Jury Finds PacifiCorp Owes More than $73 Million for Causing 2020 Oregon Wildfires

Ryan Hass and Cassandra Profita | OPB Oregon’s second-largest electrical utility, PacifiCorp, played a significant role in the Labor Day wildfires that ravaged parts of the state in 2020, according to a Multnomah County jury. Jurors returned a nearly unanimous verdict Monday that found the utility caused a substantial amount of damage related to fires… Continue reading Jury Finds PacifiCorp Owes More than $73 Million for Causing 2020 Oregon Wildfires

Acceleration of Construction Projects

Franco Mastrandrea | HKA Acceleration is increasingly on the agenda for construction projects. Its use for decades in the U.S in the form of constructive acceleration appears to continue unabated, and there is some evidence that the concept may be sought to be applied more broadly in other jurisdictions. Acceleration can be achieved in a… Continue reading Acceleration of Construction Projects

“The Lines Are Not Blurred”: Attorney Claim Handlers Are Not Protected by Attorney-Client Privilege

Michael S. Levine and Torrye Zullo | Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog A Michigan federal court in Wolverine World Wide Inc. v. The American Insurance Co. et al., No. 1:19-cv-00010 (W.D. Mich.), recently confirmed what should go without saying – a claim handler is a claim handler, even if they may also be a lawyer.  Recognizing that… Continue reading “The Lines Are Not Blurred”: Attorney Claim Handlers Are Not Protected by Attorney-Client Privilege

Stick to Supervision: Best Practices For General Contractors to Avoid Liability Under the “Doctrine of Active Participation”

Ciaran Kelly | Frantz Ward It has long been established under Ohio law that a construction site is an inherently dangerous workplace and a subcontractor who works at a construction site is engaging in inherently dangerous work.[1]  Generally, Ohio law imposes no duty upon a general contractor to render a workplace safe for its subcontractors who… Continue reading Stick to Supervision: Best Practices For General Contractors to Avoid Liability Under the “Doctrine of Active Participation”

Déjà Vu for Federal Contractors with Salary History Ban?

Patrick R. Quigley, Aron C. Beezley and Anne R. Yuengert | BuildSmart On January 30, 2024, the Biden administration proposed a rule (the Salary Rule) that would amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to “prohibit contractors and subcontractors from seeking and considering information about a job applicant’s compensation history when making employment decisions for certain positions.” The… Continue reading Déjà Vu for Federal Contractors with Salary History Ban?

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