News & Publications

By: Melissa C. Angeline Philadelphia has become the first major city to bar private employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal background. The “Ban the Box” law, otherwise known as the Fair Criminal Record Screening ...

By: Jennifer M. Horn As all subcontractors are aware, mechanics’ lien rights are precious tools to recover payment on a project for work performed. Often with the aid of a title search, subcontractors and their counsel strive to ascertain the ...

By: Jennifer M. Horn In a precedential opinion that overturned a Pennsylvania District Court ruling, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (the Third Circuit) interpreted several important provisions of a construction contract. ...

By: Scott T. Earle House Bill 109 (HB 109), which was passed by the House of Representatives, has stalled out in the Senate. This Bill was a proposed amendment to Title 6, Chapter 35 of the Delaware Code Building and Construction Payments section ...

“Technology has transformed dozens of ways we interact with the world. How we communicate, learn, work, entertain, and provide for ourselves have all been radically altered by computers, sensors, and software. One area where technology is ...

By: Jason A. Copley and Kathleen M. Morely Contractors and subcontractors, and really any business associated with construction, should be pleased with a new law that just took effect in Pennsylvania. In cases where there is more than one defendant, ...

Over the past couple of years, the solar industry has thrived in Pennsylvania and New Jersey due to federal and state programs that have provided hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives. These programs are necessary for solar energy to compete ...

If you are a Contractor performing residential home improvement work in New Jersey, a recent case clarifies that you may be subject to Consumer Fraud Act claims even when your contract is with a homeowner who serves as a “general ...

As many contractors know, Pennsylvania’s attempt to formulate and use innovative procurement methods has incurred a series of setbacks from the Commonwealth’s appellate courts. The latest setback came when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found ...

As many in the industry are aware, Maryland became the first state to fully adopt the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) when Governor Martin O’Malley signed HB 972, effective March 1, 2012. In response to our IGCC blog post on this ...

If you are a contractor bidding on public projects in New Jersey, a recent NJ case sheds light on an aggregate rating requirement which, if violated, could cause your bid to be disqualified. What Are Aggregate Rating Requirements Under NJ Law? Most ...

Look familiar? If you have not already seen the infamous “inflatable rat” in a neighborhood near you, it is likely that you are going to see one soon. This comes as a result of a recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board ...

The State of New Jersey, in conjunction with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), is exploring the possibility of leasing portions of the continental shelf to wind power developers and studying the feasibility ...

The Philadelphia Zoo recently broke ground on the brand new Hamilton Family Children’s Zoo and Education Center. The Zoo website describes the center as a “joyful, engaging experience for children and families while promoting a lifetime ...

Last week, Pennsylvania’s House Labor and Industry Committee considered PA House Bill 1602  (HB 1602). Construction industry experts, including Cohen Seglias’ own Jason A. Copley, critiqued the bill in testimony presented at a televised public ...

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a technological process that allows building and construction data to be modeled and managed three dimensionally. The technology can be used to represent a building in ways that the more traditional drawings ...

On June 7, 2011, the Pennsylvania Superior Court, in what appears to be a departure from past rulings and conventional interpretations of Pennsylvania’s Mechanic’s Lien Law (Lien Law), issued a ruling that permits an excavating contractor to ...

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has enacted a new method for charging customers for Storm Water Management Services (Services). It is important to understand the new rating system, as it could significantly impact all property owners in ...

Pennsylvania Governor Corbett has signed, House Bill 377 (HB 377) into law. The new law repeals the sprinkler mandate that became effective on January 1, 2011 that required builders to install sprinkler systems in all new single- and two-family ...

Pennsylvania: PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) is moving its headquarters to Pittsburgh. PNC, which is the largest bank in Pennsylvania, plans to build a $400 million “green” office structure in downtown Pittsburgh, which will create ...