Organization
Matthew DeVries
Best Practices Construction Law is a legal blog authored by Matthew J. DeVries, a shareholder at Buchalter, a full-service business law firm with offices across several U.S. states. The blog focuses on legal issues and best practices within the construction industry, covering topics such as risk assessment, claims management, contract drafting, project management, technology in construction, alternative dispute resolution, and legal trends. It provides analysis and commentary relevant to contractors, developers, owners, and other stakeholders involved in construction projects, including public infrastructure and commercial developments. The content aims to address practical problems and solutions encountered in construction law and project execution.
482 published works
Best Practices Construction Law
Tennessee Update: Legislature Looks to Suspend Workers’ Comp Requirements
Following on my earlier post ... nevermind. Leadership of the Tennessee House and Senate recently reached a bipartisan agreement to immediately introduce legislation in January 2010 to suspend the effective date…
Best Practices Construction Law
State Football Playoffs: Excusable Delay on Construction Project?
College football in the Midwest. No further comment needed. So it should come as no surprise to see that a construction project in Mishawaka, Indiana was "postponed" as the local…
Best Practices Construction Law
Hot Off the Press: ConsensusDOCS Releases Green Building Addendum
As much as possible, I like to highlight various forms of construction contract documents. In most of my green building presentations over the past few months, I have talked about the…
Best Practices Construction Law
Father of LEED Says: “Green Buildings Only Bright Spot in Construction Industry”
I am certainly not the first ... and certainly won't be the last ... person to write about Robert Watson's webinar presentation yesterday afternoon entitled, Building a Sustainable Future: Progress…
Best Practices Construction Law
Tennessee Supreme Court Says Environmental Laws Are Relevant in Punitive Damage Award Against Contractor
I love seeing a case zig zag through the appellate process ... and I especially enjoy reading one where intermediate appellate court reverses the trial court and the highest court then reverses that…
Best Practices Construction Law
Tennessee Legislative Update: Workers’ Comp Coverage is Required for Sole Proprietors in Construction Industry
Over the past two months, I have received a few inquiries from small business owners about an amendment to Tennessee's workers' compensation laws. The primary question is whether the new law, which…
Best Practices Construction Law
Father of LEED: Webinar on Green Building Market and Impact Report 2009
Not many things in life are free. So you can imagine my excitement over the weekend when I received an email to attend a free sneak preview webinar featuring Robert…
Best Practices Construction Law
Scary and (Potentially) Viral: AGC Takes to YouTube
I received an email this morning with the following warning: "The following message is intended for construction audiences only. Do NOT watch this clip alone or in the dark. Please…
Best Practices Construction Law
Lien Law: Using a Template to Gather Information to Pursue Your Claim
One of my favorite leadership gurus, Michael Hyatt (CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing) posted a few good recommendations a couple months ago about using templates for greater efficiency. Michael wrote: For years, I have…
Best Practices Construction Law
The Problem with Words: They Can LEED to Miscommunication
I have my Google reader set to search various blogs, news sites, and Twitter feeds to help me keep current with the latest trends in the construction industry. There remains one major problem: the…