Law has a hand in nearly any professional operation today, and that includes the various industries and companies for modern construction projects. A construction law firm has attorneys who will work with contractors, construction crews, suppliers, project managers, the owner of the property being built, and any other relevant party. Their services can make sure that a project goes smoothly and that everyone’s assets and crews are treated the way they should. Hiring a lawyer may seem like a drastic step for construction, but at times, it is necessary, and a construction law firm can settle a dispute when the involved parties cannot do it themselves. Questions like “How can a lawyer help me?” and “Do I need a lawyer?” may come up if disputes or accusations arise between the parties in a construction project, and a construction law firm is ready to help.
Construction Business and the Law
The construction market is enormous, and many companies of all kinds and many employees work in it. In 2016, for example, the American construction market had a value around $1.162 trillion, and sometimes, disputes arise. In the year 2015 alone, the American Arbitration Association, the AAA, had to administer a total of 551 cases in the construction industry with claims of $500,000 or more, and the biggest mediated case was for $2.6 billion, and the single biggest arbitration case was for $96 million. The total value for claims and counter claims ran to $5.5 billion. A construction law firm, then, can not only help settle disputes of this scale, but can also go to great lengths to prevent them, which is preferable for nearly everyone involved. How can a construction lawyer keep things running smoothly and prevent multi-million cases from going to court?
The Work of a Construction Law Firm
According to KPPB Law, a construction lawyer will help with legal and paperwork matters of any stage in a construction project, and this attorney will have detailed knowledge of planning, executing, and completing a modern construction project. Such a lawyer can cover a huge variety of topics, with just a few of them including fire regulations, building permits, bankruptcy claims, insurance issues, building codes for the state, damage claims, and legal counsel, among many more.
At the start of a project, an attorney from a construction law firm will make sure that proper, prompt payments are made to contractors and undertake civil actions for unpaid sums, and conversely, defend clients who have payment claims made against them. Then, during the project, an attorney can assist with requests for proposals (and the bidding for them), and contract interpretation, as well as submit claims for added time or compensation on their client’s request, as well as submit claims for unexpected complications like delays or workplace hazards or disruptions. And if a project must be terminated, a lawyer can review contracts and determine if termination of a project is the correct option. Preventing wrongful termination is another duty of a construction attorney.
Anyone in a public, federal, or private construction project, at any stage, may want to retain a lawyer in case complications arise. These lawyers can also handle budgets, timetables, following imposed codes, and overall making sure that the project runs as smoothly as possible. A person in a project who wants to draft or review a contract, for example, or planning a project or having disputes with an employer may want to contact a construction law firm for assistance, if one does not already have such an attorney on retainer.