{"id":891227,"date":"2016-11-03T16:12:19","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T22:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/?p=891227"},"modified":"2016-11-03T16:12:19","modified_gmt":"2016-11-03T22:12:19","slug":"construction-one-minute-read-litigation-challenges-collecting-attorneys-fees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/construction-one-minute-read-litigation-challenges-collecting-attorneys-fees\/","title":{"rendered":"Construction One-Minute Read: Litigation Challenges With Collecting Attorneys\u2019 Fees"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Randolph E. Ruff and Jonathan M. Mraunac | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lexology.com\/library\/detail.aspx?g=5aaefcf7-61fd-4b84-9055-e66e2d517058&amp;utm_source=Lexology+Daily+Newsfeed&amp;utm_medium=HTML+email+-+Body+-+General+section&amp;utm_campaign=Lexology+subscriber+daily+feed&amp;utm_content=Lexology+Daily+Newsfeed+2016-11-02&amp;utm_term=\" target=\"_blank\">Ogletree Deakins<\/a> | October 31, 2016<\/p>\n<p>It is common knowledge among construction litigators that in order for a contractor to recover attorneys\u2019 fees from a subcontractor, the subcontract must specifically state that attorneys\u2019 fees are recoverable. However, in litigation, the arguments impeding a contractor\u2019s recovery of fees are quite nuanced. To short-circuit these arguments before litigation occurs, contractors should consider the following issues:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>whether the contractor may recover all fees incurred for any reason, including litigation to enforce a subcontract, or whether recovery is limited to fees related to tasks such as completing the subcontractor\u2019s late or deficient work, dealing with governmental authorities, or resolving a mechanics lien;<\/li>\n<li>whether a reasonableness requirement on fees gives the subcontractor an argument to object to the contractor\u2019s chosen legal counsel on the basis that the counsel\u2019s hourly rates are unreasonably expensive;<\/li>\n<li>the timing of when fees are due and payable to a contractor (i.e., as they are incurred regardless of liability or only after liability is established by a judgment in litigation or arbitration);<\/li>\n<li>whether the language of a performance bond (in such a context) conflicts with and impedes a contractor\u2019s reliance on its subcontract language regarding attorneys\u2019 fees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Courts closely scrutinize attorneys\u2019 fees provisions in contracts and subcontracts, so thoughtful, articulate drafting is essential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Randolph E. Ruff and Jonathan M. Mraunac | Ogletree Deakins | October 31, 2016 It is common knowledge among construction litigators that in order for a contractor to recover attorneys\u2019 fees from a subcontractor, the subcontract must specifically state that attorneys\u2019 fees are recoverable. However, in litigation, the arguments impeding a contractor\u2019s recovery of fees&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/construction-one-minute-read-litigation-challenges-collecting-attorneys-fees\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Construction One-Minute Read: Litigation Challenges With Collecting Attorneys\u2019 Fees<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9,172],"tags":[142,224,27],"class_list":["post-891227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction-contracts","category-construction-law-2","tag-attorneys-fees","tag-construction-contract","tag-construction-law","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Construction One-Minute Read: Litigation Challenges With Collecting Attorneys\u2019 Fees - Advise &amp; 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