The Inconvenient Termination for Convenience

Many construction contracts in New York make reference to how or why one or both parties are provided the right to terminate the agreement. One such typical form of termination, ‘Termination for Convenience’, may be provided.

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Pitfalls in Extending a Mechanic’s Lien on Residential Properties

 A Lien (or ‘Mechanic’s Lien’) is a potentially powerful tool for contractors, architects, engineers, or suppliers of materials to secure payment for work performed ‘improving’ a property[1]. To properly ‘perfect’ a lien claim, however, strict compliance with the nuances of the New York lien law is required, and often times there are details in the process commonly overlooked.

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Construction Warranties in New York. Sometimes Less is More.

Any property owner considering construction work will want reassurance that the work will be done well, and will be free of defects for a specified time frame. Many contractors even include a warranty clause in their contract. Such warranties (also called guarantees) require the contractor to correct any defects through additional work on the project over the specified time. What are some of the specific factors within Construction Warranties?

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Violation of the New York Prompt Payment Act Does Not Bar Defenses

General Business Law Section 756 (and the sections that follow it), commonly known as the Prompt Payment Act, establish requirements for how soon a construction contractor or subcontractor must be paid and allow expedited arbitration in the event that prompt payment is not made for qualifying projects.

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Design Professional Liability on Completed Work

For New York Architects, Landscape Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, exposure to liability on their completed projects may extend long beyond the completion of the project itself. Exactly how long design professionals can be ‘on the hook’ for claims has been a bit of a moving target in New York, with changes and proposed additional changes to this timeframe.

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Contractor Scaffold Law Liability

Much construction litigation arises from disputes over Scaffold Law liability. Simply, the Scaffold Law makes certain contractors and project owners liable for injuries to workers on construction sites. The Scaffold Law has been criticized for the burdens it imposes on contractors and owners and for allowing workers to collect even if they have ignored safety rules.

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The 7 Major Delay Claims in New York

New York construction law allows for the pursuit and collection of damages for delay, depending on the underlying project facts and contract terms. Where these delay claims are available, courts in New York recognize 7 major categories of delay, which may establish claims for compensation.

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Are We On The Same Page? How Construction Document Conflicts Are Resolved

Given the large number and variety of documents required to administer a construction project today (plans, specifications, contracts, etc.), the likelihood of discrepancies arising between these different sources is almost unavoidable. Do you know how these documents rate in terms of their authority?

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Protections Provided to Contractors and Architects Under New York’s Economic Loss Rule

In a nutshell, the  “economic loss rule” is a rule that courts use to prevent a plaintiff from against a defendant for a tort (usually negligence) when the essence of the claim is for failure to live up to the terms of a contract.

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John Caravella awarded 2014 Leadership in Law Award

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK (Nov. 8, 2014) – LIConstructionLaw.com attorney John Caravella was recently named 2014 Leadership in Law Award winner in its sole practitioner category as decided by nominating members of the Long Island business community.

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