Most states have some form of Prompt Pay Act (PPA) for private and/or public jobs, and the language within these PPAs often mirror each other. The purpose of such PPA laws is to legislatively guarantee timely payment to general contractors and ...

Shanlon Wu, a former federal prosecutor, was a guest on 89.3 KPCC Air Talk where he discussed the federal investigation of and charges for the Capitol insurrection. The FBI’s investigation into the January 6th Capitol attack is evolving as ...

After 15 years at 30 South 17th Street, we are excited to announce our move to 1600 Market Street, where we occupy all of the 32nd floor and half of the 31st floor. Our new space of 40,000 sq. ft., designed by L2Partridge and built by IMC ...

On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order mandating that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extend the current eviction moratorium until at least March 31, 2021. While the extension is not yet published in the ...

Marijuana laws are tricky. At the federal level, marijuana is still illegal, both for medicinal and recreational uses. In some states, it’s legal to use medically, but not recreationally. And in others, it’s legal to use both medically and ...

Every contractor, no matter how experienced or prepared, will confront delays on a project. Typical causes of delays are bad weather, change orders, re-designs or omissions, long lead time, and unforeseen or differing site conditions. A delay, ...

Cohen Seglias attorney Shanlon Wu is quoted in The Chronicle of Higher Education‘s New Risk-Management Report. The report explores the legal and financial vulnerability institutions of higher education face and the tactics schools can take to ...

We are excited to announce the promotions of Daniel Fierstein, Kathleen Morley, and Jackson Nichols to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2021. Dan, Kathleen, and Jackson are all members of the firm’s Construction Group. Dan and ...

PHILADELPHIA – A new presidential administration always triggers discussion about what policies will change from the past administration and what new initiatives will be advanced. No doubt the new Biden administration will depart significantly ...

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro made the point in a recent press conference, saying, “When you misclassify employees, let me be clear what you are doing: You are stealing.” Under the Construction Workplace Misclassification Act (Act ...

Contractors already know that ensuring their team members’ well-being tops the list of reasons for a strong safety and OSHA compliance program. A recent New Jersey state court decision just gave them another—preserving workers’ compensation ...

President-elect Joseph Biden campaigned on a robust platform of labor and employment legislation. With a 50-50 split in the Senate, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris can be expected to break any ties on the Senate floor. Employers should expect ...

A new paper created by AISC and AIA clarifies newer approaches to project delivery, such as design-assist, that can result in more efficient steel projects. We live in a world of ever-increasing complexity, and there is little prospect of that ...

Shan Wu spoke to Law360 about expected changes to the Department of Justice under President-elect Biden’s nominee for attorney general, Judge Merrick Garland. Shan stated, “One of Garland’s priorities will be the Justice ...

College can be a time of freedom and exploration for young people. However, there is also a long-ignored culture of sexual discrimination and harassment that affects many campuses around the country — and, unfortunately, sometimes a tendency ...

Most contractors hope their projects will proceed efficiently, within budget, on time, and, most importantly, without needing to file a claim against any of the other parties working on the job. Unfortunately, reality often proves otherwise. Claims ...

As the race for a COVID-19 vaccine gains momentum (and seems to be approaching the finish line), many employers are still wondering whether or not they can require employees to get vaccinated. Generally speaking, employer-mandated vaccination ...

Shan Wu provided 21WFMJ with three tips for social media posting to help teenagers avoid incident. Assume nothing you post is private. Even disappearing messages can be captured before they disappear so nothing on social media is really ...

On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the COVID-19 relief bill that Congress passed the week before. This stimulus package impacts landlords in two important ways. Eviction Moratorium First, the relief bill extends the current CDC eviction ...

Shan Wu spoke to Fox News on behalf of his client, Mimi Groves, a student forced to withdraw from the University of Tennessee following the release of a video where she used a racial slur. The video was initially taken when she was 15 years old but ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the new managing partner of the firm’s New York office, Ed Altabet. Tell us a little about your practice and the services you provide to your clients. A: I primarily represent clients in complex ...

Design-build contracts (and their lesser utilized counterpart—engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts) are prevalent in the construction industry. Though far from a new contractual relationship, design-build contracts are ...

A company’s tradename and logo are valuable assets. Consumers’ ability to associate a brand with a business’ goods and services is a critical advantage against competition. Once a brand is designed and marketed—often at significant ...

This past summer, Cohen Seglias attorneys Roy Cohen, Ashling Ehrhardt, and Sydney Pierce obtained a victory for their client Kuharchik Construction against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Kuharchik Construction, Inc. v. Commonwealth. In ...

In the third and final issue of the strange year that has been 2020, our attorneys remind you about the importance of documenting issues encountered on the job, especially in the context of design-build contracts. You’ll also learn about federal ...

In the third and final issue of the strange year that has been 2020, our attorneys remind you about the importance of documenting issues encountered on the job, especially in the context of design-build contracts.

The COVID-19 epidemic has thrown everyone’s holiday plans into question, and universities are no exception. Schools are revising their usual policies regarding winter break in an effort to accommodate the unique situation that many students ...

Cohen Seglias is proud to continue our tradition of supporting various children’s charities throughout the holiday season with toy collections and monetary donations. If you would like to make a donation, please contact us at ...

Now may be the time to audit your website to ensure that it is accessible to blind or visually impaired visitors. A recent case in California, coupled with ADA requirements, makes it easier for unwitting businesses with an online presence to be ...

Ed Seglias and Mike McKenna weighed in on what 2021 will look like for the construction industry in a recent Construction SuperConference post. They predict that: “Owners will continue to seek more efficient and timely ways to accelerate the ...

We are pleased to announce that Anthony Chwastyk has joined the firm as senior counsel in the Philadelphia office. He is a member of the Business Transactions Group and chair of the firm’s new Trademark & Copyright Law Group. “Anthony is a ...

Gone are the times where sexual harassment was limited to face to face confrontations. With the advent of technology and various social media platforms, sexual harassment can be between people that are miles apart. Online sexual harassment can ...

Since the enactment of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, every employer in the country has been required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for every employee hired after November 6, 1986 to confirm man employee’s ...

It can be hard to not have your college-age kids around for the holidays. It’s a time when the whole family comes together, but how can your family be whole when some members are missing? Unfortunately, this year, it’s not as simple for your ...

On October 29, 2020, Governor Wolf approved Act 97 of 2020, which was added as section 306.1 of Title 57 (Act 97). Act 97 grants notaries in the Commonwealth the rights to use communication technology (e.g., video conferencing) to perform notarial ...

College admissions are getting more and more competitive as the years go by. It’s no surprise that the pressure to lie and cheat on college applications has intensified as well. Imagine applying for an elite school that admits only 4 to 5% ...

The pressure of getting into your dream college or graduate school can be severe. When filling out your application, you might start to think about stretching the truth a little bit. The truth is, you wouldn’t be the first to have these ...

Mechanics’ liens are powerful tools for contractors to help collect payment. However, standard industry practice requires contractors to regularly sign lien waivers and partial releases throughout a project in exchange for payment. But do you ...

Throughout the pandemic, Cohen Seglias continued to focus on improving the mental health and the overall well-being of our employees. In that effort, our firm was excited to participate in the 2020 Philly Heart Walk. Although we are not able to walk ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias is named in the 2021 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list nationally for two practice areas and regionally in Philadelphia for four practice areas. The firm is listed in the following ...

We are pleased to announce that Edward Altabet has joined the firm as the New York office managing partner. Ed focuses his practice on commercial litigation and investigations. He previously served as founder and managing member of Altabet Law ...

Lori Azzara commented for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on civil jury trials resuming in Allegheny County. She stated that due to the financial effects of the pandemic, people are eager to move forward in civil cases and get a settlement, “even ...

2020 UPDATE: Now that school is back in session, universities and colleges around the country are having to face a difficult task: risk management in the time of COVID-19. Many schools already had liability policies in place pre-coronavirus, but ...

We are proud to announce that associate Brionna Denby is among this year’s “DBT40,” the Delaware Business Times’ list of 40 leaders and innovators in Delaware under the age of 40. Honorees were selected based on their professional ...

Since the enactment of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, every employer in the country has been required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for every employee hired after November 6, 1986 to confirm an employee’s ...

Online learning has become all the rage recently. Schools have been caught unprepared for this sudden shift to online caused by Covid-19. Although the style of online classes is different from that of the traditional classroom, some of its ...

Despite expectations that the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) would release new Title IX regulations last fall, the final version of the new Title IX rule was not issued until half a year later on May 6, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of ...

Sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and sexual assault can all still be investigated and sanctioned as student code violations. But campus leaders should review and update non-Title IX student conduct code procedures to mirror the violations ...

COVID-19 has changed the entire world in more ways than one. For college students this year, one of the biggest impacts of the pandemic will be regarding school policies, including those pertaining to Greek life and activities.

Being an American, you have the right to protest peacefully. This right remains present even as a student. You are allowed to speak out and pass out flyers and petitions. You also have the right to wear expressive clothing.

For their September legal minute in The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody Phillips, John Greenhall and Lisa Wampler highlight the importance of preserving rights on lien waivers, change order forms, and other payment documents. In this ...

On September 4, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a temporary halt to residential evictions as an emergency order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The order is effective from September 4 through December ...

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in March, Cohen Seglias sought a way to support our local communities. Throughout the spring and summer, the firm donated over 1,000 face shields to the hospitals that were hit the hardest during the ...

As colleges and universities resume this fall, some students are viewing their schools’ COVID-19 safety measures as guidelines instead of rules. Large gatherings and partying commenced on many college campuses the day students moved back in. These ...

We are pleased to announce that 12 Cohen Seglias attorneys are included in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, almost doubling the number of recognized attorneys from 2020. Lawyers are selected for inclusion based on an exhaustive ...

Last summer, we advised that the Pennsylvania legislature was considering a bill that would require all construction industry employers, on both public and private projects, to use the E-Verify program operated by the Department of Homeland Security ...

Getting charged with an honor code violation is any student’s nightmare. But once you’ve graduated, any fear of an honor code violation accusation should be well laid to rest, right? Not quite. You can still be charged with an honor code ...

Paul Thaler spoke with The Michigan Daily about the imbalance of power between students and their research professors in regard to reporting misconduct and abuse. The University of Michigan prides itself on being one of the nation’s top public ...

Today’s construction projects are larger and more complex than ever before. If you look across the Philadelphia skyline, as in most major cities across the country and around the globe, you will see throngs of tower cranes leading the way for ...

Shanlon Wu was interviewed by CNN regarding a Georgia student’s suspension following the viral photo she posted to social media.

No one would have bet that the Department of Education would have released the new Title IX regulations amid a pandemic. As colleges were scrambling to adjust to the new normal of virtual learning—and all of the challenges that brought—the ...

Ed Seglias spoke with Construction Dive about key elements contractors need to consider before signing onto a project. The article, “5 Red Flags That a Job Might Not Be Worth the Risk” outlines potential red flags for those taking on ...

What do you do if your son or daughter has been accused of an academic code violation at their college or university? Not so long ago, academic honor code violations consisted primarily of college students being accused of using “paper banks” to ...

Students have always used study groups to study and learn materials. In this digital age, though, students can participate in study groups without leaving the comfort of their rooms. They no longer have to meet up in study halls or libraries to ...

Contractors who have been following COVID-19 safety requirements now have all the more reason to do so in New York City. Starting July 8, 2020, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) resumed issuing penalties for non-compliance with current ...

We are excited to announce that Cohen Seglias attorney Brionna Denby was recently appointed to the Wilmington Civil Rights Commission, a seven-member appointed body charged with supporting diversity, equality, equity, and the understanding of civil ...

Cohen Seglias partners Julie Grohovsky and Shanlon Wu obtained an important civil settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice and numerous state attorneys general’s offices against Universal Health Services, Inc. and UHS of Delaware, Inc. ...

Pennsylvania landlords’ ability to proceed with evictions against tenants who have not paid rent has been furthered delayed by two recent actions. First, on July 9, 2020, Governor Wolf issued a new Executive Order that extends his statewide ...

Shanlon Wu spoke with Diverse about the demands and costs the new regulations place upon institutes of higher education. Whether new federal rules governing how to resolve cases of on-campus sex crimes will, as many critics fear, prompt some ...

In our second issue of 2020, we give you the tools to decide whether to terminate a construction contract for cause. In addition, you will learn about how your company can avoid becoming entangled with disadvantaged business entity fraud.

Our newsletter team recently sat down with our new partners in Washington, DC, Julie Grohovsky and Shanlon Wu. They handle white collar investigations and defense for clients in a variety of industries. Q: What drew you to joining Cohen Seglias? How ...

Federal, state, and local government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), award billions of dollars’ worth of contracts every year. However, they often require contractors to share a percentage of the work with ...

It has been just over three years since Pennsylvania amended its Mechanics’ Lien Law and launched its Construction Notices Directory (the Directory), a standardized statewide system used to access, register, and file construction notices on ...

The old saying that “hindsight is 20/20” rings true in construction, especially with respect to contractor termination. Looking back, the downward spiral towards contractor termination sometimes appears obvious and usually involves either ...

In our second issue of 2020, we give you the tools to decide whether to terminate a construction contract for cause. In addition, you will learn about how your company can avoid becoming entangled with disadvantaged business entity fraud. You will ...

We are pleased to announce that Shanlon Wu and Julie Grohovsky have joined the firm as partners in the Washington, DC office. Shan leads Cohen Seglias’ new White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Group, which also includes Julie, ...

Imagine waking up one morning to find that you have become the object of a social media campaign to get you kicked off your sports team, expelled from school, or demanding that your admission offer to college be revoked before you even get to ...

We are proud to announce that Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC has moved into the sixth spot (up from eighth in 2019) in the latest national rankings in Construction Executive’s “The Top 50 Construction Law Firms® of 2020.” ...

There has already been much said about the COVID-19 pandemic. The articles that we read, the email blasts we received, and nightly news shows all seem to agree that this pandemic is different from all others that have come before it. COVID-19 and ...

Tony Byler is quoted in the Patch article, “Lawsuit Filed Against Upper Merion Over New HS Construction,” in regard to the firm’s representation of 10x Investments LLC in a suit against the Upper Merion School District. A lawsuit ...

As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, so too have OSHA policies, as seen in three recent OSHA announcements affecting the construction industry. OSHA issued new construction industry guidelines to protect workers from coronavirus. The agency also ...

In the current era, as students of all ages are forced to take their classes online, new issues of academic misconduct have been surfacing across the country. But oftentimes students accused of these new types of online misconduct are ...

Cohen Seglias attorney Brionna Denby has been appointed a member of the Preliminary Investigatory Committee. The committee falls under the Delaware Supreme Court’s Board on Professional Liability. The Preliminary Investigatory Committee ...

Partner John Greenhall commented for Construction Executive’s “Executive Insights” for the June edition of the magazine, which also includes this year’s ranking of the Top 50 Construction Law Firms. John discussed what firms can learn from ...

On June 5, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPP Flexibility Act) became law. The PPP Flexibility Act includes significant changes for small businesses across the nation that received funding from the Paycheck Protection ...

Ed Seglias is quoted in the Law360 article, “$17M Philly Sewer Project Blocked Over Contract Dispute,” in regard to the firm’s representation of C. Abbonizio Contractors Inc. in a bidding dispute on a city of Philadelphia sewer ...

Cohen Seglias partner and former federal prosecutor Shanlon Wu was interviewed for “Air Talk with Larry Mantle,” an LA NPR affiliate radio station, about possible prosecution strategies in the George Floyd case. Prosecutors charged three more ...

Students across the country are doing their exams and even homework online due to the social distancing restrictions of COVID-19. But many have faced accusations of cheating with the aid of an application called Chegg. So what effect do these types ...

For their May legal minute in The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody Phillips, John Greenhall and Lisa Wampler explain the complexities of warranties. In this episode,  NECA Directors Chad Jones and Cody Phillips discuss construction ...

We are pleased to announce that numerous Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. The Super Lawyers lists recognize no more than 5 percent of ...

One of the most notorious parts of AP classes in high school is the dreaded The College Board AP Exam. Each AP course has a corresponding intense and proctored AP Exam, but the question for high schoolers in the past few months has been how these ...

As an update to our May 8 article, on May 21, Governor Wolf amended his May 7 Executive Order that imposed a moratorium on all evictions. Under the amendment, the moratorium now only applies to tenants who have not paid rent and other amounts owed, ...

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of the learning environments for our students into remote and distance learning. They’re all in remote classrooms. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen an uptick in accusations that students have engaged in ...

In October 2019, we wrote about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh v. Pittsburgh, in which the court vacated the Commonwealth Court’s earlier order declaring that the city could not require ...

As first discussed in our article, ”Keeping the Lights on During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Paycheck Protection Program,” the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) ...

Following the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s order on April 28 that directed state courts to open for business on May 4, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued an executive order on May 7 declaring a moratorium on evictions through July 10, 2020. The ...

As a longtime supporter of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia and its mission to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter, Cohen Seglias was proud to sponsor their Building Hope Virtual Lunch-In on May 7. Through our Block Builder ...

