Ahlers Cressman & Sleight at Alliance Northwest

Posted by Scott MacDonald
On February 1, 2018

Please join AHLERS CRESSMAN & SLEIGHT PLLC at Alliance Northwest March 15th in Puyallup, WA! This year, Saki James Yamada will be giving a one-hour seminar entitled Insurance and Bonding, where he will provide tips and tricks for dealing with insurers and sureties. Come learn how to protect your business before, during, and after performance of the contract. AC&S will also have our booth […]

Big Bertha Lawsuits—Hitachi Zosen Weighs In

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On January 17, 2018

In a recent article published by Seattle Business Magazine, the Japanese manufacturer of the much-maligned tunnel machine (nicknamed “Bertha”) provided its version of events and its position to the public. The interview took place after executives from Hitachi Zosen were not invited to the ceremony celebrating Bertha’s breakthrough at the end of its two-mile journey […]

Five “Boilerplate” Terms to Negotiate in Your Next Subcontract – Part II

Posted by James R. Lynch
On December 7, 2017

As was stated in Part I of this article, whether you negotiate your own subcontracts or rely on your lawyer to do the heavy lifting at contract time, a savvy subcontractor should understand the basic purpose of common subcontract provisions, and be prepared to negotiate for fair and commercially reasonable terms. While most sophisticated subcontractors […]

Five “Boilerplate” Terms to Negotiate in Your Next Subcontract

Posted by James R. Lynch
On November 3, 2017

Whether you negotiate your own subcontracts or rely on your lawyer to do the heavy lifting at contract time, a savvy subcontractor should understand the basic purpose of common subcontract provisions, and be prepared to negotiate for fair and commercially reasonable terms. While most sophisticated subcontractors are skilled at negotiating the core terms of a […]

Increases to Washington’s Minimum Wage

Posted by Ellie Perka
On October 20, 2017

As part of Washington’s Initiative 1433, approved by voters in November 2016, Washington’s minimum wage will be increased to $13.50 by January 1, 2020. At the time the initiative was approved, Washington’s minimum wage was $9.47 per hour and increased with the cost of living. It was the eighth-highest minimum wage in the country. The […]

Changes to Family and Medical Leave in Washington

Posted by Ellie Perka
On October 12, 2017

On July 6, 2017, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee signed a new family and medical leave law that will offer paid leave to employees in our state to care for a newborn or newly adopted child or for a serious health condition. Washington’s new law is one of the most generous paid family leave programs in […]

Utility Contractor Held Responsible for Damaged Underground Electrical Line

Posted by Brett M. Hill
On October 5, 2017

The Washington State Court of Appeals recently addressed an excavation contractor’s responsibilities under the Underground Utilities Damage Prevention Act (UUDPA), RCW 19.122. That statute was enacted in 2011 and imposed certain statutory duties on parties involved with projects requiring excavation. In this case, Titan Earthworks, LLC contracted with the City of Federal Way to perform […]

Bertha – The Tunnel is Finished, but Her Legacy Continues

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On September 27, 2017

The Tunnel Boring Machine (“TBM”) known as “Bertha,” built by Hitachi Zosen Corp in Osaka, Japan, was the world’s largest TBM at 57.5 ft. in diameter. The TBM was built to drill the Seattle SR 99 Viaduct replacement tunnel. Seattle Tunnel Partners (“STP”) has a contract with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to […]

WSDOT Seeks Retraction of Waiver Excluding Non-Minority Woman-Owned Businesses from Participation Goals

Posted by Lindsay K. Taft
On September 21, 2017

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you will likely recognize that our firm has been actively involved and concerned with the results of Washington State Department of Transportation’s (“WSDOT”) Disparity Study, which impacts both Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“DBE”) and general contractors who bid on federally-funded projects with DBE goals. On June 1, 2017, WSDOT […]

Subcontractor Allowed to Sue Designer for Negligence: California Courts Chip Away at the Economic Loss Doctrine (Independent Duty Rule)

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On August 23, 2017

An architect may have to pay over $1 million to a subcontractor who was contractually obligated to rely on the designer’s plans – even though the architect was not a party to the contract.[1] That was the ruling in U.S. f/u/b/o Penn Air Control, Inc. v. Bilbro Constr. Co., Inc.[2] The dispute involved a […]

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