Tag Archives: Associated General Contractors of America

Lien Waivers Should Be Fair — And Efficient

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Christopher G. Hill • 6 Comments

Construction, Construction Law, Contracts, Guest Post Friday, Mechanic's Liens

Originally posted 2015-02-13 09:11:46.

This week for our Guest Post Friday here at Construction Law Musings, we welcome back my good friend Scott Wolfe. Scott, a thought leader in the construction industry, combines his construction background, tech experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and legal education to bring a unique perspective to the industry’s construction payment problem. Scott is the founder of zlien, a venture-backed construction payment platform. A licensed attorney in six states, his writing has appeared in the New York Times, CFMA’s Building Profits, Supply House Times, Construction Executive, and tED Magazine. He has been a Keynote Speaker for the American Subcontractors Association annual conference, and spoken at CFMA events.

Lien waivers are perhaps the most legally and practically complicated documents exchanged in the construction industry. Unfortunately, this results in huge corporate inefficiencies, and worse, provides an opportunity for some parties to exert undue leverage over others.

Lien waivers — or lien releases, as they are commonly (but mistakenly) called — aren’t supposed to be complicated, though. They are designed to make the complex construction payment process easy and fair.

This article will address why that is, how it works, and where things have gone awry. Continue Reading

July 1, 2015 Statutory Changes Affecting Virginia Contractors and Subcontractors

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Christopher G. Hill • 3 Comments

Bond Claims, Business of Construction, Construction, Construction Law, Contracts, Mechanic's Liens

As always seems to be the case, this year, as in others, the Virginia General Assembly has seen fit to “tweak” a few construction related statutes. All of these changes will go into effect on July 1, 2015. The big one, and one that I posted about a while back is the change to the

The Anatomy of a Construction Dispute Stage 2- Increase the Heat

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Christopher G. Hill • 2 Comments

Bond Claims, Construction, Construction Law, Contracts, Mechanic's Liens

Last week we discussed the groundwork and circumstances of a construction claim. This week’s post will discuss the next steps, hopefully, short of full-blown arbitration or litigation that you, as a construction company, can pursue presuming your claim has been properly preserved. If your contract requires certain steps such as informal resolution attempts or other

What Can You Do with a Mechanic’s Lien Mid Project?

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Christopher G. Hill • 4 Comments

Business of Construction, Construction Law, Mechanic's Liens

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed what steps you, as an owner of a construction project in Virginia, could take should you receive a mechanic’s lien notice after a project was complete. However, this is not the only time such a lien may be recorded. Particularly on a commercial construction project that spans months,

New Jersey’s Independent Contractor Rule

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Christopher G. Hill • 1 Comment

Construction, Construction Law, Contracts, Guest Post Friday

For this week’s Guest Post Friday here at Musings, we welcome back Bennet Susser. Bennet is a founding member and shareholder of the New Jersey law firm, Jardim, Meisner & Susser, P.C. He has over 25 years’ experience in representing clients in all types of complex (and not so complex) litigation, including those involving construction

About Musings

I am a construction lawyer in Richmond, Virginia, a LEED AP, and have been nominated by my peers to Virginia's Legal Elite in Construction Law on multiple occasions. I provide advice and assistance with mechanic's liens, contract review and consulting, occupational safety issues (VOSH and OSHA), and risk management for construction professionals.

Please join the conversation!

Learn more about Construction Law Musings.