News & Publications

Update: Christie Signs NJ Power Plant Bill New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law last Friday the controversial power plant bill (S-2381) that, among other things, is aimed to lower energy rates by increasing the energy generated ...

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDot) recently filed a lawsuit for $19.6 million in damages against Florida based engineering contractor Figg Bridge Engineers (Figg) and its engineering subcontractor MACTEC Engineering (MACTEC). The ...

Christopher P. Soper, LEED® AP contributed to this post. To further the efforts to reduce the negative impact that buildings can have on the environment the International Code Counsel (ICC) created the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) ...

Economic Forecast for the 2011 Construction Industry: Outlook Good? I recently had the pleasure to chat with Mr. Anirban Basu, Chief Economist for the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) and Chairman & CEO of the economic and policy ...

Lane F. Kelman contributed to this post. A recent increase in fraud investigations relating to disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) has caused companies to revisit the qualifications of the DBEs they work with. Two recent investigations in New ...

A controversial bill, know as “LS Power Bill” has recently put New Jersey Governor Chris Christie under some pressure. The bill, A. 3442, is a reaction to regional power-grid operator PJM Interconnection’s (PJM) reliability pricing ...

Recent Pennsylvania court decisions have virtually eliminated any insurance coverage under commercial general liability policies for claims brought against general contractors arising from the faulty workmanship of their subcontractors. Jonathan A. ...

On December 15, 2010, Allentown’s City Council passed a bill that requires contractors to sign project labor agreements (PLAs), as a condition to receiving contracts for work on construction projects sponsored by the City of Allentown. This ...

The developer of 10 Rittenhouse, the luxury Philadelphia condominium building with 33 floors and units priced from $600,000 to $15 million, recently filed for bankruptcy protection under the court’s Chapter 11 procedures. In doing so, the ...

On February 16, 2010, Cohen Seglias partner Lane F. Kelman will present a program to The Environmental Information Association’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter on the interrelationship between the current trends in Green Building, the environmental ...

On December 17, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (Act).  The compromise legislation became effective on January 1, 2011, but is only temporary, as most ...

On September 6, 2010, President Barack Obama proposed a six-year, $50 billion plan to rebuild the nation’s highways, railways and airport runways. Obama’s plan includes rebuilding 150,000 miles of roads, construction and maintenance of ...

Smart contractors now more than ever must be vigilant about preserving their rights to mechanics’ liens. Lien rights provide another avenue of protection if and when payment is not made for work performed. Contractors should beware however, ...

The luxury hotel chain, the Four Seasons, has been building an 18-story, 256-room hotel in Harbor East, Baltimore for over a year now. Until now, they have not been able to fully finance the $197 million project. On Thursday, January 6, 2011, ...

Building owners in the City of Philadelphia had better start paying closer attention to what’s on the outside. Earlier this year, Mayor Michael Nutter signed an ordinance — Periodic Inspection of Exterior Walls and Appurtenances of ...

In terms of solar power, New Jersey is very progressive. New Jersey is a frontrunner in renewable energy production, and currently has the second highest capacity of solar power in the country – California is first. The Garden State’s ...

The Pennsylvania Superior Court has decided to reconsider its own recent ruling that made information considered by an expert fair ground for full discovery by other parties in the lawsuit. Barrick v. Holy Spirit Hospital On September 16, 2010, in ...

The Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, HICPA, went into effect on July 1, 2009. HICPA was designed to protect purchasers of home improvement services from contractors engaging in deceitful business practices or doing shoddy ...

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell announced Monday that new state investments for Warren and Erie counties have been approved. The new projects will receive $45 million in state funding and $68 million in private funding and will create more than 400 ...

Contractors and subcontractors must be particularly vigilant in protecting their lien rights in these uncertain economic times. Despite an investment of time and labor into a project, contractors and subcontractors may be faced with a defaulting ...