With construction sites re-opening and others going out for proposals, it is imperative that everyone in a business, from estimator to project manager to laborer understands the new normal on project sites. Across the board, proper precautions must ...

Pennsylvania’s landlords are closely watching statewide bans on eviction proceedings, as well as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter. The Supreme Court issued an order on April 28 in which it directed that state courts open for ...

For their April legal minute in The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody Phillips, John Greenhall and Lisa Wampler explain the complexities of Force Majeure clauses. About The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody ...

Receiving a summons or a subpoena for the first time can be very confusing. What does it mean? What are you supposed to do next? How is one different from the other? Luckily, our legal team at DC Student Defense is here not only to answer all your ...

The construction industry can resume operations statewide starting May 1, 2020 under recent orders from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. The Governor’s decision brought relief and excitement to contractors eager to get back to work. It also brought ...

While the country faces the COVID-19 pandemic, highway and transportation construction is almost uniformly proceeding across the country, even though state and local orders have shuttered other construction work. In fact, due to shelter-at-home ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias is recognized in the 2020 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. The firm’s Construction Group is once again named a ...

I am proud to say this blog post has nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic, but rather a simpler time. The year was 2017. Construction was thriving, and “social distancing” was not part of the lexicon. That year, Pennsylvania rolled out ...

It has been nearly 18 years since the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates approved the Commission on Multijurisdictional Practice’s Report 201B proposing amendments to Model Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5 to address the permissible ...

Cohen Seglias Managing Partner George Pallas presented a webinar on “Change Orders: How to Avoid Making Their Problems Your Problems” at NASCC: The Virtual Steel Conference on April 21, 2020. The Engineering News-Record highlighted some ...

Since COVID-19 has taken over our daily lives, we have received numerous questions from our clients regarding specific fact patterns and how they are handled under the new laws, regulations, and guidance. Due to the urgency of the situation, many ...

As of April 13, 2020, Pennsylvania has over 24,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. With a wide variety of executive orders and related guidance in place to slow the transmission of this illness, determining what work, if any, your construction business ...

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, Rachel Levine, MD, has issued an order that was effective as of 12:01 AM on April 6, 2020 imposing specific cleaning protocols on certain property owners. The order ...

The coronavirus pandemic has created novel burdens for contractors throughout the world. Project stoppages, limited work exemptions, and mandatory restrictions will continue to impact construction and related industries well into the future. Due to ...

On March 30, 2020, Governor Cuomo signed Executive Order 202.13 that modifies previous Executive Order 202.6 and narrows the types of construction sites that are authorized to continue in New York State. The new order authorizes only “essential” ...

Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia are among the growing number of jurisdictions that are implementing restrictive measures aimed at addressing the ongoing public health emergency caused by coronavirus (COVID-19). These restrictive measures ...

Michael Metz-Topodas was a guest on the Building PA Podcast hosted by Chris Martin, President of Atlas Marketing, and Jon O’Brien, Executive Director for the Keystone Contractors Association. He discussed CASPA (Contractor and Subcontractor ...

The economic injury disaster loan program (EIDL) is an existing loan facility operated by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) under Section 7(b) of the Small Business Administration Act of 1953 (SBA Act). The purpose of the EIDL ...

Our newsletter team recently spoke with our new construction partners, Matt Gioffre and Michael Metz-Topodas, to discuss their careers and legal practices. Q: Tell us a little about your practice and the services that you provide to your ...

Employers in Pennsylvania should stay on their toes as the Pennsylvania attorney general (AG) announced charges against a major mechanical contractor engaged in numerous public works projects for crimes arising from a prevailing wage dispute. This ...

The novel coronavirus disease, alternatively referred to as COVID-19, recently attained pandemic status as it sweeps across the globe. Markets everywhere are being disrupted and, while the extent of its impact is still uncertain, it is clear that ...

A maxim of real property rights is “to whomever the soil belongs, he owns also to the sky and to the depths,” which is derived from the Latin expression cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad coelum et ad infersos. This maxim, referred to as the ad ...

In our first issue of 2020, you will learn about the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the construction industry. As a party to a construction contract, we address how you can effectively adapt to this fluid and perilous situation. In addition, ...

In our first issue of 2020, you will learn about the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the construction industry. As a party to a construction contract, we address how you can effectively adapt to this fluid and perilous situation.

Cohen Seglias Partner Ed Seglias was interviewed for the Philadelphia Business Journal article, “‘It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn’: Local Developers Work to Construct a Path Forward,” by Natalie Kostelni. Until a ...

Individuals are presently required to take yearly taxable distributions that increase one’s total income tax liability and in some cases may push an individual into a higher income tax bracket, known as Required Minimum Distributions (RMD), from ...

The impact of COVID-19 on businesses has been catastrophic, with many forced to close altogether, and others required to scale back operations significantly. Put simply, the pandemic has caused widespread business interruption, which poses to each ...

With the dramatic increase of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the United States, it is important for all of us to be prepared, especially when it comes to our health care directives. The best way to do this which you may already have done is by ...

Last Friday, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act is broad-ranging, with multiple provisions and potential economic relief possibilities, including loans for businesses regardless of ...

Please Note: This article was updated on Thursday, April 2, 2020, to reflect the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s extension of the eviction ban in Pennsylvania until April 30, 2020. Nothing else has changed.  In the face of the coronavirus ...

On March 12, 2020, Virginia joined Maryland and the District of Columbia in declaring a state of emergency in connection with the rising number of confirmed coronavirus diagnoses in the DC Metro area. Since then, both state governments and the ...

Following the issuance of Governor Wolf’s March 19, 2020 executive order, which prohibited the in-person operations of all “non-life-sustaining” businesses, construction industry stakeholders across the state have been faced with determining ...

I never thought I would be writing about life during a pandemic, but here we are. I don’t know about you, but I am a little stir crazy. We are all navigating a different work environment, and many have been furloughed or laid off. Our children are ...

In their February legal minute in The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody Phillips, John Greenhall and Lisa Wampler explain how to address contract clauses regarding when you get paid. About The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and ...

In a major development, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will now take effect April 1, 2020, instead of April 2, 2020. This means that the paid sick time and paid family leave ...

With the number of reported cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) increasing, governors in various states are taking varying measures to reduce the spread of the virus. In some states, construction is still considered an “essential business,” whereas ...

Construction projects in Philadelphia now need to grapple with the City’s March 22 updated “Business Activity and Stay at Home Order.” Guidance released on March 23 by the City on its order illuminates which construction projects may continue ...

Please Note: This article was updated on Thursday, April 2, 2020 to reflect the latest legal and regulatory developments. At 8:00 AM Monday, March 23, 2020, enforcement measures took effect for Pennsylvania, with Governor Tom Wolf’s executive ...

During this unprecedented crisis, the rules for employers are changing every day as federal, state, and local lawmakers issue new regulations, restrictions, and reporting requirements. To help employers navigate the maze of employment laws that are ...

Following last week’s Coronavirus Employment Law Update, our Labor & Employment attorneys addressed additional FAQs to help employers navigate the maze of employment laws that are implicated by coronavirus. Employment Law FAQs Q: Is ...

Please Note: This article was updated on Monday, March 30, 2020 to reflect the latest legal and regulatory developments. With the number of reported cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) increasing, the governors of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and ...

The impact of the global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has become widespread in the United States over the past two weeks. As of 12:01 AM on March 21, 2020, Pennsylvania will begin enforcing a ban on all construction activity located within the ...

The FFCRA was subject to several amendments before it was signed by the President. Additionally, the DOL issues new guidance regarding the FFRCA on an almost daily basis. This post has been updated to reflect the amendments and current ...

We are pleased to announce the growth of our Wilmington office with the addition of Sally J. Daugherty as senior counsel in the Commercial Litigation, Construction, and Labor & Employment Groups, Stephen A. Venzie as senior counsel in the ...

The coronavirus pandemic is causing ongoing instability and uncertainty to the global economy. Already, there is a profound alteration of worldwide business operations, including the U.S. construction industry. Government restrictions are limiting ...

The coronavirus crisis is just beginning to cause effects on the construction industry that should continue to reverberate for many months, if not longer. To help subcontractors and contractors navigate these treacherous waters, Cohen Seglias has ...

The coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) has wreaked havoc on everyday life for people across the globe. The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a pandemic, and the President and Governors alike have declared states of emergency. Under ...

It may seem innocent enough: you’re a college student who wants to hang out with your friends at a bar or watch a concert at a 21-plus venue, but you’re not yet 21. So you get a fake ID so you, too, can join in the fun. What you may not know is ...

Cheating on college campuses is a widespread practice, and believe it or not, the majority of students think cheating is OK— until they get caught. But if you’re caught and found responsible for cheating on a college campus, the consequences can ...

In the United States, there are about 24 million family businesses, and they account for about 90% of the business tax returns and employ 60% of the American workforce (80 million people). According to the Small Business Administration, small ...

Construction contract indemnification clauses may get turned topsy-turvy due to legislation making its way through the Pennsylvania Assembly. Currently, Pennsylvania’s anti-indemnification statute applies to certain, limited instances. The ...

If you have been arrested while you’re in college—even if it wasn’t on campus — you run the risk of being punished twice for the same crime. Twice? But doesn’t the U.S. Constitution protect people from being tried twice for the same ...

Wire transfers are quickly replacing paper checks as the most common payment method on construction projects nationwide. Using wire transfers or other electronic payment offers convenience to the payor and nearly instantaneous payment for the ...

For their February legal minute in The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody Phillips, John Greenhall and Lisa Wampler review payment remediations for contractors who are not getting paid on a job. About The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad ...

Buried at the end of last year’s mundane spending bill was the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Savings Act (the SECURE Act), which drastically changes the way retirement accounts function. It is important to understand not only the major ...

All too often, construction professionals ask about responsibility for jobsite safety violations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act when a project has multiple contractors working together. Whether it’s a private project with a general ...

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued its new guidance, “Assessing a Person’s Request to Have an Animal as a Reasonable Accommodation under the Fair Housing Act.” In the guidance, HUD ...

Edward Seglias and Zachary Sanders of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC recently secured a significant victory for their client Silvi Concrete, which was wrongfully terminated by Thomas P. Carney, Inc. from the W Hotel Project in Center ...

Over 2,200 lawsuits were filed in 2018 against retailers and other companies who do business with the public because their websites were allegedly not accessible by persons with disabilities. While I am not currently aware of any landlord who has ...

Shawn R. Farrell has been named General Counsel for the National Utility Contractors Association – New Jersey Chapter (NUCA NJ), the nation’s oldest and largest association for the utility and excavation construction industry. NUCA represents ...

Now that we have ushered in the New Year, it is the perfect time to take a look back at how Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey legislature brought about a multitude of changes for New Jersey employers in 2019. In the last year alone, New Jersey ...

Employers in Pennsylvania should stay on their toes as the Pennsylvania attorney general (AG) announced charges against a major mechanical contractor engaged in numerous public works projects for crimes arising from a prevailing wage dispute. This ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce the promotions of Matthew Gioffre and Michael Metz-Topodas to Partners of the firm, effective January 1, 2020. Cohen Seglias Managing Partner George Pallas commented, “On behalf of everyone at the firm, I ...

John Greenhall and Lisa Wampler host a monthly legal minute featured in The NEXT Academy Podcast with Chad Jones and Cody Phillips. For their inaugural legal minute, John and Lisa discuss how contractors can protect themselves from inefficiencies ...

During the term of the Obama-era National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), we saw longstanding employer rules and policies upended. However, the current NLRB recently issued both a new rule and several decisions that revert back to those long-standing, ...

Structural steel fabricators occupy a unique place on construction projects. Their steelwork has substantial cost and is fundamental to the construction, and they often share design responsibilities with several other parties. As construction ...

Structural steel fabricators occupy a unique place on construction projects. Their steelwork has substantial cost and is fundamental to the construction, and they often share design responsibilities with several other parties. As construction ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the Chair of the firm’s Green Building Group, Lane Kelman. Q: Tell us a little about your practice and the Green Building Group. A: My group understands the unique issues that arise with green ...

Despite the construction industry’s few areas of certainty, contractors can invariably count on facing an OSHA compliance inspection at some point. These visits are meant to ensure everyone on-site is complying with OSHA’s many and detailed ...

As I sit here and write this article, we have experienced the first today of the televised impeachment hearings. To say that my wife was interested would be a massive understatement. She’s a true political junkie and she had the DVR running all ...

In today’s world of texting and emails, individuals regularly communicate via these written forms of communication using their mobile devices for both business and personal matters. On construction projects, it is no secret that emails largely ...

On July 30, 2019, Pennsylvania’s adoption of the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (RUAA) officially went into effect. This new law should prompt all owners, contractors, subcontractors, or anyone else involved in the construction industry to ...

Happy holidays from the editorial team at Cohen Seglias! In our final issue of 2019, you will learn the pros and cons of arbitration provisions in construction contracts, the legal implications of text messages, and how to challenge OSHA citations ...

Happy holidays from the editorial team at Cohen Seglias! In our final issue of 2019, you will learn the pros and cons of arbitration provisions in construction contracts, the legal implications of text messages, and how to challenge OSHA citations ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that Sally J. Daugherty has joined the firm as senior counsel in our Wilmington, DE office. Sally brings over three decades of experience representing small and medium-sized businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic ...

While corporations and their officers/employees have long been the focus of federal grand jury investigations, Pennsylvania prosecutors targeting corporate crime using the powers of a county/multicounty investigating grand jury is of more recent ...

Cohen Seglias is proud to continue our tradition of supporting various children’s charities throughout the holiday season with toy collections and monetary donations. Cohen Seglias matches all contributions. If you would like to make a donation, ...

Under the Department of Labor’s new overtime rules, which become effective January 1, 2020, all employees with a salary of less than $35,568 must be treated as hourly employees entitled to overtime compensation whenever they work more than 40 ...

New York City, particularly gentrifying areas of Brooklyn, Harlem, and Washington Heights, are seeing an upsurge of deed theft. Attorneys, ar­chitects, title companies, real estate brokers, agents, contractors, devel­opers and construction ...

Cohen Seglias is mentioned in the Philadelphia Business Journal article about the upcoming renovations to 1600 Market Street. The firm prepares to move into the new space in August 2020. American Real Estate Partners plans to invest more than $15 ...

Roy Cohen is named a 2019 Pennsylvania Trailblazer by The Legal Intelligencer in their inaugural list. The Pennsylvania Trailblazer list spotlights individuals who are agents of change and have made significant marks on the practice, policy, and ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the Chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group, Steve Williams. Tell us a little about your practice and the Commercial Litigation Group. A: I provide a full range of legal services to help my ...

The “experience modifier” is a method of adjusting an employer’s premium for workers’ compensation policy based upon the employer’s previous loss experience. The premise behind an experience modifier is that the ...

While a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court opinion has no direct ties to the construction industry, it still has a wide-reaching impact on Pennsylvania litigants generally, including owners, contractors, and consultants involved in construction ...

On March 8, 2018, President Trump signed a pair of executive orders putting a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum. In the eighteen months since the tariffs went into effect, the impacts of these and subsequent ...

“No damages for delay” provisions are a universal component of construction contracts on public projects. Generally imposed by public entities in an attempt to limit their exposure, “no damages for delay” provisions operate ...

In this issue, you will learn practical tips on how to avoid the risks of unpredictable pricing as well as an update on the availability of steel and aluminum for construction projects. We also cover issues that contractors should be aware of and ...

We hope you are enjoying this fall weather! In this issue, you will learn practical tips on how to avoid the risks of unpredictable pricing as well as the availability of steel and aluminum for construction projects.

Cohen Seglias is proud to continue our partnership with the American Heart Association for the fourth year in a row! On November 2, the Cohen Seglias team was joined by family, friends, and pets at the 2019 Philadelphia Heart Walk in support of ...

Despite the construction industry’s few areas of certainty, contractors can invariably count on facing an OSHA compliance inspection at some point. These visits are meant to ensure everyone on-site is following OSHA’s many and detailed ...

Breaking from prior legal precedent, an appellate court in New York ruled that if a contractor pays employees performing manual work on a biweekly basis (or less frequently), the affected employees may bring a private lawsuit or class action case ...

We are excited to announce that Cohen Seglias is named in the 2020 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list both nationally for two practice groups and regionally in Philadelphia for four practice groups. The firm is listed in the ...

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC was founded in 1988 by three attorneys and has grown to 70 attorneys in nine offices; practicing not only all over the country but throughout the world. From its inception, the business philosophy of ...

On October 16, Cohen Seglias’ volunteer team returned to Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s Sharswood Site for their final build day of 2019. Volunteers from our Philadelphia office included Kelly Bridgeford, Ryan Kellenger, Olivia Paris ...

As Cohen Seglias prepares to expand its Philadelphia office for internal growth and physical expansion, Partner Edward Seglias sat down with Natalie Kostelni of the Philadelphia Business Journal to elaborate on the firm’s decision to ...

