David Hatem to Speak at ACEC/NHDOT’s 6th Annual Winter Technical Meeting on Design-Build

David Hatem will be speaking at ACEC/NHDOT 6th Annual Winter Technical Meeting on January 10, 2020. This year’s theme is Design-Build.
David will discuss the Pitfalls of Design-Build as well as participate on a panel exploring Design-Build in New Hampshire.

October 2019 Roundtable: Design-Build – Professional Liability Risks for Design Professionals

These days, nearly half of the nation’s projects are delivered using the design-build method. It is projected to increase by 18 percent by 2021. There are perceived advantages: The Owner manages only one contract, the engineer and contractor work together as a team, and it is perceived that there are fewer negligence claims against the engineer.
 
Not true. The number of claims against the engineer is increasing and represents a significant concern for the profession.

The Design & Construction Management Professional Reporter: July 2019

Inside This Issue:
“Changing Professional Liability Practice Insurers: Perils for Consulting Engineers Involved in Design-Build Projects”
By: David J. Hatem, PC
“The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Reaffirms Ruling that the Statute of Repose Permanently Bars All Claims”
By: Gwen P. Weisberg
To read our July 2019 issue, please click here.

September 2019 Roundtable: State of the Union – Design Professional Education

Join us on Thursday, September 5, 2019, as David Hatem leads a discussion with top industry educators to explore the status of education for design professionals.
Topics include:

• Current trends, including admissions processes, areas of concentrations, adequacy of supply of talent
• Establishing diversity in the industry through the student body
• NAAB, P.E and other relevant licensing requirements
• Current curriculums and their impact
• New ways of teaching and expanded educational offerings,

June 2019 Roundtable: I Really Should Patent That!

Intellectual property impacts every industry, including architects, engineers and related creative professions. New technologies and discoveries are changing the ways that we design and build our roads, bridges and plants. Innovations are making our buildings more energy efficient. New 3D printing and additive manufacturing techniques are being scaled and applied to the construction of concrete structures while advanced composites are being retrofitted to strengthen deteriorating supports and foundations.
Securing intellectual property – patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets –

May 2019 Roundtable: The Good, the Bad and the Here We Go Again

In 2018, the Design and Construction industry was very busy.  This is great, but in our review not all the news is good.  There are topics of interest to discuss from 2018 that impact design professionals in 2019.
Join us on Thursday, May 2nd as Sue Yoakum leads this discussion and reports on what we learned last year, and how your services may be impacted in 2019, how to include if good, how to avoid if bad and how to get off the “here we go again”

April 2019 Roundtable: Contract Provisions and Relevance to Claims and Defenses

To adequately manage risks in the design and construction phases of projects, professionals need to understand how contracts provisions can affect the performance of services and liability exposure.

Join us on Thursday, April 18th to hear Donovan Hatem Attorneys Brian Newberry and Eric Howard discuss the important role that contract documents play in providing professional services and how best to anticipate and plan for disputes and conflict management.

Topics include:

• Pre-Bid
• Standard of Care
• Ownership of Documents
• Indemnification
• Limitation of Liability
• Claims and Dispute Resolution

And more!

NY April 2019 Roundtable: The Good The Bad and The Here We Go Again

In 2018, the Design and Construction industry was very busy.  This is great, but in our review of 2018, not all the news is good.  There are topics to discuss of interest from 2018 that impact design professionals in 2019.  Such topics include; standard of care, indemnity, limitation of liability, fiduciary duty, personal liability, and claims arising from construction costs and schedule delays.
Join us on Thursday, April 11th as Sue Yoakum leads this discussion as well as report what we learned in 2018,

March 2019 Roundtable – Do Design Professionals Own the Risk of Climate Change?

Join us on March 6th to learn how climate change relates to the professional standard of care, and how effective risk management strategies incorporate resilience measures into design.
Our panel and topics include:

• Patricia B. Gary
  Patricia will discuss how climate change is redefining professional liability risks, the limitations of FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps to identify flood risk, how this relates to the professional standard of care, and why new modeling tools inform best practices.

