Construction and Design

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Construction projects have always relied on trust when evaluating costs, but today’s market conditions are driving owners and developers to seek greater visibility into how project pricing is developed and verified. With tighter project margins, ongoing uncertainty in labor and material costs, and increased scrutiny from lenders and investors, cost transparency is becoming a critical…

Stoel Rives has been named to Construction Executive‘s The Top 50 Construction Law Firms™ annual national rankings for a seventh consecutive year and ranked No. 21 for 2026, rising six places from the 2025 ranking. Construction Executive evaluated firms on criteria that included construction practice revenue, number of attorneys in the practice, percentage of…

As construction projects increasingly rely on specialized or international suppliers, project teams should evaluate more factors than pricing and product availability. Overseas vendors can offer significant advantages, but they may also introduce legal and practical challenges that become difficult to manage if problems arise.

When disputes involve foreign suppliers, resolving issues like delayed deliveries, defective…

Healthcare construction projects involve more than managing budgets and schedules. Owners must navigate contractual, operational, and legal risks that can affect delivery, increase costs, and create disputes long after construction begins.

From design coordination issues and force majeure delays to insurance gaps and warranty obligations, many significant risks arise from how contracts are drafted, administered…

Mediation doesn’t just turn on contracts, case law, or the strength of your facts. Just like “dark matter” shapes the universe without being seen, unseen forces often shape the outcome of settlement talks.

After years of helping clients resolve disputes, one thing is clear: if a party’s position seems illogical based on the visible merits…

Construction contracts are rarely “standard”—and even routine-looking terms can carry major consequences when something goes wrong. After two decades of resolving construction disputes, one pattern is clear: overlooked clauses at the signing table often resurface as major problems in litigation.

Among the most frequently misunderstood is the third-party beneficiary (TPB) clause. This seemingly minor provision…

Limitation of liability (LOL) clauses are a standard fixture in contracts involving architects, engineers, and other design professionals—particularly because these parties often have limited assets and depend on such provisions to manage risk. However, Washington legal authority suggests these clauses may not offer the ironclad protection many expect.

While LOL clauses can shield design professionals…

Developers, owners, and contractors would all be wise to take note of Senate Bill 426, currently under consideration in the Oregon legislature.

SB 426 addresses wage theft in the construction industry.  If enacted, it would impose joint and several liability on the owner and prime contractor for unpaid employee wages – including fringe benefits…