In my 40 years of practice, I have consistently found that practitioners do not understand the area of the law dealing with liquidated damages and stipulated sums provisions. Yes, they can quote the hornbook law of Williston. And they can advise ...

Earlier this year, we wrote about the recent Commonwealth Court case, Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh v. Pittsburgh, in which the Court struck down a Pittsburgh ordinance that would require landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers ...

ALM Reporter Lizzy McLellan sat down with managing partner, George Pallas, to discuss the next generation of lawyers and planning for a successful future for the firm’s piece in The Mid-Market Report. Pallas provided the answers below, which ...

On September 13, Cohen Seglias’ DC office participated in their second Habitat for Humanity Washington, D.C. build day. Cohen Seglias attorneys and staff, Casey McKinnon, Jackson Nichols, Cynthia Roberson, Paul Simon, and Paul Williamson, were ...

Lori Wisniewski Azzara, Partner in the firm’s Pittsburgh office, is quoted in the September/October edition of BreakingGround‘s Construction Law Update. Lori discusses the rise of technology and how it is changing the legal industry and ...

As lanyard sponsor of the 2019 Construction Super Conference, Cohen Seglias is featured in the conference’s monthly newsletter, News Print. Construction Partner Ed Seglias is quoted in the article about the firm’s commitment to the ...

On March 8, 2018, President Trump signed a pair of executive orders putting a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a ten percent tariff on imported aluminum. In the eighteen months since the tariffs went into effect, the impacts of these and ...

Michael Payne, Chair of the firm’s Government Contracting Group, is quoted in the Law360 article in regard to his representation of Meridian Engineering Co. Law360 (September 24, 2019, 11:39 PM EDT) — The federal government is liable ...

Despite the construction industry’s few areas of certainty, contractors can invariably count on facing an OSHA compliance inspection at some point. These visits are meant to ensure everyone on-site is complying with OSHA’s many and detailed ...

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could dramatically alter the Commonwealth’s commercial landscape. In Gregg v. Ameriprise Financial, Inc., the Court agreed to review a decision by the Pennsylvania Superior Court, ...

In the traditional “design-bid-build” project delivery system, a project owner sometimes engages a construction manager or contractor during the pre-construction phase to consult and provide insight regarding costs, sequencing, scheduling and ...

Cohen Seglias Summer Associate Jordan L. Cramer also contributed to this article. On August 12, 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed new legislation (Senate Bill S6577, A8421) making it significantly easier for employees to file sexual harassment ...

Housing discrimination claims are on the rise. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the two agencies charged with investigating claims of housing discrimination in our ...

The iPad Pro, as I and many others have previously stated, is a much better content manager than content creator. There is no question that drafting a legal memorandum, contract or a lengthy letter is best performed using a computer with a ...

Over the last thirty years, we’ve represented dozens of family-owned and operated construction businesses. Some family businesses run like a well-oiled machine with siblings and extended family members working together harmoniously and taking on ...

This article was originally published in Currents, POWER’s quarterly Environmental newsletter. In consumer protection investigations, governmental agencies such as state Attorneys General and the Federal Trade Commission investigate business ...

We are pleased to announce that seven Cohen Seglias attorneys are included in the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Lawyers are selected for inclusion based on an exhaustive peer-review process. Roy Cohen, Litigation – ...

Large and complex projects like the Comcast Technology Center often benefit from contractors’ participation in the pre-construction design and planning phase. In late 2018, the Comcast Technology Center opened to the public after approximately ...

In any given year, my firm represents nearly 1,000 contractors. I’m on the phone with contractors talking about employee and union issues all day every day. I’m not complaining, I get to hear some pretty interesting stories about how employees ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the Chair of the firm’s Business Transactions Group, Marian Kornilowicz. Tell us a little about your practice and the services you provide to your clients. A: I joined Cohen Seglias 19 years ago as a ...

In the traditional “design-bid-build” project delivery system, a project owner sometimes engages a construction manager or contractor during the pre-construction phase to consult and provide insight regarding costs, sequencing, scheduling, and ...

Delays are an unfortunate but all-too-common reality in the construction industry. Even in the best of circumstances, proving who bears responsibility for a delay is often a burdensome task. On the most straightforward of projects, delays are often ...

On January 11, 2019, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court struck down a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) contained in a bid solicitation on a PennDOT project that required the use of union labor. The ruling also set stricter requirements for the use of ...

In today’s competitive market place, companies face an increasing level of scrutiny. Many of their policies, practices, and marketing strategies are subject to complex federal, state, and local consumer protection laws, as well as oversight by ...

Introducing our E-Newsletter! We have transitioned Construction in Brief to an electronic newsletter. Please explore our articles on our website as we no longer send out printed copies. You can subscribe to our e-newsletter here. We are excited ...

Introducing our E-Newsletter! We have transitioned Construction in Brief to an electronic newsletter. Please explore our articles on our website as we no longer send out printed copies.

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC  has announced its new office location in Newark, which currently hosts four attorneys and one administrative assistant, led by partner Michael F. McKenna. The new address is One Newark Center, 1085 ...

Cohen Seglias Managing Partner George Pallas is quoted in the Modern Counsel article, saying “I have known Aileen for over 20 years, and she is one of the best attorneys I have ever worked with. She creates pragmatic, disciplined, and principled ...

Harrisburg has seen a number of proposed bills during the past few weeks, many of which will have significant legal impacts on the construction industry. On the top of the list is an anti-indemnity statute that would put Pennsylvania among the ranks ...

The District of Columbia Universal Paid Leave Act (Act) creates a paid leave system funded by employers to provide employees with paid parental, family, and medical leave. Beginning on July 1, 2019, each “covered employer” must contribute an ...

Investigations by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (PAOAG) relating to businesses’ dealings with consumers are on the rise. It appears that the current administration believes that businesses are more frequently than ever dealing ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to welcome its 2019 summer associates – Alexandra Aversa, Jordan Cramer, Seth Gitman, and Dylan Thompson in Philadelphia; Michael Essiaw in Washington, DC; and Jamie Judefind in Wilmington. The law students work ...

On June 20, Cohen Seglias’ volunteer team participated in our first Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia build day of 2019. The team spent the day working in the Sharswood neighborhood as a part of Habitat Philly’s Neighborhood ...

Your community has a no-pet policy. When John was moving in, he inquired about the pet policy and was told that no pets are allowed. Several weeks after John moved in, your community manager saw John walking a dog in the community. When confronted ...

In today’s competitive market place, companies face an increasing level of scrutiny. Many of their policies, practices, and marketing strategies are subject to complex state and local consumer protection laws as well as oversight by both federal ...

We are proud to announce that Cohen Seglias is ranked eighth in Construction Executive’s The Top 50 Construction Law Firms® of 2019. In CE‘s Top 50 publication, Cohen Seglias Partner Marc Furman discusses why it is important for a ...

Carol Sigmond, vice chair of the NY State Bar Association’s Committee on Committees, was included in the New York Law Journal article, “Diverse Leaders To Take Over All 59 of NY State Bar Association’s Committees.” Henry M. ...

Carol Sigmond, vice chair of the NY State Bar Association’s Committee on Committees, was included in the NYSBA’s press release. All 59 NYSBA Committees Will be Chaired, Co-Chaired or Vice-Chaired by Women, People of Color or Other ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Jonathan Landesman is quoted in the New Jersey Law Journal article, “How the ‘Borgata Babes’ Case Has Helped Define Employee Appearance Standards.” Filed a decade ago, a suit by employees of the Borgata ...

Robert G. Ruggieri was recently elected as an Elective Governance Director, 2019-2022, to the Board of Directors of the Society of American Military Engineers-Philadelphia Post. As a member of the Board of Directors, Bob will assist in the ...

On April 30, Cohen Seglias joined Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia at their annual Building HOPE Luncheon as a 10th Anniversary Sponsor for $10,000. Cohen Seglias is committed to Habitat’s mission of creating safe, sustainable, and ...

In the book “We Are Not Alone,” published in 1964 and written by Walter Sullivan, the author included a chapter that asked “Is There Intelligent Life on Earth?” While that question could generate a lively debate, there can be no doubt that ...

We are pleased to announce that four Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s New Jersey Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state and the Rising Stars ...

We are pleased to announce that ten Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list and 13 others were selected to the Rising Stars list. The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in ...

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) released proposed Title IX regulations in late 2018, specifically concerning sexual harassment, including sexual assault. This is significant because the DOE has never addressed these issues through regulation. ...

I hope you enjoyed my recent webinar on payment techniques for contractors in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. If you missed it, you can access the recording here. Below are some of the highlights: Payment Techniques Traditional payment techniques for ...

Christopher Carusone was interviewed on the podcast The Allegheny Front. This week on The Allegheny Front, prosecutors in Pennsylvania are looking into possible environmental crimes committed during the fracking boom. New technology aims to recycle ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Christopher Carusone is quoted in the witf article, “Pa. prosecutors eye potential ‘environmental crimes.'” Investigators will be assessing intent or state of mind, a former federal prosecutor ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Jason Copley is quoted in the Fabricator article, “Fabricators Tap into the Potential of Steel Construction” highlighting the American Institute of Steel Construction’s 2019 Steel Convention. Jason gave ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias is recognized in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. The firm’s Construction Group is once again named a ...

The past six months have seen plenty of activity from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The following recaps the developments affecting the construction industry. As each changes the regulatory landscape, construction ...

Unlike its federal brethren at the U.S. Justice Department, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (OAG) is limited in its ability to fight anticompetitive conduct in Pennsylvania’s marketplace. The OAG has tried in vain for years to get ...

On March 13 we wrote about the recent Commonwealth Court case, Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh v. Pittsburgh, in which the Court struck down a Pittsburgh ordinance that would have required landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers ...

Construction professionals in New York face new hurdles in ensuring they are covered as additional insureds under other parties’ commercial general liability insurance policies. In 2002, a New York City agency contracted with a general contractor ...

Law360 (April 10, 2019, 1:57 PM EDT) — It has been a little over two years since George E. Pallas was elected to be the third managing partner of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, the Pennsylvania-based, construction-focused ...

Recently, the New York Court of Appeals has resolved an open issue under Lien Law section 3 concerning leased property. Historically, landlords in New York City have included language in leases purporting to shield their interest in property from ...

2018 marked Cohen Seglias’ 30th anniversary. To commemorate the year, we hosted a series of events benefitting local charities in a number of our cities. The firm has a longstanding tradition of civic involvement and we were proud to celebrate our ...

Construction Contracts & Risk Management Group In 2018, laws concerning construction contracts and projects changed in many states. For example, Pennsylvania modified its Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act, changing notice requirements and ...

Indemnity provisions are common features in construction contracts. They typically require one party, the indemnitor, to provide protection to another party (e.g., “to indemnify”) from liability for losses caused by the indemnitor. Typically, a ...

On August 31, 2018, Cohen Seglias celebrated a milestone, our 30th anniversary. I think back to 1988 when John Greenhall and I, fresh from a triumphant jury verdict in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, moved into our first office, a 5000 square foot ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with new Partner Bob Ruggieri. Q: Tell us a little about your practice and the services you provide your clients.  A: I represent and provide counsel to federal government contractors, with a specific focus on ...

2018 was a great year for the firm. In addition to growth across all of our offices, we celebrated our 30th anniversary with a series of charitable events, giving back to our local communities. As the new year kicks off, we are excited to announce a ...

2018 was a great year for the firm. In addition to growth across all of our offices, we celebrated our 30th anniversary with a series of charitable events, giving back to our local communities.

I am a great fan and early adopter of legal technology, but when it comes to e-discovery I often find myself longing for the good old days. The Information Age has brought about an explosion of digital information that is stored on computers, mobile ...

Paul Thaler, chair of the firm’s Scientific Misconduct Group, was quoted in the Bloomberg Law article, “Duke’s Fraud Trouble Is a Wake-up Call for Research Compliance.” Duke University’s whopping $112.5 million settlement for ...

Your community has a no-pet policy. When John was moving in, he asked about the pet policy and was told no pets are allowed. Several weeks after John moved in, your community manager saw John walking a dog in the community. When confronted about the ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Timothy Furin was selected to Law360‘s 2019 Government Contracts Editorial Advisory Board. Law360 (March 19, 2019, 12:33 PM EDT) — Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2019 Government Contracts ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Carol Sigmond was selected to Law360‘s 2019 Construction Editorial Advisory Board. Law360 (March 14, 2019, 2:51 PM EDT) — Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2019 Construction Editorial Advisory ...

In a recent case, the Commonwealth Court struck down a Pittsburgh ordinance that would have required landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers from tenants. In Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh v. Pittsburgh, the Court concluded that the ...

On March 7, 2019, the United States Department of Labor issued a proposed new overtime rule that will raise the minimum salary threshold for workers to qualify for the white-collar exemption to the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor ...

If your will has a trust arrangement in place for your spouse, -and it probably does, the trust must be a sole use trust for Pennsylvania purposes in order to qualify the trust assets to be taxed at 0%. If the trust under your will is not a sole use ...

Certain building materials, such as wood, have been in use since humans first built huts and lean-tos. In more recent years, condominium and cooperative boards have been dealing with a vari­ety of building facade issues, including issues involving ...

Prompt payment statutes require timely payments to contractors on construction projects. Understanding prompt pay laws and their application is highly beneficial to contractors. Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia all have prompt pay statutes ...

In 2018, Cohen Seglias’ DC office became involved with the Humane Rescue Alliance, an organization that protects animals, supports families, and advocates for positive change to create a world where all animals can thrive. In addition to ...

The owner of Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens entered into the cemetery business by accident. Now he wants out. Ramesh Rao said in a recent interview he hopes to sell the 24.9-acre cemetery for $1.4 million. In the meantime, the Philadelphia engineer ...

The Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL), 73 P.S. § 201-1 et seq., and the Administrative Code of 1929, specifically y71 P.S. § 307-3, vest the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General with the power to ...

Roy Cohen is quoted in the Philadelphia Business Journal article, “Multiple mechanic’s liens filed over construction of Comcast Technology Center,” in regard to the firm’s representation of Ray Angelini Inc. Millions of ...

I find it interesting that some of the younger attorneys I know, and most of the older ones too, do not share my fascination with computer technology. Perhaps my interest is not shared by younger attorneys because they find no novelty in something ...

A project on the Upper West Side has resulted in a cluster of proposed legislation to address the safety of residents in multiple dwelling buildings subject to major construction work. Most of the impact will be in conversions, but any building with ...

A conduct case against a district judge in the Mon Valley has been dismissed after he successfully completed a mentoring program. The Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline last week dismissed the case against Mark Wilson, ruling he successfully ...

The Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL), 73 P.S. Section 201-1 et seq., and the Administrative Code of 1929, specifically 71 P.S. Section 307-3, vest the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (OAG) with the ...

Robert G. Ruggieri has been named Partner, effective January 1, 2019. Bob is a member of the firm’s Government Contracting Group. “On behalf of everyone at Cohen Seglias, I congratulate Bob on this well-deserved accomplishment,” said ...

Edward Seglias has been named Secretary and General Counsel for the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), and George Pallas and Jason Copley will serve as Assistant General Counsel. AISC, headquartered in Chicago, IL, is a non-partisan, ...

What you want Baby, I got it What you need Do you know I got it? It’s a WILL Aretha Franklin, known by many as the Queen of Soul, died just a couple of months ago at age 76. She had four living children by multiple partners, her first at only 12 ...

On December 7, Cohen Seglias hosted our 30th Anniversary Holiday Party at The Franklin Institute, Fels Planetarium, in Philadelphia. The event was part of the commemoration of our 30th anniversary in which we hosted a series of events ...

On November 29, Cohen Seglias hosted an event benefiting Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank at Bar Marco’s Union Hall in Pittsburgh, PA. The event was part of our commemoration of the firm’s 30th anniversary and the Pittsburgh ...

I’m a management-side labor and employment lawyer. It’s my job to go to court and defend employers and executives accused of all different types of misconduct, including sexual harassment. Over the last 20 years, I’ve seen it all. Some of my ...

Welcome to the Subcontractor’s Guide To Proving Delay. The goal of this guide is to help you understand how to prove that your work has been delayed and to recover costs associated with that delay. This guide will: Give you an understanding of ...

In 2008, Richard Susskind, the noted author of books predicting upcoming changes in the legal profession, wrote the “End of Lawyers: Rethinking the Nature of Legal Services.” It was a fascinating warning about the need for lawyers to adapt to ...

On November 15, Cohen Seglias participated in its inaugural Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC build day. The volunteer build day brought together Cohen Seglias attorneys and staff and members of Associated Builders and Contractors of Metro ...

To commemorate Cohen Seglias’ 30th Anniversary, we hosted a series of events benefiting charities in our communities. On November 1, our attorneys and staff were joined by clients, Associated Builders and Contractors of Metro Washington members, ...

The Delay Damages Bill concerning delay related to claims against public entities passed the NYS Senate on Thursday, June 14. Currently, the Bill awaits signature by Governor Cuomo. But if Governor Cuomo signs the Bill, this will not end the ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias is named on the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® 2019 “Best Law Firms” list nationally and regionally in Philadelphia. The firm received National Tier 3 recognition in Construction Law and Litigation – ...

