News & Publications

A recurring, and often frustrating situation for a general contractor on a public project in Pennsylvania, is when a claim is made by a lower-tier subcontractor against the general contractor’s payment bond, which arises when a subcontractor fails ...

We hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather! For those of you who do public work, make sure to check out the article regarding the pitfalls of seeking legal recourse against a government entity – know your rights!

Law360, an on-line publication, has reported that two Pennsylvania  Democrats, Rep. Brendon Newman (D – Washington) and  Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D – Allegheny), are preparing to introduce legislation that may bring the False Claims Act ...

For most people, there is only one thing more excruciating than a discussion about insurance coverage: a blog post about it.  So brace yourselves dear readers. With all kidding aside, the importance for contractors and owners to understand the ins ...

Public construction work can be attractive to contractors, especially in a down economy, because the payments are considered more certain and secure than with private work.  One major pitfall of public work, however, is that legal recourse against ...

By: Jason Tomasulo The Maryland Legislature recently passed House Bill 560, which makes significant revisions to Maryland’s Public-Private Partnership law, effective July 1, 2013. The genesis for the revisions was the combination of Maryland’s ...

Please join us for a professional panel covering the technological, financial, and legal aspects of: History of BIM Future of BIM Benefits and Risks of BIM BIM Documentation and the Effects Case Studies Top 5 Takeaways by Industry ...

December 21, 2012 was the effective date of the Philadelphia Lead Paint Bill 100011-A (the “Ordinance”), which amended Chapter 6-800 of the Philadelphia Code and established new lead paint disclosure and certification requirements for ...

Steve Williams authored an article, “Covered Device Recycling Act” which appeared in the PMHA Newsletter, Pennsylvania Perspective. PMHA is the Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Association.

One of the most commonly overlooked yet critically impactful provisions of a construction contract is a notice provision.  In their most typical form, a contractual notice provision will require contractors to provide written notice to their ...

For many Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans attempting to do business with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the hope outlined in the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (the “Act”) has largely ...

In January, Governor Chris Christie signed an Executive Order and proposed emergency regulations to guide the rebuilding process after Superstorm Sandy in flood prone areas of New Jersey.   Before the storm, the building code and flood-proofing ...

By: Jennifer M. Horn The Architectural Billings Index (ABI), an important construction indicator, continues to show increased construction activity and economic momentum in a recent 2012 report.  For the fifth straight month, architectural billings ...

By: Jason C. Tomasulo In January, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley introduced his $37.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins in July 2013, and which includes a plan to spend $373 million for school construction and renovation.   ...

We are very excited to announce some new additions to the firm. In addition, Lisa Wampler has been named Partner in the Construction Group; she is based in the Pittsburgh office. Please join us in welcoming and congratulating everyone! Ashling ...

Litigation expenses can make even the best litigation outcomes bittersweet. For that reason, whenever possible, parties take advantage of statutes and rules that force the losing party to pay for costs and attorney’s fees that were incurred in ...

This past fall a Pennsylvania appellate court ruled in Conway v. The Cutler Group that second homeowners who purchase homes from original owners of new construction can sue builders if a home is defectively built and, as a result, uninhabitable. ...

Due to the increased risk of hiring an employee who has a bad track record, or who appears more likely to become a liability to the employer because of his or her criminal history, many employers routinely perform or are considering performing, ...

If your company is the general contractor (“GC”) on a project, and one of your subcontractors is facing claims of non-payment of pension fund contributions to a union fund – do you know if you can be held liable for the subcontractor’s ...

We are very excited to announce that Lisa Wampler has been named Partner in the Construction Group; she is based in the Pittsburgh office. Please join us in congratulating her!