Matthew DeVries | Best Practices Construction Law In a recent Tennessee Court of Appeals decision, Nowaczyk v. Daniels Construction (Nov. 4, 2025), a contractor tried to disqualify the trial judge because the judge happened to live in the same neighborhood as a potential expert witness for the homeowners. The court’s response? Proximity isn’t prejudice. The dispute started… Continue reading Construction Expert and Judge Living in the Same Hood Is Not Grounds For Recusal
How to Conduct Due Diligence on an Adaptive Reuse Project
R. Kymn Harp | Buchalter Adaptive reuse refers to the process of taking an existing building or structure originally designed for one purpose and adapting it so that it can be used for another. The goal is to breathe new life into old buildings. Adaptive reuse promotes environmental, cultural and economic sustainability, and is an alternative to… Continue reading How to Conduct Due Diligence on an Adaptive Reuse Project
New 5% Retention Cap for California Private Projects: Key Impacts for Contracting Parties
Allison B. Etkin | Akerman Effective January 1, 2026, California will implement significant changes to private construction payment practices. Joining nine other states, Senate Bill 61, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 14, 2025, amends California’s Prompt Payment Statute to establish a mandatory 5% cap on retention for private construction contracts. Until now, California law… Continue reading New 5% Retention Cap for California Private Projects: Key Impacts for Contracting Parties
3D Printing in Construction: A Legal Frontier Emerging Layer by Layer
Advise & Consult As the legal landscape continues to evolve alongside technological innovation, one development demands our attention: the rise of 3D-printed buildings. Once a speculative concept, additive manufacturing is now producing homes, offices, and infrastructure with unprecedented speed and precision. For law firms advising developers, insurers, regulators, and tech providers, this shift presents both… Continue reading 3D Printing in Construction: A Legal Frontier Emerging Layer by Layer
Introducing the New AAA-AI Arbitrator
Trent Cotney | Adams & Reese The American Arbitration Association–International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR) has introduced an innovative AI arbitrator designed to transform the dispute resolution process, particularly in the construction sector. This AI solution is positioned as a fast, cost-effective, and reliable tool that operates within an intuitive, user-friendly platform. The AI arbitrator… Continue reading Introducing the New AAA-AI Arbitrator