Parties to a construction contract often expressly agree that any disputes shall be resolved through arbitration. Traditionally, construction entities have placed these “arbitration clauses” into their contract under the belief that arbitration would lead to the resolution of a dispute in a manner quicker and cheaper than a state or federal lawsuit. In recent years
Arbitration Rulings are Final, Even When the Arbitrators Get It “Wrong on the Law”
Parties involved in the construction industry have long been familiar with mandatory arbitration as a dispute resolution procedure.
Originally arbitration was said to be more efficient and less expensive than litigation. Over time, experience has shown that arbitration is not necessarily more efficient or more timely.
Regardless of its potential benefits, one fact remains absolute
New Federal Regulations Seek Federal Contractor Assistance with Preventing Human Trafficking
On March 2, 2015, new federal regulations went into effect which seek to strengthen the protections against human trafficking. A large part of these new regulations, which are updates to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”), provide a stronger framework to discourage federal contractor employers from trafficking workers into the country illegally. Since a significant number
New Federal Regulations Seek Federal Contractor Assistance with Preventing Human Trafficking
The United States has long had policies prohibiting government employees and government contractors from engaging in trafficking of persons, and the recent Executive Order, titled “Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal Contracts”, and Title XVII of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 have served to heighten the requirements on federal
Design Build Is A Distant Reality Under Louisiana’s Public Bid Law
Under the “design-build” construction method, the property owner enters into one contract with a single entity that provides the owner with both design and construction services. The advantages of “design-build” include faster construction and delivery, slower cost and schedule growth, and the elimination of potential disputes between the designer and contractor. Due to these advantages,
Buying Generic for Louisiana Public Works Act Projects
In public bid projects, it is not uncommon to see project specifications that specify particular brands “or their equivalent.” Louisiana law prohibits the use of name-brand specifications, known as “closed specifications,” so the propriety of these specifications is debatable. La. R.S. 38:2212(T). To comply with the statute, these brand particulars are generally interpreted to be
Construction Contracts: Do You Know Who You Contracted With?
Recently, we have noticed an increase in the number of construction contracts that either identify (1) an incorrect entity or (2) a non-existent entity as a party to the contract. No big deal, right…..maybe not.
It should be easy enough for the persons signing the contract to confirm their respective names. It is not as
Recovery of Attorney’s Fees in Construction Disputes
By the Kean Miller Construction Team
Under Louisiana law, a party may recover attorney’s fees from an opposing party only in two specific circumstances: (1) where there is a contract between the disputing parties that explicitly requires the payment of the attorney’s fees incurred by the opposing party, or (2) where a specific Louisiana statute
Act 759 of 2014 – Amendments to Louisiana’s Public Bid Law
Act 759 of 2014 updated and amended a number of aspects of Louisiana’s Public Bid Law, set out at La. R.S. 38:2212, et seq. The 2014 Amendments included the following:
- A Public bid opening is no longer required. La. R.S. 38:2212.A.(3)(g)(iii), which previously provided, “[a]ll construction contracts on public works shall be opened in a
President Obama Signs Executive Order Increasing the Federal Contractor Minimum Wage
On February 12, 2014, President Obama followed up on comments made during his State of the Union address and signed an Executive Order increasing the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors. The Order, which increases the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour, covers all employees who perform services or construction work under