The Ohio Supreme Court’s October 9, 2018 decision in Ohio Northern University v. Charles Construction Services, Inc., 2018-Ohio-4057 issued a blow to general contractors attempting to obtain insurance coverage under their commercial general ...

On October 24, 2018, Governor Wolf signed into law the Assistance and Service Animal Integrity Act, Act 118-2018 (House Bill 2049), which takes effect on December 23, 2018. The Act is designed to assist landlords and condominium and homeowner ...

On October 24, Cohen Seglias’ volunteer team returned to Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia‘s Diamond Park housing development for the final time as they put finishing touches on the last houses. Volunteers from our Philadelphia and New ...

A 40-year-old program designed to help “socially and economically disadvantaged” small businesses win federal contracts is full of ineligible participants, according to a recent report from the Small Business Administration’s Office of ...

Maria Panichelli was a guest of the podcast, Federal Game Changers powered by RSM Federal, and discussed the proposed rule changes to the SDVOSB certification. These rules will change how the VA and SBA handle this certification.

On October 10, 2018, the amendments to the Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act, 73 P.S. § 501, et seq. (CASPA) will take effect and significantly impact the rights and duties of owners, contractors, and subcontractors on all Pennsylvania ...

After nearly ten years of operating under the 2009 International Construction Code, in May 2018, Philadelphia City Council modernized the City’s commercial and multi-family building regulations by adopting the 2018 International Construction Code ...

Contracts often include arbitration provisions for multiple reasons, such as: to reduce litigation costs, to increase the speed of dispute resolution, and to allow parties the opportunity to choose an experienced arbitrator rather than roll the dice ...

On March 1, 2018, President Trump announced his intention to enact a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum, which went into effect on June 1. Before the tariffs, the U.S. imported about a third of all steel used ...

Perhaps no issue has generated more buzz in labor law circles in recent months than the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) stance on joint employer liability. The consequences of being deemed a joint employer can be dramatic for the ...

Brief Note: Welcome to the fall edition of Construction in Brief! In this issue, we provide the latest information on a number of legislative changes affecting your business. You will learn about new amendments to the Pennsylvania contractor and ...

On June 12, 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed into law House Bill 566, which includes several amendments to the Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act, 73 P.S. § 501, et seq. (CASPA). The amendments take effect on October 10, ...

Welcome to the fall edition of Construction in Brief! In this issue, we provide the latest information on a number of legislative changes affecting your business.

My parents would only buy new construction; I prefer not to do so, at least in New York City condominium buildings. New buildings are fraught with issues, mostly in the nature of construction defects. Buyers of units in new buildings in New York ...

This past weekend, Governor Wolf’s office announced it was notified by the United States Department of Homeland Security that Pennsylvania residents can use their driver’s licenses to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities until ...

I’m a management-side employment lawyer. It’s my job to go to court and defend employers and executives accused of all different types of misconduct, including sexual harassment. Over the last 20 years, I have seen it all. Some of my cases ...

Joint employment has kept labor and employment lawyers busy in recent years. The concept of joint employment means that an employee can be simultaneously, or “jointly,” employed by two or more entities that exercise, or have the right to ...

On October 10, 2018, Pennsylvanians will no longer be allowed to board domestic flights or to enter federal facilities, such as federal courthouses and military bases, using their driver’s licenses. This change comes pursuant to the U.S. REAL ID ...

Effective October 1, 2018, general contractors with projects in Maryland will have a new headache to deal with. That’s when Maryland’s new law, the General Contractor Liability for Unpaid Wages Act, will go into effect. Under the Act, GCs will ...

Local Law 196-17 has been controversial from its inception as a legislative proposal, and the controversy remains as the New York City Department of Buildings (NYC DOB) begins implementation. The public presentation of the original bill was to ...

To commemorate Cohen Seglias’ 30th Anniversary, we are hosting a series of events benefiting charities in our communities. On Tuesday, August 21, the Harrisburg office celebrated at FNB Field. Despite the rained out Senators game, friends of the ...

For the third year in a row, Cohen Seglias is participating in the Philadelphia Heart Walk. On October 27, friends and family are welcome to join our team at Citizens Bank Park. The Firm’s goal is to raise money to support the American Heart ...

We are pleased to announce that seven Cohen Seglias attorneys are included in the 2019 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Lawyers are selected for inclusion based on an exhaustive peer-review process. Roy Cohen, Litigation – ...

This article was prepared as course material for the American Bar Association Section of Public Contract Law Annual Meeting. I. Introduction The Judgment Fund was established by Congress in 1956 to alleviate the need for specific legislation ...

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Unfortunately, in a world where opinion often replaces fact, and one negative article or blog post ...

The marketing department sat down with Mike McKenna, who recently joined our Newark, New Jersey office. Q: Tell us a little about your practice. A: For the last 38 years, I have almost exclusively practiced in the area of construction law. My ...

In order to ensure the financial health of construction companies working on federal jobs, Congress has provided first and second tier subcontractors and suppliers with a potent remedy. Under the federal Miller Act, 40 U.S.C. § 3133, prime ...

When a property owner claims damages due to defective construction, the first step for a contractor is to notify its commercial general liability (CGL) insurance carrier for coverage. In most instances, this process is straightforward. However, ...

Performance specifications in a construction contract can dramatically alter decisions about costs, pricing, and quantities, and therefore profits. Often they make a design-bid-build job feel like it is operating more like design-build, disrupting ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! In this issue, you will learn valuable information regarding performance specifications, as well as for subcontractors on federal projects in Maryland, Virginia, ...

In this issue, you will learn valuable information regarding performance specifications, as well as for subcontractors on federal projects in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, which represents government contractors, corporate clients, midsize privately held businesses and construction companies, has added a former acquisition law specialist from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Michael F. McKenna and Associate Anthony J. Tavormina Represented Randolph Tennis Center and Grand Slam Tennis in large jury verdict. Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, a law firm representing corporate clients, ...

Law360 published an article about Michael F. McKenna and Anthony J. Tavormina’s representation of Randolph Tennis Center and Grand Slam Tennis in a large jury verdict. A New Jersey jury has found three companies involved in the construction ...

For nearly 30 years, New York City property owners have been coping with the so called “drive by ADA violation” litigation. These cases are less about correcting ADA violations or improving handicapped accessibility than generating attorney fees ...

For the firm’s first build day of 2018, the Cohen Seglias volunteer team returned to Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia‘s Diamond Park site. The volunteers, Anthony Bottenfield, Jeff Jakob, Megan Jaskolka, Michelle Marano, Joseph ...

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC has announced the hires of Michael F. McKenna and Anthony J. Tavormina as attorneys in the firm’s Newark office. McKenna is a Partner and Tavormina is an Associate, both in the firm’s Construction ...

We are pleased to announce that ten Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s Super Lawyers list and ten others were selected to the Rising Stars list. The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state ...

Cohen Seglias partner Paul Thaler is quoted in the collaboration piece between Undark and Retraction Watch. This story is a product of a collaboration between Undark and Retraction Watch. Sometime after 2010 — he isn’t exactly sure when — ...

With the most recent development boom and the inexplicable omission of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) to ensure the safety of adjacent buildings from undermining by developers, it now falls to property owners to understand how to ...

Cohen Seglias partner Lisa Wampler is quoted in the BreakingGround article, “Managing Risk in a Boom Market”. Lisa gave advice for contractors on how to handle the 2018-2020 market boom for construction in Western PA. By: Jeff ...

Many, if not all, construction subcontracts contain a provision requiring the subcontractor to name the general contractor, owner, and others as “additional insureds” on the subcontractor’s liability insurance policies. Contractors include ...

On May 1, Cohen Seglias joined Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia at their annual Building HOPE Luncheon as a Block Builder sponsor. Cohen Seglias is committed to Habitat’s mission of creating safe, sustainable, and affordable housing with ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias is recognized in the 2018 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. We could not have done it without our clients. When ...

Attention all PTAC Counselors: Veteran-owned business eligibility requirements are about to change. In January of this year, both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued proposed rules that would ...

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro took the helm of the Attorney General’s Office (OAG) in January 2017. Since his election, the OAG has been extremely active in conducting investigations and filing lawsuits in matters affecting a ...

In December 2017, Paul Thaler sat on a panel concerning the area of scientific misconduct investigations for the ORI conference. A paper resulted from the panel’s efforts and is published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). ...

Whether implicit or explicit, every cooperative and condominium board has certain maintenance policies. Some, such as the policy that tenants or unit owners are responsible for their own decorating and upgrades, are similar from building to ...

Recent OSHA activity indicates possible changes in the scope and enforcement of the newly-created Improve Tracking of Workplace Injury and Illnesses Rule (Electronic Reporting Rule). OSHA intends to collect less data than the rule requires in order ...

Perhaps good things really do come to those who wait. Ending eighteen months of anticipation, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued its ruling on the challenge to the FCC’s July 2015 Declaratory Ruling and Order (the ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Chris Carusone was quoted in the Observer-Reporter article, “District Judge Mark Wilson to be Mentored to Resolve Conduct Complaints,” in regard to his representation of the judge. District Judge Mark Wilson will ...

A recent federal appeals court decision rejected a challenge to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s new rule for respirable crystalline silica (silica) exposure in the construction industry (the Silica Rule), keeping the rule ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Christopher Carusone was quoted in the Central Penn Business Journal article, “Government Pa. House Panel OKs So-Called ‘Clean-Slate’ Bill.” The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee voted ...

When condominium unit owners or cooperative shareholders opt to have renovations or other construction work performed in apartments, the salesmen and contractors must have home improvement licenses issued by the New York City Department of Consumer ...

Attorneys are bound by developing ethical rules and duties relating to e-discovery. These rules and duties deserve emphasis because courts, and clients, are increasingly concerned about the manner in which attorneys conduct discovery and, ...

Paul Thaler is quoted in the Retraction Watch article “PNAS asks D.C. court to dismiss $10 million defamation lawsuit,” in his capacity as counsel for Mark Jacobson. WASHINGTON, DC — Lawyers for the National Academy of Sciences have ...

Cohen Seglias partner Paul Thaler is quoted in the Earth & Space Science News article, ” Scientific Row over Renewables Leads to Free Speech Legal Fight”, in regards to his representation of  Mark Z. Jacobson. After a leading ...

The marketing department recently sat down with the Firm’s new Chief Operating Officer, Kathleen Garrity. While Kathleen has been with the Firm for four years as Executive Director, she was promoted to Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, ...

Good news for federal construction contractors: a recent Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (Board) decision confirmed that waiver defenses can defeat government demands for strict compliance with contract requirements. On December 19, 2017, ...

Virtually every transaction for the sale of construction materials involves an exchange of the contracting parties’ respective terms and conditions, along with several documents including credit applications, price quotes, purchase orders, order ...

If you are a union contractor, you are probably making contributions to one or more union pension funds every month. These pension funds, known as multi-employer pension plans (MEPs), rely on a number of employers paying their share toward a common ...

In what seems like the blink of an eye, 2017 is already gone. One of the biggest changes to the Pennsylvania construction industry is now over a year old. That’s right, the Pennsylvania Construction Notices Directory—the state-operated ...

Brief Note: We hope that you are having a productive start to the new year. In this issue, you will learn some useful strategies for buying and selling construction materials and receive an update on the Pennsylvania Construction Notices Directory. ...

In this issue, you will learn some useful strategies for buying and selling construction materials and receive an update on the Pennsylvania Construction Notices Directory.

In my 20 years representing contractors – union and nonunion alike – I feel the pain that many have felt, especially in recent years, over decisions that have been handed down by the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”). Before we go any ...

Breastfeeding is now a protected act and category under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (“NJLAD”). Employers are prohibited from discriminating against an employee in compensation, hiring, or firing because they breastfeed. ...

Traditionally, public agencies have awarded construction contracts via the “lowest responsible bidder” procurement method, where bidders submit sealed bids and contracts are awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. However, a number of ...

Last month a bill was introduced to the New Jersey State Assembly (A-5287) by Assemblymen John McKeon (Essex and Morris) and Jon Bramnick (Morris, Somerset, and Union) that would bar provisions in employment contracts that waive any substantive or ...

On Nov. 29, 2017, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced a revised Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Corporate Enforcement Policy. The new policy contains a clear roadmap for avoiding corporate criminal liability that corporate counsel ...

The answer to this question depends on the outcome of next year’s gubernatorial election. Upon taking office, President Donald Trump issued two executive orders designed to implement what his former chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon described ...

The United States may have withdrawn from the Paris Climate Accord, but the issues of climate change remain topical. Indeed, New York State and New York City are among the U.S. jurisdictions that are working within the Paris framework, the U.S. ...

Pennsylvania Court Adds ‘Last Month’s Rent’ to Definition of ‘Security Deposit’ As most residential landlords know, the Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act (the “Act”) contains comprehensive and complicated ...

On January 1, 2018, the rules and procedures relating to IRS audits of partnerships, including those limited liability companies taxed as partnerships, (for purposes here, collectively, the “Partnerships”) will change. The Bipartisan Budget Act ...

On January 1, 2018, the rules and procedures relating to IRS audits of partnerships, including those limited liability companies taxed as partnerships, (for purposes here, collectively, the “Partnerships”) will change. The Bipartisan Budget Act ...

For employers, the tide is making its long awaited turn in our nation’s capital at the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”). Last week, the NLRB reversed precedent on four significant rules that were widely viewed as favorable to unions and ...

In today’s Federal contracting market, a growing number of government contracts are set-aside for various types of small businesses. It’s no surprise that, in this highly competitive environment, cooperative contractor relationships – ...

Teaming is one of the hottest topics in Federal contracting – and for good reason. Whether you are a small business looking to expand your capabilities, or a large business looking for access to set-aside contracts, teaming can greatly expand your ...

It’s no surprise that in today’s market, with a growing number of Federal government contracts set-aside for various types of small businesses, teaming relationships are increasingly popular. Large contractors like teaming because it provides ...

In today’s Federal contracting market, a growing number of government contracts are set-aside for various types of small businesses. It’s no surprise that, in this highly competitive environment, cooperative contractor relationships – ...

Maria Panichelli and Ed DeLisle presented this information as a breakout session at APTAC’s 2017 Fall Training Conference. APTAC is grateful for their willingness to submit it as an article, so that our entire membership can benefit. In 2016, the ...

Cohen Seglias is proud to continue our tradition of supporting worthy causes during the 2017 holiday season. Each year the Firm brings holiday joy to less fortunate children locally and nationally through our annual toy drive. Toy donations and ...

We are pleased to announce that U.S. News – Best Lawyers® ranked the Firm to the 2018 “Best Law Firms” Philadelphia Metropolitan list. Cohen Seglias received Tier 1 recognition in Construction Law and Litigation – Construction, Tier 2 ...

Having been a labor and employment lawyer for the last 20 years, it’s fair to say that I’ve been around the block a few times. I’ve represented hundreds of contractors, and I’ve seen them make the same mistakes, again and again. This article ...

UPDATE: On November 22, 2017, OSHA announced that it moved the electronic reporting deadline for 2016 data and information from December 1, 2017 to December 15, 2017. The following blog post has been updated to reflect this change. No other parts of ...

Philadelphia, PA – November 14, 2017 – Cohen Seglias partner Marian A. Kornilowicz has been re-elected as vice president of the Jagiellonian Law Society. Mr. Kornilowicz is Chair of Cohen Seglias’ Business Transactions and Real Estate ...

One of the general and principal benefits of incorporating a business entity is limited liability; the owners of a corporation are not liable for the corporation’s actions or debts. There are, however, exceptions. One of the exceptions is the ...

In a recent decision, the Third Circuit concluded that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to compensate employees for all rest breaks of twenty minutes or less. By way of background, employer American Future Systems, d/b/a ...

Drone use — as predicted — has grown more prevalent throughout the U.S. commercial marketplace and especially the construction industry. Last year, an estimated 2.5 million drones were sold in the United States, and approximately 670,000 drones ...

The federal government has a long-standing pref­erence for incorporating domestic materials and products into public construction projects. While a number of statutes and regulations promote this policy, the Buy American Act of 1933 (BAA) is the ...

In light of a recent decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court, individuals and entities owning recently constructed or renovated properties should take extra caution to ensure that they pursue any construction defect claims within the six-year ...

Brief Note: In this issue, we cover the complex drone regulations contractors face and invite you to learn more about the Buy American Act and how it affects your construction projects. Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year! Ashling ...

In this issue, we cover the complex drone regulations contractors face and invite you to learn more about the Buy American Act and how it affects your construction projects.

On October 11, volunteers from our Philadelphia and New York offices spent the day with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia at their Diamond Park build site. Our volunteer team consisting of Dan Fierstein, Kate Gleason, Spencer Hauck, Megan ...

This article was originally published in the 2017 edition of the Utility and Transportation Contractor Association’s Magazine. If you are a union contractor, you are probably making contributions into one or more union pension funds every ...

Have you ever been in a situation where your subcontractor or fabricator did not have the financial ability to purchase material needed for a project? Have you ever offered your assistance by way of either directly purchasing the material and ...

