We have extensive experience representing individuals and entities, including general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, architects, and engineers, as well as their insurance companies, before federal and state courts, arbitral tribunals, administrative agencies and at mediations in a wide range of complex matters including:
- Job site accidents: We defend catastrophic injury and death claims arising from construction projects.
- Construction defects: We represent general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in claims for defective conditions in complex commercial and residential construction projects.
- Professional liability claims: We represent architects and engineers in professional liability claims.
- Defective products: We defend general contractors, subcontractors, and building component manufacturers in numerous types of product liability litigation.
- Fire Loss: We defend general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and manufacturers in commercial and residential fire loss claims arising from building construction and components.
- Environmental and toxic torts: We handle “sick building” syndrome, mold, asbestos, and lead paint claims as well as contaminated ground water claims.
- Intellectual property: We handle matters involving design theft and design protection.
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) violations: We represent construction entities against allegations of OSHA violations before the North Carolina Department of Labor.
In addition, we counsel and represent construction companies and related entities on a wide variety of other legal issues, including:
- Contract drafting, review, and negotiation: We regularly provide advice and representation to clients at all stages of contract development to help minimize and avoid claims and disputes. We assist with everything from drafting and negotiating construction contracts all the way through reviewing and establishing contract administration procedures.
- Employment law and workforce management issues.
- Workers’ compensation: We evaluate and provide workers’ compensation defense under Wrap Up policies such as Owner Controlled Insurance Programs (“OCIP”) and Contractor Controlled Insurance Program (“CCIP”) policies.
- Appellate issues: We have successfully* brought appeals before the North Carolina Court of Appeals and North Carolina Supreme Court on significant legal issues affecting the construction industry, such as the “completed and accepted work” doctrine, Woodson claims, and the “inherently dangerous work” doctrine.
Construction law cases can be intensive in terms of document production and discovery. We will guide you through the entire process, beginning with effective pre-suit scene investigation procedures, post-suit responses, site inspections, eDiscovery and through trial, if necessary. We will help you identify opportunities for early resolution to avoid unnecessary costs associated with protracted discovery.
Daniel G. Katzenbach, chair of the Construction Law Practice Group, has more than 15 years of experience representing construction companies and their insurance companies.
The Construction Law Practice Group covers all of North Carolina from offices in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Wilmington. Please contact Daniel G. Katzenbach in Raleigh or Rebecca Knudson in Wilmington.
*Cases or matters referenced do not represent the firm’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.
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