Construction Law

Exceptional service doesn’t just happen

Construction Law

Our Construction Law Practice Group is a committed partner through all phases of your construction project. Our attorneys are actively involved in matters encompassing:

  • Construction Defect
  • Liens and Stop Notices
  • Public and Private Contract Disputes and Contract Drafting
  • CSLB Actions and Compliance
  • Construction Site Injuries

Experience and Commitment

Our clients include developers, general contractors, public entities, subcontractors, equipment suppliers and product manufacturers. During the last five years, our Construction Law Practice Group has represented over 300 clients in nearly every California forum involving a broad range of construction issues. Attorneys in our Construction Law Practice Group are experienced and prepared to confront the special challenges and nuances of the evolving economy and construction industry. Haight’s success does not come by accident; rather, it comes as a result of an intense dedication to client service and rigorously adhering to a code of best practices that have withstood the test of time. Our attorneys are industry leaders when it comes to litigation and innovation by using technology to drive down costs, increase productivity, achieve our client’s objectives and obtain results. As one example, Haight’s attorneys have won the vast majority of their duty to defend motions (i.e., “Crawford motions”) and have pioneered an approach that significantly reduces the time and paperwork associated with filing a complex motion against dozens of parties simultaneously. In another matter that went to trial, the case settled the day after our opening statement in which our developer client paid nothing in settlement and was reimbursed 100% of its attorneys’ fees and costs.

Haight knows that to represent an industry, you have to know the industry. Therefore, you’ll often find us speaking at seminars on construction topics, writing articles for publication, providing seminars to clients, and we are active members of many associations, such as the Legal Action Committee of the California Building Association, the Board of Directors of ALFA, the Southern California Region of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

  • Construction Defect
  • Mechanics Liens, Stop Notices & Miller Act
  • Contract Disputes & Drafting
  • CSLB Actions and Compliance
  • Worksite Injuries
  • Construction Law Client Successes

Our attorneys have broad and deep experience in all phases of complex construction defect matters. We have worked on cases involving high rise condominiums with hundreds of units, massive residential subdivisions, schools, hospitals, community centers, commercial buildings, shopping centers, and many other types of projects and facilities. Our attorneys have litigated almost every conceivable design and construction defect ranging from the observable (e.g., leaking windows) to the invisible (e.g., inadequate air changes) and from the catastrophic (e.g., structural collapse because of dry rot) to the obscure (e.g., is a condominium unit defective if it is too hot?).

Attorneys in the Construction Law Practice Group have also mastered the nuances of handling Wrap-up projects and the special considerations that Wrap cases bring to the table. We work closely with the Developer, General Contractor, and the retained consultant to promptly evaluate Wrap claims and implement a plan to resolve them. Haight’s track record of success is the due in large part to a customized step-by-step process that we follow; a process that often settles cases quickly while making the most use out of the self-insured retention.

Haight routinely handles liens and stop notices on a wide array of projects, including K-12 schools, movie theatres, movie studios, community colleges, Cal-Trans projects, churches, community recreation centers, hospitals, and multi-family / single family projects. Our attorneys have handled lien and stop notice issues for owners, contractors, subcontractors and equipment suppliers. In fact, Haight’s Construction Law attorneys represent one of the nation’s largest crane rental companies in its California construction litigation in matters involving, mechanics liens, stop notices for private works of improvement as well as federal (Miller Act), state and municipal projects.

Our attorneys have experience in all varieties of complex contract disputes. We have achieved success in claims involving delays, disputed change orders, public contracts, and contract interpretation, among others for owners and contractors on facilities such as hospitals, schools, and various other public facilities. We believe that early client and expert engagement in these cases is critical in order to correctly posture it for resolution. Our attorneys also advise clients on contract issues to ensure their contracts are updated to reflect changes in the law and provide maximum benefit to the client. Issues involving indemnity, insurance, and dispute resolution are frequent areas of counseling.

We regularly advise clients on issues relating to compliance with Chapter 9, Division 3, of the California Business and Professions Code, including advertising, ownership, contractor name and general licensing. We have also represented contractors on issues having to deal with contractor licensing bond claims.

Our attorneys have represented numerous companies in minor to catastrophic worksite injuries. These cases involve complex issues of compliance with OSHA regulations, workers compensation liens, indemnity obligations, and retained control over worksite safety.