For the second year in a row, Cohen Seglias is participating in the Philadelphia Heart Walk. On November 4th, friends and family are welcome to join our team at Citizens Bank Park. The Firm’s goal is to raise money to support the American ...

Partner Carol Sigmond was quoted in the September 13, 2017 New York Law Journal article “Crane Damages, Even Reduced, Still Could Be a ‘Game-Changer’.” A Manhattan appeals court has more than cut in half the wrongful ...

Cohen Seglias partner Paul Thaler was interviewed at the Office of Research Integrity 2017 Conference by Report on Research Compliance. Their piece on him, “‘The Key to Not Getting Sued’ and Other Tales from a Foremost Misconduct ...

When an owner or developer provides detailed design documents to a construction contractor and requires that the contractor build in accordance with those design documents, it has long been held that the owner impliedly warrants to the contractor ...

For the construction law bar, the ubiquitous and widespread use of the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) contracts by public entities, developers, owners, contractors and architects all but assures their continued presence in ...

In a previous post, we wrote about drones (which are more formally referred to as “unmanned aircraft systems” or UAS), as well as the nascent federal and state statutory and regulatory framework. Since our last article, drone use – as ...

We are pleased to announce that five Cohen Seglias attorneys have been included in the 2018 Edition of Best Lawyers in America, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, in four practice areas: Ed ...

If you are a union contractor, you are probably making contributions into one or more union pension funds every month. These pension funds, known as multi-employer pension plans (MEPs), rely on a number of employers paying their share toward a ...

From time to time, cooperative and condominium boards have issues with commercial tenants over lease appurtenances. Often this issue arises in conjunction with disputes among the cooperative or condominium board and the commercial unit owner and its ...

I have never met an attorney who did not believe that he was perfectly capable of drafting legislation. This confidence may come from a mastery of the case law governing the subject matter of the ­proposed legislation. Or perhaps it derives from ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! We are excited to introduce our new Partner, Cheryl Santaniello, who just joined the Business Transactions Group in Delaware. In the Wilmington Office Q&A, you will learn ...

On May 16, 2017, Philadelphia voters approved a ballot measure amending the Home Rule Charter (the Amendment) to allow the City to enter into contracts for certain goods and services based on “best value.” Best value contracting is the practice ...

With limited exceptions, nearly all states require that contractors purchase workers’ compensation insurance when performing work in that state. That seems simple enough, right? There are, however, at least 52 different sets of workers’ ...

Recently, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit limited the ability of a public entity to arbitrarily (1) declare that a low-bidder on a project is “not responsible,” and (2) award a contract to the next-lowest bidder. In the ...

Every ten years, the American Institute of Architects (the AIA) revises the standard AIA Contract Documents to account for developments in the construction industry and changes in the law. 2017 marks the latest AIA Contract document update, with the ...

Our marketing department recently sat down with the partners in our Wilmington office, including its new addition, Cheryl Santaniello. Q: Tell us a little about Cohen Seglias in Wilmington. A: Ed — We opened the office in 2003, primarily to serve ...

We are excited to introduce our new Business Transactions Partner, Cheryl Santaniello. In the Wilmington Office Q&A, learn about the experience she offers the Firm’s clients.

Cohen Seglias partner Paul Thaler weighed in on the “honest error” defense for researchers involved in misconduct proceedings for the Science article, “Why would a university pay a scientist found guilty of misconduct to ...

On July 26th join Cohen Seglias attorneys Matt Gioffre and Dan Fierstein for their seminar, “Killer Contract Clauses for Construction & Service” for the Mechanical & Service Contractors Association (M&SCA) in Blue ...

Design professionals doing business in Kentucky beware: the Kentucky Court of Appeals recently held that a contractor may pursue a negligent misrepresentation claim against an architect for delays to a project resulting from allegedly defective ...

The federal government has a long-standing pref­erence for incorporating domestic materials and products into public construction projects. While a number of statutes and regulations promote this policy, the Buy American Act of 1933 (BAA) is the ...

Cohen Seglias Managing Partner, George Pallas, was quoted in the Delaware Online article, “Towns in quandary over Christie order on road construction.” As road construction crews across New Jersey prepared to leave work Friday – ...

On July 13, the Cohen Seglias volunteer team from our Pittsburgh office, consisting of Lori Wisniewski Azzara, Emily Lane, Brian Lawton, Jim McGraw, Jim McNally, and Lisa Wampler, joined Habitat for Humanity Pittsburgh at their build site in ...

We are pleased to announce that eleven Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list and eight attorneys to the Pennsylvania Rising Stars list in the areas of Construction Litigation, Government ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Paul Thaler was quoted in the Retraction Watch article, “Career derailed, ex-prof to sue Montana State for wrongful termination.” The article is available on the Retraction Watch website.

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that Lisa Wampler has been named a 2017 Distinguished Leader by The Legal Intelligencer. This inaugural award recognizes Pennsylvania-based lawyers who achieved impressive results in the past year and ...

Liability in Green Building On June 13th, join Lane Kelman and Jennifer Budd for their Delaware Valley Green Building Council Lunch & Learn on liability in green building. The Lunch & Learn will be held at the Philadelphia office of ...

We are proud to announce that Chambers & Partners has again recognized our Construction and Labor & Employment Groups in the 2017 edition of Chambers USA, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. Additionally, Chambers ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Chris Carusone was interviewed by Pat Cloonan for the Herald-Standard article, “Monongahela judge defends conduct, would accept ‘judicial diversion’.” Monongahela Magisterial District Judge Mark A. Wilson ...

On May 4th, Cohen Seglias kicked off its 2017 partnership with Habitat for Humanity at their annual Building HOPE Luncheon as a Block Builder sponsor. This year’s Luncheon successfully raised a record-breaking amount of $420,823 to keep ...

We are pleased to announce that eleven Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to the 2017 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list and eight attorneys to the Pennsylvania Rising Stars list in the areas of Construction Litigation, Government Contracts, ...

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is commonly understood to set forth basic nondiscrimination requirements prohibiting the exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment of individuals with disabilities. These requirements apply ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Paul Thaler was quoted in the Retraction Watch article, “Ecologist loses appeal for whistleblower protection.” Paul commented on the recent decision by the National Science Foundation. The article is available ...

Over the years, there has been debate as to whether the New York State Scaffolding Law (Labor Law §240) applies to window washers working in high-rise residential buildings. The better view is that it does. The New York Scaffolding Law dates from ...

On May 31st, the Cohen Seglias volunteer team consisting of Kelly Bridgeford, Carl Engel, Alicia Meintel, Olivia Paris-Kornilowicz, Gary Repke, Jacqueline Ryan, Zachary Sanders, and our three 2017 summer associates, Gerald Baldino, Sydney Pierce, ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! We are excited to share some insights into our growing Internal Investigations practice with a Q&A featuring Co-Chairs Paul Thaler and Chris Carusone. In this issue, we ...

As a contractor seeking payment on a construction project, one of the greatest weapons in your arsenal is a construction lien or mechanics’ lien claim. In most states, the lien is a security interest that attaches to the owner’s real estate and ...

As the world becomes more virtual, so do our assets. The list of digital property is ever growing, as is its value. These assets include social media profiles, intellectual property, smartphones, emails, credit card points, airline miles, timeshare ...

New Jersey contractors were served a reminder this spring that when taking on a project in Pennsylvania, they will need to supplement their commercial general liability (CGL) policies if they expect to have insurance coverage to indemnify them ...

While garnering less attention than the recent amendments to the Pennsylvania Lien Law, recent court decisions on both sides of the Delaware show that the failure to identify the proper date of last work can result in the forfeiture of valuable lien ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with Co-Chairs Christopher D. Carusone and Paul S. Thaler. Q: Tell us a little bit about your practice. A: Chris — I conduct internal investigations for the Firm’s clients on a broad range of matters. My ...

We are excited to share some insights into our growing Internal Investigations practice with a Q&A featuring Co-Chairs Paul Thaler and Chris Carusone.

On April 27th, Cohen Seglias welcomed the Firm’s children to the office for its third annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Organized and led by the Firm’s HR Manager, Monica Lavin, and Marketing Director, Kerstin Isaacs, the ...

Cohen Seglias partner Paul Thaler provided his reaction to a recent opinion concerning a whistleblower for the April 24, 2017 Retraction Watch article, “‘Existence and motive to retaliate:’ Judge hands victory to ...

Since taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump has ­issued two executive orders designed to implement what his chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon has described as “deconstruction of the administrative state.” While ...

How will recent legislative and regulatory developments in Harrisburg affect the natural gas industry? There has been a flurry of legislative and regulatory activity in recent weeks affecting the energy industry in Pennsylvania — some of it good ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Ed Seglias was quoted in the Philadelphia Business Journal article, “EXCLUSIVE: Center City law firm dissolves after 43 years of operation.” Construction law firm Jacoby Donner has disbanded after 43 years of ...

Cohen Seglias attorneys George Pallas and Kathleen Morley were mentioned in the Law360 article, “NJ Properly Awarded Sandy Project, Appeals Panel Says,” in regards to their representation of J. Fletcher Creamer & Son ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Ed Seglias was quoted in The Legal Intelligencer article, “Predicting Boom, Pa. Firms Build Up Construction Practices,” in regards to the recent growth of the firm’s construction practice. Pennsylvania ...

In Pennsylvania, it is well-established that a homeowner can assert claims for fraud and violation of Pennsylvania’s consumer protection statute – the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (“UTPCPL”) – ...

In the fall of 2016, the U.S. Sentencing Commission published the results of its study on the federal ­prosecution of corporations and other organizational ­offenders. The results of that study, based on sentencing data for the calendar year 2015, ...

As the world becomes more virtual, so do our assets. The list of digital property is ever growing, as is its value. These assets include social media profiles, intellectual property, smartphones, emails, credit card points, airline miles, timeshare ...

By now, you have probably heard enough from us about the new changes to the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law. If a newsletter article and several blog posts were not enough, here is one more reminder that the long-anticipated Pennsylvania ...

Cohen Seglias Partners Paul Thaler and Chris Carusone were interviewed by Lizzy McLellan for her Legal Intelligencer article, “For Law Firms, Higher Ed Probes Mean Opportunity—And Risk”, and discussed the opportunities and risks ...

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, a law firm that represents corporate clients, midsized privately held businesses, and construction-related companies, has announced the promotion of Lori Wisniewski Azzara and Maria Panichelli to ...

If you’re like most New Yorkers, you consider zoning a set of regulations and policies that are honored only in the breach, if at all. The only result of zoning seems to be to drive up density to the point that sidewalks are unable to handle ...

In the wake of November’s elections, just about the only thing that Washington can agree on is a pervasive sense of uncertainty about the future, which includes the direction of government regulation. The fact that many of the new agency heads and ...

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is commonly understood to set forth basic nondiscrimination requirements prohibiting the exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment of individuals with disabilities. These requirements ...

By now, you may have already heard from us about the amendments to the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law, but it is time for an update since they are now in effect. We have explained the changes in depth in prior issues of this newsletter and on ...

In the wake of a 2013 deadly building collapse on Market Street in Philadelphia, the Department of Licenses and Inspections for the City of Philadelphia (L&I) overhauled its permit, inspection, training and enforcement procedures and ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with new partners Lori Wisniewski Azzara and Maria L. Panichelli. Q: How did you get started in construction, given that few women lawyers focus on this industry? A: Lori — During law school, I worked at a ...

Brief Note Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! We are excited to introduce our new Partners, Lori Wisniewski Azzara and Maria Panichelli. In the New Partner Q&A, you will get a chance to learn about their practices at the ...

We are excited to introduce our new Partners, Lori Wisniewski Azzara and Maria Panichelli. In the New Partner Q&A, you will get a chance to learn about their practices at the Firm.

On January 23, 2017, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed into law a wage equity ordinance that makes it unlawful for an employer in the city of Philadelphia to ask about the wage history of a prospective employee at any stage of the hiring process. ...

Much has been written over the last sixteen months interpreting the shift in U.S. Justice Department policy placing greater emphasis on individual accountability for corporate wrongdoing in federal civil and criminal enforcement proceedings. ...

On January 23 Cohen Seglias Partner Maria Panichelli joined the Federal Game Changers podcast for their episode “Recent Changes in Government Contract Laws”. In this episode, they discuss Recent Changes in Government Contract Laws. ...

A New York appellate court issued a decision in 2016 that serves as an important reminder to all tiers of the construction industry: courts take the notice provisions in your construction contracts very seriously. In the Schindler Elevator Corp. v. ...

New York City is a noisy place, busy with speeding large trucks and seemingly constant construction projects. In an effort to address noise in general, the City Council established a noise code with some special rules for construction projects. The ...

For attorneys who routinely litigate matters adverse to federal and state government agencies, sometimes ­referred to as government and regulatory law, the trend has been easy to see. Over the last half century or so, the U.S. Supreme Court has ...

EXPERT ANALYSIS In a recent decision, the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) disappointingly, if unsurprisingly, confirmed that it no longer has jurisdiction to hear protests against a task order issued by a civilian agency. First, a bit ...

It was not until the Supreme Court decided a case concerning marital contraception that the right to privacy became a legally cognizable interest sanctioned by the United States. In 1965, the landmark ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut (381 U.S. ...

The new — and much anticipated — Pennsylvania State Construction Notices Directory (“Directory”) is expected to go live this December 31. With this rollout, the PA legislature will have established a statewide directory system for ...

Cohen Seglias Partners Roy Cohen, Jason Copley, and George Pallas along with the Firm’s Executive Director Kathleen Garrity were interviewed by Lizzy McLellan for her Legal Intelligencer article, “Cohen Seglias Elects New Managing ...

Philadelphia, PA, December 6th, 2016 – Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, a law firm that represents corporate clients, midsized privately held businesses, and construction related companies, has announced that George Pallas will ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Steve Williams is quoted in the December 2016 units Magazine article by Katie Gouldner, “How Insurance Can Protect Against Fair Housing Cases Created By Criminal Background Checks”. The full article is ...

As a follow-up to our July post on New Jersey state budget problems threatening public construction projects, the political fight over funding New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund (“TTF”) finally ended on September 30, 2016. ...

Cohen Seglias continues its tradition of supporting worthy causes during the holiday season. Each year the Firm brings holiday joy to less fortunate children locally and nationally through our annual toy drive. Toy donations and monetary ...

Cohen Seglias has always been committed to improving the heart health and overall wellness of our employees and their families, and this year we took it one step further by joining with the American Heart Association to fight Heart Disease and ...

On November 21, 2016, a federal judge in Texas issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Department of  Labor’s new overtime rule, which sought to expand the obligations of employers to pay overtime by, among other things, doubling the ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Carol Sigmond was quoted in Jim Dwyer’s November 22nd New York Times article, “Cuomo’s Commitment to Clemency Tested in 3 Murder Cases”. Carol was interviewed as a follow-up to previous quotes she provided for ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias has been named by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® in their 2017 “Best Law Firms” list. The Firm was recognized locally for Metropolitan Philadelphia in the practice areas of Arbitration, ...

Construction defects are the bane of existence for all property owners, including boards of directors/managers of cooperative apartment buildings and condominiums. Defects may arise at the outset in a new building or in renovations or maintenance ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the members of our New York office. Q: Tell us a little about Cohen Seglias in New York. A: George — This is an exciting time for the Firm. We have served clients in New York for a long time, but we are ...

On November 21, 2016, a federal district judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking the implementation of the new overtime regulation issued by the U.S. Department of Labor that was set to take effect on December 1, 2016. The regulation would ...

No longer labeled a fad, green building holds an established place in the construction industry. Green building refers to designing and constructing buildings that consider impacts on the environment and the community, such as energy use, ...

The New Jersey Supreme Court’s August 4, 2016 decision in Cypress Point Condominium Association, Inc. v. Adria Towers, LLC opened the door for general contractors to obtain insurance coverage under their commercial general liability (CGL) ...

In April of this year, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit addressed the question of when, under Pennsylvania law, an owner may ignore a right-to-cure provision in terminating a construction contract and assert a claim against ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! We are excited to share the news that George Pallas will be our new Managing Partner. Don’t miss the New York Office Q&A, where he discusses the expansion of the Firm’s ...

We are excited to share the news that George Pallas will be our new Managing Partner. Don’t miss the New York Office Q&A, where he discusses the expansion of the Firm’s footprint.

Cohen Seglias Partner Carol Sigmond was interviewed by Jeff Storey for his New York Law Journal piece, “City Bar Groups Wary of Proposed 18B Change.” The full article is available on the New York Law Journal website. New York City ...

Cohen Seglias has always been committed to improving the heart health and overall wellness of our employees and their families. This year we are taking it one step further by joining with the American Heart Association to fight Heart Disease and ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Paul Thaler was interviewed by Trevor L. Stokes for the Retraction Watch article “CrossFit can sue over error in paper it claims cost the brand millions”. The full article is available on the Retraction ...

Partner Chris Carusone was interviewed as an expert in grand jury practice and procedure for the York Daily Record article “Pa. diocese abuse investigations ‘historic,’ advocates say.” Chris explained how grand jury ...

