News & Insights

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT GRANTS SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO ENGINEER ON THIRD-PARTY COMPLAINT FOR INDEMNITY

Indemnity provisions are common features of contracts between project owners and engineering firms tasked with design elements of the project.  However, a project owner sued by a general contractor cannot simply ride the contractor’s coattails to prove the project owner’s indemnity claims, as the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts held in…
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SEC FINES FIRMS FOR RECORDKEEPING FAILURES RELATED TO OFF-CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced charges against broker-dealers, investment advisers, and dually-registered broker-dealers and investment advisers for failures to maintain and preserve electronic communications. The firms charged have admitted their conduct violated the recordkeeping requirements of federal securities laws, agreed to pay approximately $400 million in combined fines, and begun implementing new…
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SCOTUS SCUTTLES CHEVRON DEFERENCE AND LIMITS SEC ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

The United States Supreme Court recently released two decisions which will impact the application of the Administrative Procedure Act and curb the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) enforcement of civil penalties. These decisions are likely to have far-reaching implications across the country, from securities rules to environmental regulations and healthcare costs. Loper In Loper Bright…
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SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON ADA RIGHTS FOR FORMER EMPLOYEES

On June 24, 2024, the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of a retired Florida firefighter who argued that the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) allows a former employee to sue over discrimination with respect to post-employment benefits that the former employee earned during their employment.  In the case of Stanley v….
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COURT OF APPEALS OF NORTH CAROLINA RULING DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPERT TESTIMONY ON PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

A common issue in Architect and Engineer cases is distinguishing between what are possible alternate designs and what are repairs to defective designs. Just because one architect or engineer would have handled a design challenge differently does not mean it was originally handled incorrectly. This distinction was recently addressed in North Carolina. In Cranes Creek,…
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THE U.S. SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS THE CHEVRON DOCTRINE, WITH GREAT IMPLICATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE AGENCY REGULATORY AUTHORITY

On June 28, 2024, the United States Supreme Court decided Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, 144 S. Ct. 2244 (2024). The underlying controversy related to details of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (“MSA”), which was implemented to prevent depletion of fishery resources off the coasts of the United States. The National Marine Fisheries…
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ALABAMA WORKERS’ COMPENSATION RATE CHANGE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2024

As of July 1, 2024, the maximum workers’ compensation payable increased to $1,130.00 per week and the minimum increased to $311.00 per week. Click here to view the Alabama Department of Labor Memo: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://labor.alabama.gov/docs/guides/wc_weeklywage.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj10v3XloaHAxXb18kDHZQqCqUQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1TDhXT5QNv_7MuwuwNevrx

LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS TO ALABAMA’S DESIGN PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

During the 2023 legislative session, the Alabama State Legislature passed Act #2023-477, significantly impacting architects, engineers, and other design professionals in the state. Introduced by State Senator Clyde Chambliss, this bill aims to protect clients who may not be familiar with professional liability insurance policies and their coverage. Signed into law on June 14, 2023,…
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