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DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

Adapting Standard Construction Forms for Use in Overseas Hospitality Renovations

September 23, 2025 — Sara Beiro Farabow & Steve Kmieciak - The Construction Seyt
One of the earliest issues to decide on a hospitality renovation abroad – whether it’s a branded resort in Europe, a hotel in Asia, or a mixed-use property in Latin America – is the selection of the appropriate project contracts. The design and construction contracts in wide use in the US are sometimes appropriate for adaptation for use abroad. This was the focus of our recent webinar, Adapting Standard Construction Forms for Use in Overseas Hospitality Renovations. Below, we outline several of the most significant considerations that arise when U.S. forms cross international borders. Reprinted courtesy of Sara Beiro Farabow, Seyfarth Shaw LLP and Steve Kmieciak, Seyfarth Shaw LLP Ms. Farabow may be contacted at sfarabow@seyfarth.com Mr. Kmieciak may be contacted at skmieciak@seyfarth.com Read the full story...

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New York Office Secures Victory in Trip & Fall Case After Bronx Supreme Court Grants Motion for Reargument

July 28, 2025 — Lewis Brisbois Newsroom
New York, N.Y. (June 25, 2025) - New York Partner Shawn Choudhury achieved a significant victory on behalf of his client, a subcontractor who recently completed sidewalk restoration work for a major utility provider in New York City, in a trip and fall case when a Bronx Supreme Court judge granted his motion for reargument and entered summary judgment for the client. The claim arose from a trip-and-fall accident in which the plaintiff alleged that she fell due to a raised sidewalk flag installed by our client. From the outset, Mr. Choudhury mounted a strong defense, moving for summary judgment on the grounds that the raised sidewalk did not cause the plaintiff to fall. Crucially, we submitted surveillance video which unequivocally showed that the plaintiff’s foot never made contact with the expansion joint or the alleged raised portion of the sidewalk prior to her fall. The video demonstrated that her right foot was firmly planted on the sidewalk, with clear space between her foot and the expansion joint, conclusively establishing that the identified condition had no role in causing the accident. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois

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The Failure to Pursue a Construction Lien Does Not Create a “Gotcha” Argument

October 06, 2025 — David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal Updates
Just because a party does not pursue its lien rights, or waives it lien rights, or satisfies its lien, does NOT mean the party is foreclosed of its other rights, such as breach of contract or unjust enrichment. Florida’s Construction Lien Law even states that it is “cumulative to other existing remedies and nothing contained in this party shall be construed to prevent any lien or assignee under any contract from maintaining an action thereon at law in like manner as if he or she had no lien for the security of his or her debt, and the bringing of such action shall not prejudice his or her rights under this part, except as herein otherwise expressly provided.” See Fla. Stat. s. 713.30. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

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Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (10/29/25) – Office Market Bounces Back, Senate Passes ROAD to Housing Act, and CRE Embraces Blockchain

November 03, 2025 — Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
In our latest roundup, lab space real estate faces challenges, demand for data creates power brokers, the cost burden of sports stadiums, and more!

• The U.S. office market is bouncing back, entering a growth cycle after years of fighting vacancies. (Joe Burns, Construction Dive)
• Cities eager to tout privately financed sports stadiums are still spending big through tax breaks, land deals and public financing that shift costs back to taxpayers. (Vicky Uhland, Construction Dive)
• The Senate passed a bipartisan bill on October 9 that aims to boost the nation’s housing supply with a wide range of methods. (Julie Strupp, Multifamily Dive)

Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team

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From Shale to Salt: Texas Supreme Court Applies Uniform Rule for Ownership of Subsurface Caverns

July 01, 2025 — Robert A. James, Ashleigh Myers & Jillian Marullo - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
In a closely watched opinion issued on May 16, 2025, the Texas Supreme Court in Myers-Woodward, LLC v. Undergrounds Services Markham, LLC, — S.W.3d —, No. 22-0878, 2025 WL 1415892 (Tex. May 16, 2025) resolved a long-uncertain issue of subsurface property rights in the context of salt dome mining. The Court held that, unless a deed provides otherwise, subsurface voids created by salt mining operations are owned by the surface estate holder, not the mineral interest holder. By rejecting a salt-specific rule, the Court harmonized ownership principles across subsurface formations, applying a uniform rule regardless of the type of mineral removed. The ruling is significant for developers of underground storage in Texas, including those involved in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), as it brings long-awaited clarity to the ownership of post-extraction cavern space. Reprinted courtesy of Robert A. James, Pillsbury, Ashleigh Myers, Pillsbury and Jillian Marullo, Pillsbury Mr. James may be contacted at rob.james@pillsburylaw.com Ms. Myers may be contacted at ashleigh.myers@pillsburylaw.com Ms. Marullo may be contacted at jillian.marullo@pillsburylaw.com Read the full story...

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Sickened Employees at Kimley-Horn Lead to Multi-million-dollar Rent Dispute

October 27, 2025 — Elaine Silver - Engineering News-Record
Last month Kimley-Horn employees returned to their customary desks in a Reston, Va., office building, certain now that the level of indoor air pollutants they believe had sickened about half of them had dropped to safe levels. What's left of the health scare and temporary relocation of more than 200 employees is a multi-million dollar lawsuit in federal court between the engineering firm and its landlord. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Elaine Silver, ENR
ENR may be contacted at enr@enr.com

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President Trump Implements Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

June 23, 2025 — Griffen Thorne - Lewis Brisbois
Los Angeles, Calif. (June 4, 2025) - On May 30, 2025, President Donald Trump announced to rallygoers in Pennsylvania that his administration would soon double the tariff on imported steel from 25 percent to 50 percent. On June 3, 2025, President Trump issued a Proclamation that formally doubles the tariffs on steel articles and derivative steel articles, as well as doubling the tariffs (to 50 percent) on aluminum articles and derivative aluminum articles. As was widely anticipated, the Proclamation was issued pursuant to section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (“Section 232”). A President may issue Section 232 tariffs if the Secretary of Commerce finds that there is a threat to U.S. national security, which the former Secretary of Commerce first did in President Trump’s original administration. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Griffen Thorne, Lewis Brisbois
Mr. Thorne may be contacted at Griffen.Thorne@lewisbrisbois.com

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Texas Enacts Landmark Restrictions on Foreign Land Ownership Under SB 17

September 08, 2025 — Adam J. Weaver, Allan C. Van Vliet, Jenny Y. Liu, Frank Xue & Emily Pierce - Gravel2Gavel
On June 20, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) into law, reshaping the landscape for global investment in Texas real estate. When the new statute takes effect on September 1, 2025, it will impose expansive state-level restrictions on property ownership through sweeping prohibitions aimed at limiting land acquisition by certain foreign governments, companies and individuals. For foreign companies, particularly those headquartered in or controlled by individuals from countries identified by the U.S. or the Texas governor as national security threats, SB 17 creates major obstacles to real estate investment, financing and development. Reprinted courtesy of Adam J. Weaver, Pillsbury, Allan C. Van Vliet, Pillsbury, Jenny Y. Liu, Pillsbury, Frank Xue, Pillsbury and Emily Pierce, Pillsbury Mr. Weaver may be contacted at adam.weaver@pillsburylaw.com Mr. Van Vliet may be contacted at allan.vanvliet@pillsburylaw.com Ms. Liu may be contacted at jenny.liu@pillsburylaw.com Mr. Xue may be contacted at frank.xue@pillsburylaw.com Read the full story...

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