On October 21, 2016, the Cohen Seglias volunteer team, consisting of Shawn Farrell, Scott Earle, Joshua Brand, Kerstin Isaacs, Diane Gardner, Olivia Paris-Kornilowicz, Ellen Keiffer, Melinda Norcross, Cheryl Urmy, and Stacy Wert, joined Habitat for ...

In the world of construction, the old legal saying “equity aids the vigilant, not those who slumber on their rights” rings true. A weary contractor risks more than an OSHA violation – when a contractor fails to protect its legal ...

On August 10, 2016, Cohen Seglias Partner Jonathan Cass taught the CLE, “So, Have You Updated Your Construction Contract Forms?” for the Philadelphia Bar Association. His CLE was summarized by Brian P. Libes in the September 2016 ...

Partner Paul Thaler was interviewed by Ivan Oransky along with Richard Goldsetin of Meyer, Connolly, Simons & Keuthen LLP for the Retraction Watch article “Scientists investigated for misconduct lose appeal in suit against Harvard. ...

In the recent decision Matter of Marine Holdings, LLC v. New York City Commission on Human Rights, 137 A.D.3d U84 (A.D. 2nd Dept. March 30, 2016), the Appellate Division, Second Department, provided valuable guidance for landlords and property ...

Those familiar with New Jersey practice are well aware that the courts of this state strongly encourage settlements as a matter of public policy because they facilitate the amicable resolution of disputes and lighten the increasing load of ...

[Note from the Editor: Due to an inadvertent editing error, omitted from our post entitled NJ Supreme Court Gets It Right! Consequential Damages Caused By A Subcontractor’s Defective Construction Work Is Insured was the fact that the property ...

While use of the term “groundbreaking” in a construction law article may want for originality, it is an accurate description for recent amendments to the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law. The amendments—signed into law on Oct. ...

Philadelphia law now requires everyone working at a construction or demolition site to have completed OSHA-10 Safety Training. Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) and the Mid-Atlantic Construction Safety Council ...

Contractors doing work on publicly-owned projects in Pennsylvania may find it more difficult to recover statutory penalties and attorneys’ fees if the owner withholds funds in bad faith. Pennsylvania’s Procurement Code, which governs ...

We are pleased to announce that five Cohen Seglias attorneys have been included in the 2017 Edition of Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession, in five practice areas: Ed Seglias Litigation ...

Cohen Seglias was pleased to have Katherine Piazza, Christopher Reese, and Kimberly Saginario join the Philadelphia office as our 2016 Summer Associates. They worked closely with the associates and partners in the Firm’s Construction, ...

Over the years, members of boards of directors for condominiums and cooperative apartment buildings have come to believe that the business judgment rule articulated in Levandusky v. One Fifth Ave. Apt. Corp., 75 N.Y.2d 530, 540 (1990) provides ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! We hope you had an enjoyable summer. We are gearing up for an exciting Fall with the opening of our new office in New York. Contractors working on residential projects in New ...

While use of the term “groundbreaking” in a construction law article may want for originality, it is an accurate description for recent amendments to the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law. The amendments—signed into law on Oct. 14, ...

In New Jersey, the time period within which a project owner may bring claims for design or construction defects, called the statute of limitations, generally begins upon substantial completion of a project. This means that a contractor or designer ...

In recent years, a mechanics’ lien claimant who held a contract with an owner on projects in the District of Columbia may have received an unwelcome surprise when attempting to file its mechanics’ lien. If the claimant did not include physical ...

Many property owners lose sight of the fact that an oil and gas lease is a two-way contract. There are many legal duties that the landowner owes to the operator. One duty that is typically overlooked is the title warranty, where the landowner ...

We hope you had an enjoyable summer. We are gearing up for an exciting Fall with the opening of our new office in New York.

Over the past year, many states experienced budget crises that threaten public works spending and, in some cases, caused entire project shut downs. In Pennsylvania, a stalemate over the budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017 lasted almost nine months, ...

The long-awaited Final Rule addressing changes to the Small Business Administration’s Mentor-Protégé program was published in the Federal Register this week. The Mentor-Protégé program that was limited to 8(a) Small Business Concerns has ...

What happens when a deed is unclear and the parties to a transaction involving oil and gas interests are long deceased? How do the heirs to the parties involved resolve their disputes? This is a relevant issue courts and practitioners in ...

Cohen Seglias Pittsburgh office Managing Partner, Lisa Wampler, was interviewed by Ann Farmer for the Spring 2016 issue of Perspectives Magazine. Lisa is featured in the article, “The Women Who Tread Where Men Still Rule,” where she ...

Chris Carusone’s article, “Evaluating, Challenging Regulatory Overreach in Energy Industry,” was published in the Summer 2016 edition of Catalyst Magazine. Catalyst Magazine is the quarterly publication of the Pennsylvania ...

Mark Twain once famously said: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” The same can be said for corporate counsel tasked with evaluating an ...

In the recent case of Township of Salem v. Miller Penn Development, LLC, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court invoked the often overlooked doctrine of nullum tempus occurrit regi. Read literally as “time does not run against the king,” as ...

Mechanics’ liens are a unique statutory remedy that can help contractors, subcontractors and suppliers recover unpaid monies on construction projects. The statutory elements, however, require special care and attention to detail. If a party fails ...

Almost any construction project carries the potential for disputes, which all too often lead to litigation and associated costs. As litigation costs increase, they eat into potential recovery or limit defense strategies. Finding ways to lower ...

Partner Paul Thaler was interviewed by Shannon Palus for the Retraction Watch interview, “Here’s Why This Lawyer Defends Scientists Accused of Misconduct.” The interview highlights Paul’s work in the Scientific Misconduct ...

We are pleased to announce that eleven Cohen Seglias attorneys were selected to this year’s Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers list, and six were selected the Pennsylvania’s Rising Stars list. The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more ...

We are proud to announce that Chambers & Partners has again recognized our Construction and Labor & Employment Groups in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. Additionally, Chambers ...

We are proud to announce that Chambers & Partners has again recognized our Construction and Labor & Employment Groups in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA, the preeminent legal ranking of attorneys and law firms. Additionally, Chambers ...

The developers of the Wharf, an ongoing waterfront development at 1100 Maine Avenue SW in Washington, D.C., recently announced that they have secured $113 million of debt financing for the project. PN Hoffman and Madison Marquette, the ...

On May 31, 2016, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) issued a final rule, implementing long-awaited changes mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) of 2013. This final rule, which finalizes the SBA’s earlier ...

On June 8th, 2016, the Cohen Seglias volunteer team, consisting of Paul Thaler, Jeff Brydzinski, Matt Gioffre, Anthony Bottenfield, Matt Skaroff, Stephen Leighton, Lisa Moore, and our three 2016 summer associates, Katherine Piazza, Kimberly ...

From time to time over the last three years, I have, on occasion, written about the Environmental Control Board (ECB) and issues related to what appeared to be due process abuses by New York City in administrative hearings on quality-of-life ...

It’s not every day that a decision by the United States Supreme Court has the potential to impact the construction industry. But the Court handed down a decision last month that could hinder the pace of power plant construction around the ...

Cohen Seglias attorney Jason Tomasulo was interviewed by Dan Packel for his Law360 article, “3 Vital P3s In Pa.’s Push For Private-Sector Alliances.” Law360, Philadelphia (May 23, 2016, 9:31 PM ET) — Almost four years ...

One of the most significant changes in wage and hours law in decades was announced this week: the U.S. Department of Labor just published the new overtime exemption rules. This rule change was in the works for more than a year and its announcement ...

Last Friday, May 13, 2016, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice jointly issued a “Dear Colleague” letter containing “significant guidance” summarizing and explaining the views of the Department of Education and ...

In a recent U.S. Supreme Court case about pregnancy discrimination, Justice Breyer asked: “Why, when the employer accommodated so many, could it not accommodate pregnant women as well?”  As an employer, that is a question you should now ...

In 2016, Cohen Seglias is proudly continuing its partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The Firm is committed to Habitat’s mission of creating safe, sustainable, and affordable housing with and for families in need. Through the combination of ...

On April 28th, Cohen Seglias was excited to host its second Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Organized and led by the Firm’s HR Manager, Monica Lavin, and Marketing Director, Kerstin Isaacs, the day was a huge hit among the kids and ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction In Brief! We are excited about the Firm’s office expansion in Kentucky and our new Managing Partner in the Pittsburgh office! Have you given any thought to creating a trust to preserve ...

In the words of iconic singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, “the times they are a-changin’.” A new case in New York may alter the legal relationship between owners and construction managers in the State. Traditionally, courts have viewed an owner and ...

Last year, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued proposed rules that will likely result in major regulatory changes. One of the most important changes relates to the SBA mentor-protégé program and has the potential to substantially alter ...

The City of Philadelphia has issued new code requirements for construction worker safety training. The new rules went into effect on October 1, 2015, and the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) began strict enforcement on April 1, ...

Trusts are no longer exclusive tools for large estates, as a greater number of families with various levels of income and wealth are using trusts to pass on their assets to the next generation. If you can answer “yes” to any of the following ...

A contractor fears few events on a project more than receiving a notice of termination. Receipt of the dreaded notice may arrive expectedly or as a surprise. Either way, termination does not always mean that the contractor must bear responsibility ...

We are excited about the Firm’s office expansion in Kentucky and our new Managing Partner in the Pittsburgh office! You will get a valuable overview of options for creating a trust to preserve assets for the next generation.

Fifty years ago, Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966) made a significant impact on law enforcement to ensure that persons in custodial situations were informed of key rights prior to interrogation. Time has not dimmed this achievement. At the ...

Cohen Seglias Partner Chris Carusone was interviewed by Megan Spicer for her Connecticut Law Tribune article, “Law Firms Find New Niche Conducting Sex Assault Investigations for Colleges,” regarding the Firm’s recent ...

Philadelphia’s 2011 “Ban the Box” law, which restricts an employer’s ability to inquire into a job applicant’s criminal history at the initial stages of the application process, is “old news” – but the ...

“You can’t fight City Hall.” While this famous phrase is ­believed to have its origins in the political corruption of the ­mid-1800s in New York City’s Tammany Hall, it can also be used to describe the steep climb faced by ...

Partner Chris Carusone was quoted in the Law360 article “Pa. Justices Asked To Block Drilling Site Rules Ahead Of Vote,” in regards to his representation of the Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers Association in their ...

Under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, the United States “is immune from suit save as it consents to be sued.”1 Thus, a plaintiff’s ability to sue the government is limited to circumstances where Congress has specifically waived sovereign ...

The Maryland Department of Transportation/Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT/MTA) recently announced its selection of Purple Line Transit Partners as the concessionaire for the new 16.2 mile, 21-station, light rail Purple Line that will run ...

Partner Chris Carusone was mentioned in the Bradford Era article “Arguments held in challenge to environmental regs,” in regards to his representation of the Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers Association in their lawsuit ...

Over the last eight years, there have been at least nine people killed in crane accidents in New York City: six on March 15, 2008, one on April 3, 2012, one on November 5, 2015, and one on February 6, 2016. In addition, there was an accident in May ...

Any experienced contractor knows that even carefully planned projects can result in devastating losses and unanticipated budget overruns due to a number of factors. That’s often when legal disputes often arise. If litigation ensues, the ...

Partners Paul Thaler and Chris Carusone were mentioned in The American Lawyer article, “Law Firms See Opportunity in Wave of Campus Sex Claims,” on April 1, 2016. The full article is available on The American Lawyer website. As ...

Washington D.C., March 30, 2016 – Day Pitney LLP and Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC are pleased to announce the launch of their joint Title IX Investigations Initiative. This initiative will allow the firms to provide both ...

Partner Chris Carusone was mentioned in the Law360 article “Oil, Gas Group Sues To Block Pa. Drilling Site Rules,” in regards to his representation of the Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers Association in their lawsuit ...

Partner Chris Carusone was mentioned in the Bradford Era article “PIPP files suit to stop new, costly environmental rules,” in regards to his representation of the Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers Association in their ...

After months, maybe years, of planning, raising capital, obtaining permits and waiting out construction, your gleaming new building is open and occupied. Soon, you’ll get a simple, one-page letter from your county’s Tax Assessment ...

Partner Chris Carusone was mentioned in the PennEnergy article “Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers Association files lawsuit challenging new Pennsylvania conventional oil & gas regulations,” in regards to his ...

We are proud to announce that Partners Ed DeLisle and Michael Payne have been honored in JD Supra’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Edward DeLisle was named a 2016 Top  Author because of the high level of visibility of his posts as well as his engaging ...

In some states, courts allow contractors to sue design professionals for negligence even in the absence of a contract. In others, like Maryland, courts apply a rule known as the Economic Loss Rule (ELR) to bar such claims. Courts apply the ELR when, ...

On February 16, 2016, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Department of Buildings Com­missioner Rick Chandler announced a new ag­gressive campaign to improve worker safety on construction sites. Doubtless, this initiative is a direct result of 1) an ...

The City of Philadelphia has issued new code requirements for construction worker safety training. The new rules went into effect on October 1, 2015, and the Department of Licenses and Inspections has announced that strict enforcement will begin on ...

Lisa Wampler was mentioned in the Pittsburgh Business Times article, “New managing partner for Cohen Seglias’ Pittsburgh office,” on February 25, 2016. Philadelphia-based law firm Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC has ...

Promotion marks the first female Managing Partner for the Firm Philadelphia, PA – Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, a law firm that represents corporate clients, mid sized privately held businesses, and construction related ...

Lisa Wampler was mentioned in the Legal Intelligencer article, “Cohen Seglias Names First Female Office MP,” on February 25, 2016. You can read the full article on the Legal Intelligencer website. Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall ...

Cohen Seglias has announced the promotion of Lisa M. Wampler to Managing Partner of the Firm’s Pittsburgh office. The announcement marks the first female managing partner in the Firm’s history. “Lisa has been instrumental in the ...

Partner Carol Sigmond was quoted in the Indiana Lawyer article, ” ABA push boosts Uniform Bar Exam.” Carol weighed in on the idea of a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), speaking against New York’s move to adopt a single test. The ...

On February 22, 2016, Cohen Seglias partner Carol Sigmond was quoted in the New York Law Journal,“Appellate Division Appointments Bring Relief to Courts.” The full article is available on the New York Law Journal website. Court ...

Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as “drones,” are appearing more frequently in the skies over construction project sites. Drones typically operate from a handheld device, such as an iPhone, and can be connected to a Wi-Fi ...

On February 12, 2016, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler announced a new aggressive campaign to improve worker safety on construction sites. Specifically, commencing next Tuesday, ...

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Christopher Carusone, a Partner at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC and co-chair of the firm’s internal investigations practice group, examines common mistakes during an internal ...

Trusts are no longer exclusive tools for large estates as a greater number of families with various levels of income and wealth are using trusts to pass on their assets to the next generation. The current Pennsylvania and federal tax laws provide ...

On February 11, join Roy Cohen, Ed Seglias, and Jackson Nichols at the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) Mid-Atlantic Chapter in Greenbelt, MD for their presentation, “Ignorance is not Bliss: ...

Partner Carol Sigmond was interviewed in her capacity as the president of the New York County Lawyers Association by Lorelei Waird for the ABA Journal article, “Could Uniform Bar Exam help law grads’ mobility? ABA House asks states ...

Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Federal Contracting Group, Michael Payne, was interviewed by David Hansen for his Bloomberg article, “Memo Puts New Focus on Execs in Fraud Probes, Analysts Say.” The article was published on ...

Accurate and comprehensive design plans are critical to preparing competitive bids and to successfully building safe structures that meet owner expectations. Because contractors rely on these designs, Pennsylvania law provides a remedy against ...

Are you starting to think about transitioning leadership and/or ownership to the next generation in your company? Is the next generation really ready to assume those responsibilities? Are you the only role model the next generation has to follow? Is ...

Imagine this common scenario: you have completed your work as a contractor on a construction project, your contract with the owner contains a liquidated damages (LD) clause, there are delays on the project, and you receive notice on behalf of the ...

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania recently considered an issue not yet addressed by established case law concerning the ability of a contractor to recover delay damages in the face of a “no damage for delay” clause in a construction ...

Jonathan Landesman has been a partner in the Firm’s Labor & Employment Group since 2008.  We sat down with Jonathan to ask him about his experience with the Firm, his practice, and some of his more notable cases from this past year. Q: When ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! Do you know how a Board of Advisors could benefit your company? Roy Cohen provides some good advice when considering this option. This issue will also introduce our newly ...

Do you know how a Board of Advisors could benefit your company? Roy Cohen provides some good advice when considering this option. This issue also introduces our newly expanded Pittsburgh team and highlights the opening of our DC office!

Judge Gene Cohen (ret.) was quoted in The Legal Intellgencier article, “‘Receivership’ Ends With Elimination of Liaison Justice,” on January 30, 2016. The full article is available on The Legal Intelligencer website. The ...

As we discussed last summer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a new Confined Space in Construction Standard, which went into effect on August 3, 2015 and required heightened training, continuous worksite evaluations ...

