Arbitration has long been viewed as a faster, more efficient alternative to litigation. But anyone involved in construction disputes today knows that is not always the case. The process can be just as costly, sometimes taking as long as a court case. Yet one thing remains consistent, and it is the most important point for
Court or Arbitration? Why Contractors Can’t Afford to Get this Wrong
As a construction litigation lawyer, dispute resolution is a recurring issue. It starts before the project begins at the time of contract negotiation, where the parties decide whether to require litigation or arbitration of their disputes. During project performance, disputes can often be addressed formally or informally. And after the project is completed, the
Tenn. Court of Appeals Finally Clarifies Contractor Licensing Laws, Holding An “Underlicensed” Contractor Is Violation of Tennessee’s Consumer Protection Act
The title of this post says it all. No need for a catchy story about my kids or a play on words. In what had been an often debated issue in trial courts across Tennessee, the Court of Appeals recently weighed in on the issue of whether an underlicensed contractor (one who contracts beyond the
Labor Shortages Overnight? What Every Contractor Needs to Know About ICE Raids and Schedule Impacts
The headlines in Nashville, Tennessee are hard to miss: “Construction work force taking a hit amid ICE operations in Middle Tennessee” and “Tennessee ranks near the top for ICE arrests” For contractors and subcontractors, these are more than political talking points. It is a business risk that can hit the bottom
More Than Meets the Eye: TN Court Finds Arbitration Agreement in Employee Handbook Non-Binding
Excuse the eye patch, as I just had retina surgery yesterday. I am surprised at how different the world looks with only one eye to focus—from the depth of the stairway, to the water flowing from the sink, to the words flying out from the computer screen. In other words, there is more than meets
Construction Law Summit in Nashville: How to Claim an Invitation!
I have been blogging for over 10 years now. I have spoken at construction and leadership conferences all over the country. Do you want to know my favorite place to speak?
My favorite place to speak is wherever I am. That’s right, I enjoy people-meeting, story-telling, and especially problem-solving. Best Practices Construction Law is
Owners Can Get Cake and Icing Under New Tennessee Lien Law
Seems like last week I was just celebrating one kid’s birthday and I had to do it again last night! Oh, that’s right, I have seven kids with two birthdays in September. So, it was not a dream?!?!?! Although they both got to choose their own family dinner destination, we are going to have one
“Was Not” versus “Is So”: Court Clarifies Whether Exceeding Monetary License Limit Affects Contractor’s Recovery
After a great extended weekend on the beaches of Florida, we embarked upon the drive back to Nashville with six kids. Despite the clearly defined travel rules, the antagonizing kid was putting his feet on the emotional kid. The creative kid was writing on the seat with markers, while the perfect kid screamed foul. The
Subcontractor’s Failure to Strictly Comply With Notice Provision Costs $200,000
Whether you are an owner, contractor, subcontractor or supplier, you will want to read the rest of this post since it illustrates precisely what all those attorneys have been telling you for years: “Please, please, please read your contract.” In this instance, one party’s failure to strictly follow the contractual notice provision was a $209,235.36
The Real Lemon in the Bunch: Understanding Pay-If-Paid Clauses
As you may be aware, one of the greatest risks on a construction project involves the payment process. Just like my kids expect to be paid for the lemonade they sell, contractors and subcontractors expect to be paid on a timely basis once the work has been performed.
Contractors have a means of shifting the