My Top Ten Construction Law Musings Posts To Date

For this week’s Guest Post Friday, we welcome back Josh Johnson (@josh_c_johnson and one of @vaconstrlawyers). Josh is a friend and partner at Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, LLP in Roanoke, Virginia. He is in Gentry Locke’s construction practice group and he also oversees the firm’s e-Discovery and information management processes. He is the co-author of two blogs – Virginia Construction Law Update and Virginia OSHA Law News.

It is a privilege to be guest posting here on Construction Law Musings, and we appreciate the opportunity to introduce Gentry Locke’s new construction and OSHA blogs – Virginia Construction Law Update and Virginia OSHA Law News. We hope that you will check out our blogs from time to time. We are working hard to provide useful information and updates.

In today’s guest blog post, though, we are going to focus on Chris’s hard work over the last several years. So, using David Letterman’s Top Ten style format, I have decided to provide my Top Ten favorite posts from Construction Law Musings.

(Drumroll.) And, here they are:

10.       Why Contractors Should Incorporate. In this economy (really, in any economy), you have to protect yourself. And, it is actually really easy to set up some corporate protection.

9.         Don’t Just Document – Document Right! As this post highlights, contractors need to know the importance of documentation. And, for the lawyers out there, if you are practicing construction law and you don’t know AMEC, then either get to know AMEC or shift your focus to maritime law.

8.         Quick Primer on Virginia Mechanic’s Lien Law This post covers the basics of lien law. It is a great post to keep handy for lien situations, but just remember to always read the most recent version of the statutes when working up a mechanic’s lien.

7.         Virginia Mechanic’s Liens – Defense Options  Sticking with mechanic’s liens here. These are good defenses to consider when defending a lien case.

6.         Document Management for Your Construction Company This is a great guest post by Doug Reiser. Most of the time, you have to properly manage and preserve your records to have any chance of success if (when) litigation comes around.

5.         Top Five General Tips for All Construction Contracts  I have to include my Va Construction Law Update co-author Spencer Wiegard. Not that I’m biased, but this is a very useful post. And it makes sense to include it in the 5 spot.

4.         Bonds, Payment Bonds – Virginia’s “Little Miller Act”  Like the primer on liens above, this is a good short overview of Virginia’s Little Miller Act. No construction law discussion is complete without it.

3.         Getting Slow Paid? Try These Tips  The unfortunate reality is that, in this economic environment, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers still have to keep these tips in mind to avoid getting stiffed. This is another helpful post. Maybe things will turn around soon.

2.         You’ve Been Called to Testify! Now What?  This post is great because it contains a ton of helpful information if you find yourself in a situation where you have to give deposition or trial testimony. It is not just a post, but a whole slideshow. So, if you get called on as a witness, I definitely recommend reviewing this post and the embedded slideshow.

1.         The Changing Landscape of OSHA Enforcement and Penalty Calculations  I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this guest post is just brilliant. I can’t tell whether it is because of the author’s dashing good looks or his outstanding critical thinking on this difficult topic. But this post is just really, really fabulous. The author should think about working on a blog or maybe two.

Josh and I welcome your comments below.  Also, please subscribe to keep up with this and other Guest Post Friday Musings.