Presidential adviser and overall renaissance man John W. Gardner once said, “Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” While this may be an accurate description of the human condition, in the corporate world there is little room for ...

On January 21, 2016, Please join us for Ed Seglias and Jason Copley‘s seminar, “Ignorance is not Bliss: Construction Contract Provisions You Need to Know,” for the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA) in Philadelphia, ...

Arbitration has become a very common and effective way to resolve construction disputes in lieu of traditional litigation, and it is easy to understand why: The parties can select arbitrators with construction expertise who speak their language and ...

Partner Carol Sigmond was interviewed by Chris Glorioso for his NBC I-Team piece, “Whistleblower Claims Taxpayers Paid for No-Show Workers at WTC,” on January 12, 2016.

Jason Copley was quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer article, “A Record Year for Law Firms’ M&A Activity,” on January 6th, 2016. Law firm mergers and acquisitions reached a record number last year as firms sought to overcome ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that Wayne Buckwalter, Chair of the Firm’s Wealth Preservation Group, has once again been named a Five Star Financial Services Professional. The Five Star Financial Services Professional and Wealth Manager ...

In August 2015, 16 New Yorkers died and at least 133 were made seriously ill by an outbreak of Legionnaire’s Disease in the South Bronx. Legionnaire’s Disease or Legionellosis is a form of pneumonia, first diagnosed in 1976 following an ...

On December 28, 2015, Carol Sigmond was quoted in the New York Law Journal article, “County Clerk Looks Beyond ‘The Way We’ve Always Done Things,’” by Andrew Denney. Sigmond was quoted regarding the role of the New York ...

Ed Seglias was quoted in The Legal Intelligencer article, “Year of Mergers and Leadership: Changes in Midsize Firm Market,” on December 28, 2015. In what several firm leaders called a strong year, acquisitions and lateral hires ...

Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had charged GlaxoSmithKline vice president and associate general counsel Lauren Stevens with two counts of obstruction of justice and four counts of making false statements to the Food ...

Cohen Seglias continues its tradition of supporting worthy causes during the holiday season. Each year the Firm brings holiday joy to less fortunate children locally and nationally through our annual toy drive. Toy donations and monetary ...

Partner Chris Carusone was quoted in the Lehigh Valley Business regarding precautions contractors should take when working with the government. When it comes to dealing with the government and construction contracts, it pays to err on the side ...

Our justice system is an adversary system; it works best when all parties have equal access to quality legal representation. But more than our justice system is based on the adversary system, our benefit and administrative law systems are similarly ...

Please join us tomorrow, 11/4, for Shawn Farrell‘s presentation “Construction Disputes: Lessons Learned” at the Carpenters’ Company of City and County of Philadelphia’s Master Builder Dialogues. Shawn Farrell has ...

We are pleased to announce that Cohen Seglias has been named by U.S. News – Best Lawyers in their 2016 “Best Law Firms” list in the practice areas of Construction Law and Litigation, Labor & Employment Law, and Arbitration. ...

On October 30th, 2015, Cohen Seglias joined the American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Pro Bono in their efforts to increase access to justice for all by wearing their Jeans for Justice. Jeans for Justice Day is part of the ABA’s annual week ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction In Brief. With winter fast approaching, we invite you to take advantage of some useful tips in this issue on minimizing risks and loss on a project. We also are sharing a new decision ...

As experienced contractors and subcontractors know, even the most carefully planned and skillfully bid projects can result in devastating losses and unanticipated overruns due to a large number of factors, many of which are not within their control. ...

Federal government construction contractors know that the Miller Act requires them to furnish a payment bond for the benefit of subcontractors. Many contractors are familiar with the process by which subcontractors may seek payment under a ...

The Delaware Supreme Court recently held that a contractor performing public work in Delaware does not need to submit a payment application to recover pre-judgment interest on a disputed change order request and that interest will be calculated ...

In counseling clients on insurance coverage and risk transfer issues, we frequently see clients unknowingly enter into construction contracts that expose them to potentially avoidable and sometimes uninsured risks. Generally, these mistakes can be ...

Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as “drones,” are appearing more and more frequently in the skies over construction project sites. Drones typically operate from a handheld device, such as an iPhone, and can be connected to a Wi-Fi ...

With winter fast approaching, we invite you to take advantage of some useful tips in this issue on minimizing risks and loss on a project. We also share a new decision from the Delaware Supreme Court.

On October 21st, 2015, Carol Sigmond was quoted in The New York Times article, “More Mercy, Less Prison in a Shift for Cuomo,” by Jim Dwyer. Sigmond was quoted regarding the role of the New York County Lawyers’ Association (NYCLA) in ...

For the fifth year in a row, Cohen Seglias participated in the Lee National Denim Day® by wearing denim to work on October 2nd, 2015. The Firm was pleased to match contributions from attorneys and staff to raise money for cancer research, testing, ...

On October 8th, 2015, the Cohen Seglias team, consisting of Marian Kornilowicz, Jackson Nichols, Gary Repke, Ken Mascaro, Joseph DuBray, Olivia Paris- Kornilowicz, Stacy Wert, Cheryl Urmy, and Celena Barnes, joined Habitat for Humanity ...

On June 25, 2015, Justice Kennedy delivered the Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. Inclusive Communities Project.  In the case, the Court determined that the Fair Housing Act of 1968 includes disparate impact claims.  Prior to Texas v. ...

Please join us for Ed Seglias‘ presentation at the Design-Build Institute of America Tri-State Chapter Inaugural Event on October 6, 2015 in Philadelphia. Ed and Kevin Peartree of Ernstrom & Dreste will discuss and compare form contracts ...

We are pleased to announce that four Cohen Seglias attorneys have been included in the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers In America© in five different practice areas: George Pallas: Litigation – Construction John Greenhall: Construction ...

Chris Carusone was quoted in PA Township News. You can hardly look at a news outlet these days without seeing a story about alleged police brutality. Township police departments see those stories, too, and are taking steps to ensure that they have ...

In late July, the West Virginia Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration issued an “emergency rule” that exempts construction contracts from a new law regarding change order approval. This new law, which went into effect ...

Unbundling (Ala Carte) Legal Services According to some studies, approximately 80% of Americans cannot afford to retain attorneys to assist with essential legal services such as leases, deeds, wills, formation of corporations, powers of attorney, or ...

Roy Cohen and Brian Lawton were quoted in The Legal Intelligencer. Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman has added two attorneys to its Pittsburgh office, the firm announced Monday, doubling the office’s head count and expanding the ...

Roy Cohen and Brian Lawton were quoted in Law360. Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC announced on Monday it has grown its Pittsburgh office with the addition of two attorneys with experience providing legal service to landowners and ...

Philadelphia, PA – August 17, 2015 – Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, a law firm that represents corporate clients, midsized privately held businesses and construction related companies, has announced the hire of two attorneys ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief! In this issue, we are happy to introduce you to our new DC office. We also have news on the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and new hiring guidelines in light of a recent ...

In a decision that has important consequences for contractors and subcontractors who perform work on public construction projects, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court considered whether the Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act (CASPA), a ...

In a recent New Jersey case, Huston v. Lieber, the court held in favor of homeowners and against a contractor on its claim of nonpayment because the contractor failed to include its contractor registration number and the right to cancel notice in ...

Many employers have adopted employee handbooks that include dress codes and grooming policies. Some of these policies require that employees wear uniforms, refrain from wearing hats, ripped clothing, or excessive jewelry, arrive at work cleanly ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the partners of our DC Office. Q: What has prompted the firm’s expansion to Washington, DC? A: Ed — Our expansion into DC is part of a broader five-year plan. The Firm already has a number of clients ...

We are happy to introduce you to our new DC office. We also have news on the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and new hiring guidelines in light of a recent US Supreme Court decision.

On June 25, 2015, Justice Kennedy delivered the Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. Inclusive Communities Project.  In the case, the Court determined that the Fair Housing Act of 1968 includes disparate impact claims.  Prior to Texas v. ...

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued guidance on July 15 aimed at curbing the misclassification of employees as independent contractors.  The guidance provides several examples of workers in the construction industry.  It is now clear that ...

For more than 25 years, clients have relied on Cohen Seglias attorneys for business insight, practical legal advice, and a deeper understanding of the legal issues impacting their businesses. With every change in state government, our clients ask ...

Pennsylvania’s energy community should take note that the line between criminal and civil enforcement is getting harder and harder to see. State and federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania appear to be signaling that companies operating in ...

We are pleased to announce that Patrick Cullen, Kate Emert, and Marie Kelly have joined the Firm’s Philadelphia office, working in the Constriction Group. Patrick Cullen is a third-year student at Temple University Beasley School of Law and a ...

Understand contract terms to position your team for success Success on a project is often dependent upon risk management, and managing that risk starts with contract negotiation. Contractors must recognize the implications of the contract provisions ...

Last month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) added a new rule that provides increased protections to those working in confined spaces on construction projects.  The new rule, which goes into effect on August 3, 2015, applies ...

Last week, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania  issued a decision which has important consequences for all members of the construction industry involved with public works projects. In Clipper Pipe & Service, Inc. v. The Ohio Casualty Insurance ...

In April, the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed to review the case of Waste Management of New Jersey, Inc. v. Mercer County Improvement Authority.  The matter concerns a defect in a bid submitted under the New Jersey Public Contracts Law ...

Ed Seglias was quoted in the Philadelphia Business Journal. Construction law firm Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman is spreading its geographic wings once again, as it announced plans to enter the Washington, D.C. market by acquiring ...

Ed Seglias and Paul S. Thaler were quoted in The Legal Intelligencer. Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman is set to enter the Washington, D.C., market and launch a new practice group in internal investigations through a merger with a ...

Ed Seglias, Jason Copley, and Paul Thaler were quoted in Law360. Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC announced Monday that it has inked a deal to acquire Thaler Liebeler LLP as it launches a new internal investigations practice and ...

PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2015 — Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, a law firm that represents corporate clients and midsized privately held businesses, has announced a merger with Washington, DC-based Thaler Liebeler LLP, ...

It is vital that construction contractors, regardless of tier or trade, understand the basic principles of contract surety bonds. An understanding of how bonds are used in construction; and, importantly, how the surety company prequalifies the ...

Carol Sigmond was interviewed on June 1st, 2015 in her capacity as the newly appointed President of the New York County Lawyers’ Association (NYCLA) by Andrew Denney for the New York Law Journal. In the article “New NYCLA Leader Targets ...

Chambers & Partners has recognized Cohen Seglias’ Construction and Labor and Employment Groups in the 2015 edition of Chambers USA. Roy Cohen, Ed Seglias and Marc Furman were also identified as Leaders in the fields of Construction and ...

Kathleen Garrity, Evan Blaker, Alex Barth, Matt Gioffre, Michael Metz-Topodas, Ken Mascaro, Kerstin Isaacs, Joanne Hart, Celena Barnes, and Dawn Bamberger participated in Cohen Seglias’ first volunteer build day for Habitat for Humanity this ...

Brief Note: Greetings from the Editorial Team at Construction in Brief. Warmer weather has finally arrived! In this issue, in addition to spotlighting our Harrisburg Office, we have important news on Pennsylvania’s Contractor and Subcontractor ...

In today’s economy, it is increasingly difficult for public entities to obtain sufficient funding to undertake infrastructure projects. As a result, where enabling legislation is in place, public entities in the United States have, in recent ...

The Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act (CASPA) provides rules and deadlines to ensure prompt payments under construction contracts and discourage unreasonable withholding of payments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. CASPA is designed to ...

Counseling our clients about strategy is a big part of our job. We work with you on drafting your company’s standard form contracts, change order requests, invoices and credit applications. We help you navigate and negotiate the complex world of ...

Businesses that contract with state or local government entities in Pennsylvania need to be aware of a new liability threat – lawsuits from employees alleging waste or wrongdoing in connection with the award of public funds. It is critical for you ...

Our newsletter team recently sat down with the members of our Harrisburg office. Q: How does having a strong presence in Harrisburg help the firm and its clients? A: Steve — The firm has many clients who are based and operate in Central ...

In this issue, in addition to spotlighting our Harrisburg Office, we have important news on Pennsylvania’s Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act and new whistleblower law, as well as estate planning tips.

Each year in Pennsylvania brings a new promise of property tax reform from the State legislature and each year Commonwealth residents waiting for relief are sadly disappointed. Meanwhile, in some jurisdictions across the state, property values ...

Once again Cohen Seglias is supporting Habitat for Humanity with an annual commitment of funding and volunteer days.  The Firm shares Habitat’s mission to build safe, sustainable and affordable homes that help families in need help themselves. ...

On February 12, 2015, Mayor Nutter signed a new “paid sick leave” law requiring most Philadelphia employers to provide a minimum level of paid sick leave to essentially all employees.  This law follows a pattern of other cities including, quite ...

Jason Tomasulo was interviewed for the Law360 article “Pa. Ripe For P3s In Wake Of $1.1B Bridge Deal” on April 10, 2015. Law360, Philadelphia (April 10, 2015, 6:12 PM ET) — With financing now complete for a $1.1 billion project to ...

A pending US Supreme Court decision in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, et al. v. The Inclusive Communities Project could bring some significant changes to the interpretation of the Fair Housing Act, particularly for ...

This month, West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomlin signed Senate Bill 361, which significantly adjusts the state’s calculation of prevailing wages to establish an amount more reflective of actual earnings in regions across the state.  As ...

When it comes to the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law (Lien Statute), the Pennsylvania legislature was quite active in 2014.  In July, Governor Corbett signed into law certain changes to the Lien Statute affecting residential lien rights and ...

Introduction to the Authors and to the Series Welcome to the first edition of Legal Landscape, a series designed to provide government contractors with a quick, but thorough, summary of important legal developments and regulations in government ...

On February 12, 2016, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler announced a new aggressive campaign to improve worker safety on construction sites. Specifically, commencing tomorrow, ...

The federal government offers a multitude of programs designed to assist small businesses. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is certainly at the forefront of such programs, but it is not the only agency. The Department of Veterans’ ...

Brief Note: Happy New Year! With so much to look forward to this year, we are excited to start 2015. In this issue, we take an inside look into our fantastic Pittsburgh Office. We also share some important information to start your year right – ...

Last winter was a historic winter for the Northeast and many other parts of the country, with unprecedented snowfall and cold temperatures. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted at an annual rate of 2.9 percent from January through ...

All too often you hear stories about contractors accused of defrauding the federal government either in obtaining or performing government contracts. From procurement fraud, to receiving kickbacks, to making fraudulent claims against the government, ...

Employers that pay attention to their workforce generally know whether their employees are productively engaged and really working when they are on the clock. While the issue may seem clear-cut, not all employers have a solid grasp on what is and ...

Our marketing department recently sat down with the members of our Pittsburgh office: Roy S. Cohen, John A. Greenhall, Lane F. Kelman, Lisa M. Wampler, Lori Wisniewski Azzara Q: Can you talk a little about the growth of the office in Pittsburgh? A: ...

In this issue, we take an inside look into our fantastic Pittsburgh Office. We also share some important information to start your year right – from fraud prevention and timekeeping tips to advice on how to get paid when bad weather strikes.

Background In the first significant public private partnership (“P3”) infrastructure project in Pennsylvania, PennDOT recently selected Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners (“Plenary Walsh”) for award of the Rapid Bridge ...

Having designated legal counsel is critical to any comprehensive crisis management strategy. Whether you are in pre-crisis, crisis or post-crisis—having an attorney involved in your decision-making process can be the difference between surviving ...

Businesses that enter into contracts with state or local government entities in Pennsylvania need to be aware of a new liability threat – lawsuits from employees alleging waste or wrongdoing in connection with the award of public funds. It is ...

In 2013, only 19 states and the District of Columbia imposed inheritance or estates taxes on their residents. New Jersey is among one of the states that imposed such taxes. In fact, New Jersey has both an inheritance and an estate tax. As a result, ...

On December 3, Jennifer Horn and Maria Panichelli presented the second webinar in their core construction curriculum series for Women Impacting Public Policy and Give Me 5%. The presentation, entitled “Best Practices in Construction,” ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to continue our tradition of supporting worthy causes during the holiday season. Each year the Firm brings holiday joy to less fortunate children locally and nationally through our annual toy drive. Toy donations and ...

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC has been ranked in the 2015 “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers® in the practice areas of Arbitration, Labor & Employment and Construction for Metro ...

Brief Note Football, leaves, liens, and Super Lawyers! Thanksgiving is almost here and we’ve got lots of news to share. If you do residential construction work in Pennsylvania, check out our cover story about the amendments to the Mechanics’ ...

In early July, Governor Tom Corbett signed Act 117 into law, approving new amendments to Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law. Act 117 amended the Lien Law in two critical ways: (1) the Act clarified that mechanics’ liens are subordinate to ...

There is no question that documentation is an important part of the resolution of any construction dispute. Particularly contemporaneous documents — documents that are created at the time that events occur. Quality control reports, daily logs, and ...

