The Risk Management Program
Discover valuable materials on legal, practice, and economic matters impacting risk
The Risk Management Program creates educational materials for individuals who are unable to devote the resources to a full-fledged risk management team or in-house legal counsel department. A critical component of the Risk Management Program is the six-person Risk Management Committee (RMC). The RMC actively monitors risk management developments in the construction industry, with particular emphasis on issues impacting design professionals.
The value of a comprehensive owner-architect contract
To avoid misunderstandings or even legal disputes, make sure your owner-architect agreements contain all these basic contractual elements.
Overtime pay: Are you compensating your employees correctly?
The federal pay rules aren’t as clear-cut as you may think, and non-compliance with Department of Labor rules may result in audits, back pay, and fines.
White Paper
Professional liability insurance resources
PLI carriers share trends to help you position yourself and reduce risk.
The economic loss doctrine: a practical application
Most states recognize some version of the economic loss doctrine, although its application has been under increasing scrutiny in many jurisdictions.
Federal court sides with architect in payment dispute
This case in Ohio upheld the architect's right to terminate a license to use its drawings and specifications.
What "duty to defend" means for design professionals
Why agreeing to defend your client is an unduly burdensome risk on the design professional and should be avoided to the greatest extent possible.
The standard of care: How is it applied?
The function and application of the standard of care is a nuanced, complex, and multi-faceted issue that must be evaluated from different perspectives.
The standard of care: Should I care?
Often the actions of the architect are measured against the applicable “standard of care.” What does that mean, and where did it come from?
Firm management
Am I breaking the law by providing my employees with comp time?
Providing "comp time" to employees who work a few extra hours may be easy, but it's also against the law. Find out why this violates the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Image credits