September Roundtable: The Eternal Triangle- Constructor Claims Against the Owner: Design Professional “In the Middle” or “Front and Center”?

Consider this relatively simple hypothetical (but very real and frequent) claim scenario:
The Constructor on a design-bid-build project asserts claims against the project owner for substantial additional costs and delays allegedly due to (a) design errors and omissions and (b) owner failure to pay for contract and extra work, and interference with the Constructor’s performance of the Work. (Assume all of (b) is unrelated to alleged performance deficiencies of the Owner’s Design Professional.) The project design was prepared by the Design Professional,

Mediation for Design Professionals: Mediator Perspectives

Preparing for a dispute involving liability claims requires careful planning and consideration. Learn whether a dispute is “right” for mediation and get an insider perspective from a panel of experienced mediators. This program will offer recommended steps for a successful mediation with a focus on design professionals, including how to effectively present positions, issues to consider during preparation, and creative solutions to reach a resolution. Along with providing the ingredients for a successful mediation, the program will also address how to reduce time and expense and how success should ultimately be defined in the mediation process.

Standard of Care

At the center of the debate in every claim against an architect or engineer is — did the professional services provided meet the standard of care? This question arises often on projects when construction costs and change orders start to rise and endanger the ability to build the project for the anticipated construction costs.

Standard of Care

PLEASE BE ADVISED: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE NEW DATE FOR THIS EVENT IS APRIL 19TH.
At the center of the debate in every claim against an architect or engineer is — did the professional services provided meet the standard of care? This question arises often on projects when construction costs and change orders start to rise and endanger the ability to build the project for the anticipated construction costs.
In 2018,

A Look Back at What’s Ahead: A Review of 2017 and recent cases impacting Design Professionals

Come celebrate the new year and our 25th anniversary of the Roundtable Series with a look back at what’s ahead! Join us for a presentation on February 15th to hear some of the most noteworthy professional liability claims handled by Donovan Hatem attorneys.
Eric A. Howard will recap a few of their most interesting cases and highlight critical issues and trends for design professionals.

Climate Change and Design: What do Owners want from their Design Professionals?

Climate change considerations are becoming increasingly important in the design process. Project owners are being presented and challenged with a range of decisions regarding design options with respect to climate risk. That field of options and range of corresponding owner decisions present professional liability risk issues for consulting engineers. Join us on January 25th to hear from a panel of experts about what is being done at the state and local levels to address that challenge and to promote best practices in engineering projects.

Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency Considerations In Design: Professional Liability Risk Issues for Consulting Engineers

By: David J. Hatem, PC
Climate change, sustainability and resiliency (CCSR) considerations are increasingly becoming important in the design process. Project owners are being presented and challenged with a range of  legally permissible decisions regarding design options reflecting greater or less sensitivity to CCSR considerations. That field of options and range of corresponding owner decisions present professional liability risk issues for consulting engineers.
Read the entire article on page 1 in the Fall edition of ACEC Insights.

Teamwork: Prime-Consultant Relations and How to Establish a Collaborative Design Team

Please join us on December 7th for Donovan Hatem’s Design Professional Roundtable which will feature a panel discussion on a variety of important subjects relating to assembling a collaborative design team. The panel includes:

• Josh Alston – Risk Manager, Nitsch Engineering
• Edward Hughes – Chief Financial Officer, Shepley Bulfinch
• Chad Wisler – Managing Principal Vanderweil Engineers

Professional Liability Insurance: Perspectives on the State of the PLI Industry

Donovan Hatem’s September 7th Design Professional Roundtable will feature a panel discussion on a variety of important subjects relating to professional liability insurance for design professionals.  The panel will include underwriters from major professional liability insurers and will be moderated by David Hatem. 

The 2017 Updates to the AIA Contract Documents

In 2017 the American Institute of Architects (AIA) updated its contract documents as part of its regular 10-year revisions. These well-regarded, industry standard agreements take into account recent developments in the design and construction industry.

David Hatem named to 2017 Best Lawyers Construction Law

Congratulations to David Hatem for his recongition in Best Lawyers 2017 Survey Results New England. David was recognized for his contributions in the area of construction law.