Ahead of Schedule, published by Stoel Rives LLP, focuses on legal developments and practical guidance primarily in real estate, construction, and dispute resolution. The blog covers regulatory changes affecting real estate professionals, contract drafting strategies to anticipate litigation risks, and evolving laws impacting construction project payments and retention. It also explores mediation dynamics and the implications of contract clauses such as third-party beneficiary provisions. The content is aimed at helping legal practitioners, developers, contractors, and brokers navigate compliance, risk management, and dispute resolution within these sectors.
Many owners and contractors assume that their construction contract controls how claims and disputes will be handled. After all, substantial time is often spent negotiating notice provisions, mediation requirements, dispute resolution procedures, and payment terms.
Beginning with many private construction…
Originally published to the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce on August 11, 2026
Ending a construction contract can trigger significant legal and practical consequences for owners and contractors. This article examines the risks that can arise when project participants decide…
Stoel Rives has been named to Construction Executive’s The Top 50 Construction Law Firms™ annual national rankings for a seventh consecutive year and ranked No. 21 for 2026, rising six places from the 2025 ranking. Construction Executive evaluated firms on…
As construction projects increasingly rely on specialized or international suppliers, project teams should evaluate more factors than pricing and product availability. Overseas vendors can offer significant advantages, but they may also introduce legal and practical challenges that become difficult to…
Data center construction projects involve more than delivering complex technical infrastructure on an accelerated schedule. Owners, developers, contractors, and design professionals must navigate legal and contractual issues that can affect project performance, increase costs, and lead to disputes throughout the…
Washington’s common interest community framework is undergoing its most significant shift in decades. Recent legislative changes to Washington’s Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA) will unify all associations under a single statute by 2028, fundamentally reshaping governance and compliance obligations.…
In June 2026, Congress, in a bi-partisan action, passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (the “Act”) which is widely viewed as the most significant federal housing legislation in decades. While President Trump did not sign the Act into…
Healthcare construction projects involve more than managing budgets and schedules. Owners must navigate contractual, operational, and legal risks that can affect delivery, increase costs, and create disputes long after construction begins.
From design coordination issues and force majeure delays to…
As development activity continues to grow, developers increasingly face environmental obligations related to impacts on wetlands, waterways, protected species, and habitat. Conservation and mitigation banks provide a market-based mechanism for satisfying those obligations by purchasing environmental credits.
These banking systems…
Washington’s self-storage industry is facing a major tax change. Effective April 1, 2026, income from self-service storage rentals will be subject to Washington’s business and occupation (B&O) tax under recently enacted legislation—marking a significant shift from the industry’s long-standing tax…
