Kirwin Norris, P.A.

We understand the needs and nuances of the construction process, the complexities of construction law, and the importance of managing and resolving issues in a timely manner to keep your project progressing on time and on budget. Should you be facing litigation, we have an enviable track record of success in state and federal courts. We have in-depth, up-to-the-moment knowledge, along with the valuable industry relationships, that can give you an advantage both on the project site and in the courtroom. Kirwin Norris’ team of dedicated attorneys is located in our Orlando and Fort Lauderdale offices.

Website: http://kirwinnorris.com/
Follow:

Kirwin Norris, P.A. Blogs

Florida Construction Legal Updates
Government Construction Law Update

Blog Authors

David Adelstein
Joseph Darr

Latest from Kirwin Norris, P.A.

https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-11-shutterstock_305493380-jpg
Here is an interesting case binding a Miller Act payment bond surety to an arbitration award against its prime contractor (bond principal) that it received sufficient notice of.  Notice is the operative word.  The surety could have participated in the arbitration, elected not to, and when its prime contractor (bond principal) lost the arbitration, it was NOT given another bite out of the apple to litigate facts already been decided. In BRC Uluslararasi Taahut VE…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2019-08-images1-jpeg
Recently, I shared an article with LevelSet about common construction claims and how to manage the risk with construction claims.  Check out the article here.   The article touches upon issues regarding: i) knowing your scope of work; ii) understanding the contract documents; iii) knowing your payment rights; iv) how to mitigate construction claims; v) pursing your construction claim; vi) resolving your construction claim; and vii) common construction claims you may deal with on…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-11-shutterstock_565418620-jpg
A general contractor’s subcontract with its subcontractor should include a provision that entitles it to flow down liquidated damages assessed by the owner stemming from delays caused by the subcontractor.  Such a provision does not mean the general contractor does not have to prove delays caused by the subcontractor or can arbitrarily allocate the amount or days it claims the subcontractor is liable.  The general contractor still will need to reasonably establish the delays the…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-11-shutterstock_1642888921-jpg
Do yourself a favor: Don’t sign a construction contract that doesn’t address COVID-19 or any pandemic or epidemic from this point forward! As the number of COVID-19 numbers rise, it would be reasonable to think this could have an impact on ongoing or future construction projects.   For this reason, I want to revisit the subject of addressing COVID-19 (and any pandemic or epidemic) in your construction contract. The potential impact caused by COVID-19 could…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-11-shutterstock_1595244730-jpg
If you recording a construction lien (referred to as a claim of lien) and looking to perfect your construction lien foreclosure rights, it is imperative that you work with counsel to ensure your rights are properly preserved.  This is good practice! A claim of lien must be served on an owner within 15 days after recording.   Florida Statute s. 713.08(4)(c) says: “The claim of lien shall be served on the owner. Failure to serve any…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-11-shutterstock_329970629-jpg
Largely in the federal contract arena, there is a theory referred to as “cumulative impacts” used by a contractor to recover unforeseeable costs associated with a multitude of changes that have an overwhelming ripple effect on its efficiency, particularly efficiency dealing with its original, base contract work.  In other words, by dealing with extensive changes, there is an unforeseeable impact imposed on the contractor relative to its unchanged or base contract work.  Under this theory, the…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-10-shutterstock_1686055816-jpg
Teaming agreements are practical and useful agreements on public projects where a prime contractor teams with a subcontractor for purposes of submitting a bid or proposal in response to a solicitation.  The prime contractor and subcontractor work together to pursue that solicitation and have the government award the contract to the prime contractor.  The teaming agreement allows for information to be confidentially shared (estimating and pricing, construction methodologies, systems, and suggestions, value engineering, etc.) where…
https-www-floridaconstructionlegalupdates-com-wp-content-uploads-2020-10-shutterstock_611627315-jpg
If you are a contractor, you are aware of workers’ compensation immunity when it comes to injuries on the site; and, if not, you should be.  It is this workers’ compensation immunity (where workers compensation is the exclusive form of liability for an injured employee) which is why a contractor should generally always want to ensure its subcontractors have workers’ compensation insurance.   Workers’ compensation immunity would protect a contractor that is being sued by a…
payment bond claim denied
After a general contractor on a federal government project allegedly terminated a subcontractor’s contract for convenience, the subcontractor sued the payment bond surety for the amounts owed to the subcontractor. In Maguire-O’Hara Construction, Inc. v. Cool Roofing Systems, Inc., the subcontractor claimed the surety was liable for the unpaid remaining balance on the subcontract of nearly $2.6 million, even though the subcontractor was only owed about $360,000 for completed work. The surety filed a motion for judgment on…