Resources

Client Alerts, News Articles, Blog Posts, & Multimedia

Everything you need to know about BMD and the industry.

COVID-19 & Your Construction Business - A Triage Checklist

Client Alert
March 17, 2020

Many business operations are shutting down at an alarming pace. The coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic is already impacting the construction industry and creating uncertainty for the progress of current and future projects. Small/mid-size businesses may not be in financial position to sustain prolonged economic revenue declines. Navigating the next few months will be vital in preserving existing business relationships and planning for future business when the conditions improve. BMD offers some practical advice to manage risks and take reasonable precautions during this pandemic.

The following checklist is designed to help you identify prudent actions so you can successfully navigate the unknown:

Prioritize the Health and Welfare of Your Employees and Clients:

  • Make sure your employees, contractors, suppliers and facilities are safe and smart - forced quarantine will result in labor shortages and shutdowns
  • Over-communicate about best safety practices with employees and clients
  • Assess current projects and enforce heightened safety obligations
    • Ongoing projects in medical facilities? Nursing homes? Schools?
    • Mandatory temperature testing prior to entering healthcare facilities
    • Daily questionnaires regarding potential safety basics
    • Anything from washing hands to properly shielding coughs
  • Consult the CDC and/or State departments of health for guidance.
    Ex: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf

Run Your Business:

  • Create and enforce an effective company policy approved by your employment attorney
  • Internal communications are vitally important
    • Promote safe practices in the workplace
    • Identify essential staff and functions
    • Prepare, equip and train staff to work remotely, if possible or if deemed mandatory
  • Review Employment Policies and enact emergency policies, if necessary
      • Sick leave
      • Family medical leave
      • Performance expectations
      • Protocol for working remotely

Evaluate Current Projects:

  • Prioritize clients and proper allocation of resources for projects
  • Evaluate availability of workforce, now and in the future when workers become ill
  • Evaluate supply chain impact on materials and supplies
    • Inventory and ration materials where possible
    •  

Review Your Contracts:

  • Review current contracts
  • Do not assume you have an ‘out’
    • Not all construction contracts have ‘force majeure’ provisions
    • Consult §8.3.1 of the AIA A201 regarding circumstances that may be commonly described or accepted as ‘force majeure’ events
  • Consider negotiating a modification of existing contracts and key terms
    • Consult §1.1.1, 1.1.2, 2.5, 3.11, 4.1.2, 4.2.1, 5.2.3, 7, 8.3.1, 9.7, 10.3.2 of the AIA A201 regarding modification
      • Contract duration
      • The goods/services involved in the contract
        • Adding or subtracting goods/services covered in the contract
      • The payment terms
      • The delivery terms
  • Determine notification requirements if performance is impossible or impractical and you are seeking to delay or excuse performance
    • §15.1.6 and §15.1.3 of the AIA A201 provides guidance on claims for delay
  • Do not ‘Self Help’ or bury your head in the sand
    • Communication and transparency are vital
    • Be pro-active and reasonable

Review Your Insurance Policy:

  • Coverage for the treatment of infected employees
  • Coverage for lawsuits filed by employees or other parties relating to COVID-19 exposure
  • Coverage for loss of revenue associated with epidemics, pandemics, and viruses such as COVID-19, governmental shutdown, or limitation of access to an insured’s business
  • Loss of earnings caused by delays or government (foreign or domestic) actions
  • Provide proper written notice of claims to avoid waiver of rights

If you have any questions, or for more information, please contact any member of the BMD Real Estate or Construction Law teams.

force majeureConstruction Law
Client Alert

FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule Now in Effect

March 6, 2026FinCEN’s new Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule, effective March 1, 2026, requires certain real estate transfers to be reported to combat financial crimes. Transfers of residential property to entities or trusts without financing may require a Real Estate Report.Client Alert

Department of Education Proposes Redefinition of “Professional Degree,” Excluding Nursing and Limiting Graduate Loan Borrowing

February 20, 2026The U.S. Department of Education has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would redefine “professional degree” programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposal excludes nursing from the recognized list and would impose new borrowing limits for graduate students while eliminating the Grad PLUS program. Public comments are due by March 2, 2026.Client Alert

First-of-Its-Kind Federal Ruling Finds Use of Consumer AI Tool May Destroy Attorney-Client Privilege

February 17, 2026On February 10, 2026, Judge Jed Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a first-of-its-kind ruling finding that documents generated by a criminal defendant using a consumer AI platform were not protected by attorney-client privilege after being shared with counsel. The court treated the AI tool as a third party, concluding that entering sensitive information into a publicly available platform may waive confidentiality. The ruling also suggests that the work product doctrine may not apply where AI-generated materials are created independently by a client rather than at counsel’s direction. The decision signals that parties should exercise caution when using consumer AI tools in connection with legal matters.Client Alert

Your Golden Chance for H-1B Lottery Registration - March 2026

February 16, 2026USCIS H-1B registration opens March 4–19, 2026. U.S.-based employees on valid nonimmigrant status are exempt from the $100,000 fee for change of status petitions. The new weighted lottery favors higher-skilled and higher-paid employees, improving odds for advanced degree holders and Wage Level 3 or 4 workers.Client Alert

Invisible Algorithms: The Hidden Role of Artificial Intelligence in USCIS Immigration Processing

February 10, 2026The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are now integrated into numerous operational functions within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These tools are described as mechanisms to improve efficiency, reduce backlogs, and assist officers in managing an unprecedented volume of applications. DHS emphasizes that human adjudicators retain decision-making authority and that AI systems do not independently grant or deny immigration benefits. Find out how AI affects the U.S. immigration process.
Older posts