Authorization Letter / “Hall Pass”

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On March 25, 2020

Valued Clients and Blog Subscribers: In light of the governor’s proclamation on March 23, 2020, we anticipate a number of your workers will be required to travel and to perform maintenance, tasks, services or other construction-related work on various of your ongoing projects. Therefore, we recommend that you provide those workers with an authorization letter […]

Update Regarding Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home-Stay Safe” Order

Posted by Scott R. Sleight
On March 24, 2020

As promised in our earlier post, we are providing additional information on guidance that has been issued by several trade groups: BIAW has advised that homebuilders and remodelers may continue with operations while the Order is in effect. MBA, a bit more cautiously, has advised that residential construction trades and certain of its supplier networks […]

Interpreting Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home-Stay Safe” Order

Posted by Scott R. Sleight
On March 24, 2020

As most readers are likely aware, Governor Inslee issued a “Stay Home-Stay Safe” Order last night that has led to numerous questions regarding what construction projects are exempted and who falls in the category of “WA Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” in the attached Proclamation. Our goal is to keep our clients informed of our view […]

COVID-19 – Force Majeure – Time Extension! What About Insurance?

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On March 23, 2020

The outbreak of the COVID-19 is at the forefront of everyone’s mind.[1] As outlined in previous blogs, generally, a pandemic may be considered a force majeure event, and if so, a construction contractor may be entitled to a time extension, but generally is not entitled to additional compensation. The bad news is that for the […]

COVID-19: How Can I Convert an Excusable Delay Into a Compensable Delay?

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On March 18, 2020

The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting all of us. The president declared a national health emergency.[1] The governor of Washington declared a state of emergency.[2] Businesses are innovating and experimenting with new ways to stay productive in these challenging times. As former president Lincoln put it in a time of great adversity: “The occasion […]

Force Majeure Under the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Posted by Lindsay T. Watkins
On March 17, 2020

As COVID-19 disrupts work and life as we know it, the question many contractors have is what protections are available against the inevitable project impacts and delays? Generally, construction contracts require a contractor to timely perform work until project completion or potentially face damages (liquidated or actual) and possible termination. When events occur, however, that […]

Attorneys Masaki Yamada and Brett Hill Presenting Workshop on Subcontract Pointers and Pitfalls: March 5, 2020

Posted by Joshua Lane
On February 14, 2020

On Thursday, March 5, 2020, ACS attorneys Masaki “Saki” James Yamada and Brett M. Hill will present a workshop on Subcontracts: Pointers & Pitfalls as part of the Alliance Northwest Government Training and Outreach Event. The event will take place from 7am to 4pm at the Washington State Fair Grounds Mattress Firm Showplex in Puyallup, […]

Attorney Ryan W. Sternoff’s ABC Course on Subcontract Issues

Posted by Ryan W. Sternoff
On February 5, 2020

Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC attorney Ryan W. Sternoff will be presenting a course on Subcontract Issues as part of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Western Washington’s Legal Action Training Series. This course will be offered twice; on February 12, 2020 in Bellevue and on February 26, 2020 in Federal Way. More information […]

Buy America/Buy American, a Primer For Contractors

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On January 9, 2020

President Trump has promoted his campaign agenda—bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States (especially jobs relating or pertaining to the steel industry.) To do this, he has strengthened domestic preferences through the Buy America and Buy American Acts.[1] Buy America Act: The Buy America Act refers to a collection of domestic contract restrictions pertaining […]

Design-Assist Collaboration/Follow-up Post

Posted by John P. Ahlers
On January 9, 2020

Shortly after posting the blog article “Design-Assist an Ambiguous Term Causing Conflict in the Construction Industry,” I received an email from Brian Perlberg, the Executive Director and Senior Counsel for ConsensusDocs. He brought two ConsensusDocs forms to my attention: ConsensusDocs 541 Design Assist Addendum and ConsensusDocs 300 Integrated Form of Agreement (IFOA). In the ConsensusDocs […]