Q: Cohen Seglias’ Government Contracting Group represents a number of interesting niche contractors that our readers may not be familiar with. Can you tell us more about that? A: In addition to our federal construction and small business ...

As a commercial collection attorney, I have the benefit of seeing and analyzing credit applications from a wide array of clients. However, by the time I review the credit application, typically the account is already in arrears and whatever rights ...

Fulfilling Orders Under a Customer’s Purchase Order Answer: False Oftentimes goods or materials are provided after your customer provides a purchase order. Did you read the purchase order? Did you read the “fine print”? Most often, the answer ...

It is common for construction contracts to include an arbitration provision because of the perceived advantages: cost, speed, privacy, finality, and the ability of the parties to choose an arbitrator with experience in the construction industry. ...

Football, leaves, liens, and Super Lawyers! Thanksgiving is almost here and we’ve got lots of news to share. If you do residential construction work in Pennsylvania, check out our cover story about the amendments to the Mechanics’ Lien Law.

On October 24, 2014, the Firm celebrated the American Bar Association’s National Pro Bono week with Jeans for Justice Day! Pro Bono week focuses the nation’s attention on the increased need for pro bono services during these challenging ...

In recent years, teaming has become an increasingly popular mechanism for winning federal government contracts.  Many women-owned small businesses (“WOSBs”) like teaming because it is a good way to break into the federal contracting arena.  In ...

Gene D. Cohen, retired judge and partner at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman, said Dougherty is a capable administrator. “Kevin is one of the hardest-working judges around,” Cohen said. “He took over the Family Court ...

Michael Payne and Robert Ruggieri were mentioned in the Law360 article “USDA Shoreline Contract Stalled Over Small Business Fight” on October 6, 2014. Law360, New York (October 06, 2014, 5:31 PM ET) — A federal judge halted a ...

The recent guilty plea of a Philadelphia Municipal Court judge to case-fixing charges and the suspension of two other judges, all occurring with the Philadelphia Traffic Court scandal still fresh in the public’s mind, has seriously damaged the ...

On July 9, 2014, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed a bill (S.B. 145) into law that amends the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law of 1963 (the “Lien Law”). The new law took effect on September 8, 2014 and affects subcontractor ...

It’s that time of year: the unofficial start of fall, football season, back to school and the first day of work for many new attorneys. For some, this may be their first real job or at least their first full-time job working as an attorney in ...

We are pleased to announce that four Cohen Seglias attorneys have been included in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers In America© in five different practice areas: George Pallas –  Litigation – Construction John Greenhall – ...

Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (“HICPA”), which went into effect in 2009, generally requires that home improvement contracts be in writing and contain thirteen specific items (including the ...

It’s no surprise that in today’s market, with a growing number of Federal government contracts set-aside for various types of small businesses, teaming relationships are increasingly popular. Large contractors like teaming because it provides ...

Brief Note: Summer is here and along with it sunscreen, beaches, and BBQs! With more new faces at the Firm, four summer associates, new volunteer opportunities, and an exciting office move—we’ve got lots of news to share. Enjoy the 2014 Second ...

Ask most subcontractors and suppliers their biggest concern on a project and they will probably tell you it is (not surprisingly) getting paid. The concern is a valid one. Standing in the way of a material supplier’s payment, for instance, could ...

The employment landscape can be hard to navigate without the right toolset. Attorneys in our Labor & Employment group are constantly being asked, “Can my employee sue me for…?” Asking the question after an employee files a claim is too ...

Business review websites such as Angie’s List or Yelp are increasingly a venue for anonymous posters to wreak havoc on the reputations of contractors and other businesses with negative and often defamatory reviews. Although these venues seem safe ...

Prime, or general, contractors working on public projects in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, whether state or federal, are required to post performance and payment bonds. Such bonds protect the owner against liens placed by subcontractors for ...

Summer is here and along with it sunscreen, beaches, and BBQs! With more new faces at the Firm, four summer associates, new volunteer opportunities, and an exciting office move—we’ve got lots of news to share.

If you participate in federal government procurement programs, either as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor, listen up!  Your small business size status may have changed on July 14, 2014 as a result of an interim rule issued by the Small ...

On April 29, 2014 an evenly divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Barrick v. Holy Spirit Hospital upheld a lower court ruling holding that communications between a party’s attorney and a party’s expert witness are exempt from disclosure ...

It is no secret within the construction industry that public-private partnership (P3) project delivery has recently become all the rage.  The demand for infrastructure repairs and improvements is high, and the public dollars needed to fund them are ...

Professional football is known as a tough sport with an equally tough behind-the-scenes locker room culture. Jonathan Martin’s departure from the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 28, 2013, perhaps signaled a change. Press reports indicated that Martin left ...

Over the last decade, limited liability companies (LLCs) have become the entity of choice for real estate investments in most jurisdictions. The LLC entity offers great flexibility in establishing the rights, obligations and economic terms between ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to welcome its 2014 Summer Associates. Kayleen Egan, Gary Repke, Jacqueline Ryan, and Katherine Tohanczyn, have joined the Firm’s Philadelphia office, working in the Construction Group. Kayleen Egan Kayleen completed ...

By: Jennifer M. Horn, Daniel E. Fierstein and Katherine Tohanczyn As many federal government contractors know, the False Claims Act (FCA) is a tool used by the federal government to deter fraud. Those found to have knowingly submitted false ...

Philadelphia, PA – June 2, 2014 – Chambers & Partners has recognized Cohen Seglias’ Construction Practice Group in the 2014 edition of Chambers USA.  Additionally, Roy Cohen and Marc Furman were identified as Leaders in the fields of ...

Jason Copley, Anthony Bottenfield, Amy Kirby, Jennifer Budd, Bob Ruggieri, John Di Santo, and all four of our summer associates, Kayleen Egan, Gary Repke, Jacqueline Ryan, and Katherine Tohanczynat, participated in our first Cohen Seglias volunteer ...

On April 29, 2014, an evenly divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an order affirming the Pennsylvania Superior Court’s decision in Barrick v. Holy Spirit Hospital. The ruling means that communications between a party’s counsel and a ...

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC is proud to announce its support for Habitat for Humanity. Cohen Seglias shares Habitat’s commitment to eliminating poverty housing through building safe, sustainable, and affordable homes in ...

Did this winter’s extreme amounts of snow, sleet, freezing rain and abnormal temperatures leave your project out in the cold? This winter wreaked havoc on construction projects across the region. Perhaps you learned this the hard way when your ...

As a commercial collection attorney, I have the benefit of seeing and analyzing credit applications from a wide array of clients. However, by the time I receive a client’s credit application, typically the account is already in arrears and ...

You have built your business from the ground up. You have nurtured and grown a legacy for your family. You want to retire. What will happen to your business when you leave it? We should start with a few statistics for those of you who think you’ve ...

As we first reported back in January of 2012, the Pennsylvania Superior Court issued a decision in Bricklayers of Western Pennsylvania Combined Funds v. Scott’s Development Co. that significantly changed the meaning of the Pennsylvania ...

While by no means a recent law, Section 508 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code, 24 P.S. § 5-508, is becoming one that school districts are repeatedly relying upon to avoid paying contractors for work performed outside the original scope of ...

As clients seek more flexibility, predictability, and transparency in their legal services, alternative fee agreements, or AFAs, are becoming more common. AFAs are becoming more important to clients of small to mid-sized firms, who are demanding to ...

Counterintuitive as it may seem, courts can exert significant influence by deciding not to consider a case. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania did just that on April 1, 2014 when it decided not to consider an appeal in the Berks Products Corp. v. ...

Brief Note: Spring has finally arrived! After a winter filled with shoveling and project delays due to weather, what a breath of fresh air spring brings. We are excited to introduce you to a new face at the Firm and welcome Jennifer Budd, our new ...

On September 19, 2012, New Jersey enacted the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (N.J.S.A. 42:2C-1 et seq.), colloquially known as RULLCA. Although the new law became effective on March 18, 2013 (the “Effective Date”), it was not ...

What is a Public-Private Partnership? Public-private partnerships (P3s) are contractual arrangements whereby resources, risks, and rewards are shared among partnering public entities (federal, state, or local government agency or authority) and ...

On New Jersey DOT projects, road contractors are encouraged to construct as smooth a road surface as possible or face monetary penalties. The surface of a road is gauged by the International Roughness Index (IRI), which measures the roughness of all ...

Spring has finally arrived! After a winter filled with shoveling and project delays due to weather, what a breath of fresh air spring brings. In this issue, a warm welcome to Jennifer Budd, who is our new associate editor.

A recent case before the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey (Morris County Improvement Authority and Somerset County Improvement Authority v. Power Partners Mastec, LLC) involving solar construction has shed light (pun intended) ...

Law360, Philadelphia (March 27, 2014, 2:50 PM ET) — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday preserved a long-standing practice of immunizing general contractors from liability for injuries to subcontractors’ employees, overturning a $1.5 ...

We’re Moving! Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC is pleased to announce the firm is moving its Pittsburgh Office to new space. 525 William Penn Place Suite 3005 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 The offices of 525 William Penn Place are prized for ...

In this high-profile criminal prosecution of XTO Energy by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the scope of corporate criminal liability for the actions of third parties is likely to take center stage later this year in the Pennsylvania ...

Marian A. Kornilowicz, Chair of the Business Practice Group at Cohen Seglias, has been awarded the 2013 Preservation Alliance Rhoda and Permar Richards Award, for his dedicated service to the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. The ...

Forums like Angie’s List, Yelp, or even Yahoo Community Listserves allow homeowners and other contractor clients to recommend a contractor for a job well done. Just as often, however, disgruntled clients use these venues to vent about shoddy ...

Klipper Construction Associates v. Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority $800,341 Verdict The Legal Intelligencer Date of Verdict: Feb. 12. Court and Case No.: C.P. Bucks No. 2009-1637-29-1. Judge: Clyde W. Waite. Type of Action: Breach of ...

Law360, New York (March 14, 2014, 8:02 PM ET) — The U.S. Court of Federal Claims refused to grant summary judgment on Friday to either the government or Weston/Bean Joint Venture in a suit seeking $3.7 million for work WBJV performed dredging ...

New Proposed Legislation Would Require Bond: If House Bill 1488 becomes law in Maryland, bid protesters of state contracts appealing a decision to the Maryland Board of Contract Appeals would be required to simultaneously submit a “protest ...

This winter has seen unprecedented snowfall and cold temperatures. The record-breaking conditions have wreaked havoc on construction projects. Whether you are a supplier, contractor, or developer, here is synopsis what you need to know about ...

Site visits and certification verification are just a few things companies can do to ensure their diverse suppliers are indeed diverse. Organizations with diverse supplier programs do all they can to ensure that participating firms are in fact ...

Bitcoin is an open-source, peer-to-peer payment network and digital currency that has been around since 2009. It is the most well known of the cryptocurrencies, which include Litecoin, Namecoin and Peercoin. Commercial use of Bitcoin is small ...

The Maryland Department of Transportation/Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT/MTA) recently announced that four of the six teams that submitted qualification statements will be permitted to submit proposals to design, build, finance, operate, and ...

In the wake of the significant transportation funding legislation passed at the end of November 2013, Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation wasted no time issuing a request for qualifications (“RFQ“), seeking statements of ...

Jennifer Horn, Partner in the Construction group of Cohen Seglias is speaking on Comparative Analysis of Critical Construction and Design Provisions Between Mid-Atlantic States at Providence Engineering in Lancaster, PA, on Tuesday, January ...

In the City’s latest effort to improve upon safety, Philadelphia’s Licenses and Inspections Department (L&I) has issued new permitting and licensure requirements that took effect last week. The new requirements apply to all contractors ...

As we reflect upon the past year, few in the Delaware Valley will forget the fateful day in June when a building located at 22nd and Market Streets collapsed in the midst of demolition work performed by contractor Griffin Campbell, which claimed six ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to continue our tradition of supporting worthy causes during the holiday season. The Firm matched contributions from clients and staff, and together we were able to bring holiday joy to less fortunate children locally and ...

Cohen Seglias is pleased to announce that Wayne C. Buckwalter, Chair of the Firm’s Wealth Preservation Group, has once again been named a Five Star Wealth Manager. This elite group represents less than 4 percent of the wealth managers in the ...

In recent years, concepts such as “green construction” and “renewable energy” seem to have become almost commonplace. In what is perhaps an effort to lead the world by example in these areas, President Barack Obama recently ...

Maria L. Panichelli authored an article “SDVOSB Victory: Miles II – Court of Federal Claims Awards Attorneys’ Fees and Provides Further Guidance” which appeared on VetLikeMe, a national news publication for Service-Disabled ...

Owning a home can be an immensely rewarding experience, the keystone of the American Dream. Buying a home, however, can be an immensely complicated experience fraught with risks. Before taking the plunge into homeownership, it is important for a ...

Jennifer Horn of Cohen Seglias is participating in the upcoming PBI construction seminar Primer on Mechanics’ Liens and Bond Claims – Everything you need to know about Pennsylvania Mechanics Lien Law after Bricklayers The seminar will ...

As the Greenbuild 2013 posters, web cafés and stages are removed from the Convention Center in Philadelphia, attendees and exhibitors from across the country have been reenergized in thinking about green building, sustainability and resiliency. ...

Maryland, P3, RFQ, RFP

Maria L. Panichelli authored an article “American Legion Joins SDVOSB in “Veterans First” Appeal” which appeared on VetLikeMe, a national news publication for Service-Disabled Business Owners.

Unfortunately, dealing with the serious and often financially debilitating issues related to defective stucco is nothing new to many Pennsylvania homeowners. In addition to repairing defective work, a homeowner’s status as a first purchaser of ...

Earlier this year, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced criminal charges against a former state senator, five former Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) officials and employees, and two former PTC contractors. The charges were ...

We hope you’ve had a great year and are enjoying the holiday season. We are excited to celebrate our 25th Anniversary and to share some stories from the Firm’s history with you. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any ...

Twenty-five years ago, at the tender age of 33, I decided that the time was right to start a law firm focusing on construction and commercial clients. Together with a second-year associate named John Greenhall and a business lawyer, Cohen & ...

This is a great opportunity for me to share my thoughts about Cohen Seglias as I reflect upon 25 years of success and growth. First and foremost, when I joined the Firm as a 4th year associate in February of 1998, I can assure you that I never ...

1988 — Firm President Roy S. Cohen forms the foundation of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC with the establishment of a three-attorney office in Philadelphia 2000 — The Firm establishes a Business Practice Group to handle real ...

The Firm’s merger with my boutique government contract law firm, Payne Hackenbracht & Sullivan, in 2009, was one of many milestones in the development of Cohen Seglias as one of the largest, and most successful, construction law firms in the ...

Q: What are you most proud of? A: George — I am really proud of our commitment to providing high-quality legal services to our clients at a reasonable cost. Because of this, we have been able to serve many of our clients for a long time and our ...

We hope you’ve had a great year and are enjoying the holiday season. We are excited to celebrate our 25th Anniversary and to share some stories from the Firm’s history with you.

In recent years, more owners have requested that our law firm’s contractor clients purchase an owners and contractors protective liability policy (OCP policy), a type of insurance policy with which many contractors are unfamiliar. As OCP ...

Cohen Seglias has assisted a Newtown Square, Delaware County Condominium Association in reaching a $5.6 Million settlement agreement, ending a six-year dispute with Pulte and its subsidiary Pulte Home Corporation of the Delaware Valley Homes. The ...

By: Joyce J. Sun and Peter Plevritis As a contractor or subcontractor, timely receipt of payment can be the difference between continuing to grow your company and closing its doors. Because of this, contractors and subcontractors will frequently try ...

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane recently charged XTO Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, with criminal violations of the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Streams Law, based on an alleged discharge of waste ...

Cohen Seglias Partner and retired Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge, Gene D. Cohen, has launched a Legal Talk Radio Show on CBS Philly 1210 WPHT. The show, which airs on Sundays at 5:00 pm, aims to cover a variety of hot legal issues ...

 Photo: Philadelphia Bar Association Cohen Seglias Associate, Matthew G. Tom, was awarded the 2013 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg “Pursuit of Justice” Legal Writing Award by the Philadelphia Bar Association. A redacted version of his winning ...

The phrase “knowledge is power,” like most clichés, proves true more often than not – especially on construction projects where the status and amount of payments, terms of written agreements, and the content of project documents are ...

On June 21, 2012, the Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed the Building Energy Benchmarking Law, Bill No. 120428-A, requiring owners of nonresidential spaces of 50,000 square feet or more to track and report energy and water use. This past ...

Last week, the construction law section of the American Bar Association held its annual Fall Meeting. The program, held in Washington, DC, was entitled “Capital Projects: P3s, Design-Build, and Beyond.” The ABA Forum on the Construction ...

Many people are feeling pretty pessimistic about their finances and are wondering how they’re going to pay their bills. Their situation may be due to layoffs or stock market fluctuations among other things. If you have family and friends that ...

Risk is unavoidable. It doesn’t matter what part of a project you are involved in or if you are the architect, engineer or contractor. What does matter is having a plan because risk management brings value to your company’s work and the ...