General – Page 9 – Duane Morris Construction Law

September 22, 2014June 15, 2015 by Duane Morris

U.S. Department of Labor Proposes Pay Transparency Rule for Employees of Federal Contractors

On September 17, 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register to implement Executive Order 13665, which was signed by President Obama on April 8, 2014. Generally, the proposed rule would prohibit federal contractors from maintaining pay secrecy policies and would amend the equal opportunity clauses in Executive Order 11246 to provide protections to workers who talk about pay. The rule would apply to federal contractors with a federal contract worth more than $10,000 and entered into or modified on or after the effective date of the final rule, as well as to federal subcontractors working under such a covered federal contract.

To read the full Duane Morris Alert, please click here.

July 16, 2014July 25, 2014 by Duane Morris

Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law Amended, Clarifying Open-End Construction Loan Mortgage Priority

On July 9, 2014, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed into law Act 117 of 2014, which amends the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law (MLL), 49 P.S. 1101, et seq., to provide that a construction loan secured by an open-end mortgage where at least 60 percent of the proceeds are “intended to pay or used to pay” all or part of the “costs of construction” will have lien priority ahead of any filed mechanics’ lien claims, even when the visible commencement of work was prior to the recordation of the open-end mortgage.

Click here to read the full Alert, written by Duane Morris associate Louise S. Melchor.

July 11, 2014July 26, 2014 by Duane Morris

California Supreme Court Addresses Architect’s Duty of Care

The California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Beacon Residential Community Association v. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, S208173, on July 3, upholding a homeowners association’s right to pursue a common law negligence claim against the project architects of a 595-unit condominium project in San Francisco.

Building on substantial case law and the common law principles on which it is based, we hold that an architect owes a duty of care to future homeowners in the design of a residential building where, as here, the architect is a principal architect on the project — that is, the architect, in providing professional design services, is not subordinate to other design professionals. The duty of care extends to such architects even when they do not actually build the project or exercise ultimate control over construction.

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June 10, 2014July 26, 2014 by Patrick J. Kearney

Legislation Proposed to Allow ERISA Trusts to Pursue Mechanics’ Liens

On April 17, 2014, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued a decision in Bricklayers of Western Pennsylvania Combined Funds, Inc. v. Scott’s Development Company, et al., that held that union workers (employees of the primary contractor) were not “subcontractors” as that term is defined in the Pennsylvania’s Mechanics’ Lien Law of 1963, and that trustees of the union’s employee benefits trust funds were not entitled to file mechanic’s lien claims on the employees’ behalf for unpaid contributions to the trust funds.

Following this ruling, Rep. William Keller, D-Philadelphia, introduced HB 2319 to the General Assembly which would amend the Mechanic’s Lien Law to classify union benefit fund trustees as subcontractors allowed to pursue claims for non-payment against employers and property owners under the Mechanic’s Lien Law.

Duane Morris will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation.

May 23, 2014July 26, 2014 by Patrick J. Kearney

The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act Becomes Law in New York

The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act (the “Act”) was signed into law by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on May 12, 2014. Under this new law, veteran business owners will be eligible to become certified as a New York State Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB). The goal of the Act is to encourage and support eligible businesses to play a greater role in the economy of the State by increasing participation in New York State’s contracting opportunities. Towards that end, New York will award 6 percent of state contracts to businesses owned by disabled veterans and create the new Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development within the New York State Office of General Services (“OGS”) for the establishment of a statewide certification program. The Division will be responsible for certifying eligible SDVOBs, and assist and promote the compliance of SDVOB participation in the state’s procurement activities.

The statute provides that rules and regulations must be issued within 90 days of the effective date of the Act. However, understanding the strong interest in the program and the need to commence certifying businesses as soon as possible, OGS will be issuing emergency regulations on or before the week of June 2, 2014 prior to the adoption of permanent regulations.

April 11, 2014July 27, 2014 by Duane Morris

Duane Morris’ Construction Group Nominated for 2014 Chambers USA Award for Excellence

Duane Morris is pleased to announce that the firm’s Construction Group has once again been nominated for one of the prestigious Chambers USA Awards for Excellence. This is the fourth overall nomination for the group, which has been recognized among the top national practices by Chambers for the past several years. Duane Morris is one of only five firms to be finalists in the construction category this year.

The Awards for Excellence honor outstanding firms based on research conducted for Chambers USA 2014. These awards reflect a law firm’s preeminence in key practice areas, as well as notable achievements over a 12-month period, including outstanding work; impressive strategic growth; and excellence in client service.

The Chambers USA Awards for Excellence winners will be announced on Thursday, May 22, 2014 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City

April 4, 2014July 27, 2014 by Duane Morris

Duane Morris Partner Albert Bates, Jr. to Present at the Deloitte Energy Conference

Duane Morris partner Albert Bates, Jr., will be presenting at the 2014 Deloitte Energy Conference: A Global Industry . . . Competing Locally, which will be held on Tuesday, May 13, and Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Mr. Bates will serve as a panelist during the Elective Session – Sector Breakouts on Power on May 14, 2014, where he will discuss strategic considerations of major capital projects, including evolving project delivery systems and inherent risks, as well as proactive project risk management and controls.

CPE Credit Amount and CPE Field of Study Subject Area(s) are pending review by the National CPE Compliance Group. Participants can receive up to 12 hours of CPE credits for attending this conference in multiple subject areas depending upon sessions attended.

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March 10, 2014July 28, 2014 by Patrick J. Kearney

Managing Snow and Weather Related Delays on a Construction Project

This winter it seems like no one has been able to escape the fury of Mother Nature. As a result, construction projects all over the country are now behind schedule. Because “time is money” for all of the project participants, disputes related to time extensions, liquidated damages, acceleration claims, and other delay damages are expected. In anticipation of these disputes, contractors and owners should review their contracts and consult with an attorney before submitting or responding to a weather related claim.

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March 10, 2014July 27, 2014 by Duane Morris

Recent Changes in New York City’s Standard Construction Contract

With its new Standard Construction Contract, issued in December 2013, the City of New York (the “City”) has implemented numerous significant changes as compared with its 2008 standard contract. The most widely discussed change in the City’s standard construction contract is the elimination of an express “no damage for delay” clause. At least ostensibly, the new contract represents a more flexible approach to delay damages by enabling the contractor to recover for delays in factual settings not previously amenable to delay claims. This Alert briefly summarizes some of the new provisions.

Click here to read the full Alert.

February 18, 2014July 29, 2014 by Jose A. Aquino

Itemization of Mechanic’s Lien Not Necessary Where Construction Contract Apprised Owner of Lienor’s Claim

New York Lien Law § 38 states that the holder of a mechanic’s lien “shall, on demand in writing, deliver to the owner or contractor making such demand a statement in writing which shall set forth the items of labor and/or material and the value thereof which make up the amount for which he [or she] claims a lien, and which shall also set forth the terms of the contract under which such items were furnished.” In Associated Building Services Inc. v Pentecostal Faith Church, 112 A.D.3d 1130, 976 N.Y.S.2d 699 (3rd Dept. 2013), the Court held that a lienor is not always required to provide an itemization of labor and materials furnished to substantiate its mechanic’s lien.

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