The United States Supreme Court resolved a split among the federal appeals courts on the question of whether private international arbitration tribunals can be considered to be either “foreign” or “international” tribunals for purposes of a federal statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1782, which permits discovery from persons located in the
As of September 1, 2021, in a change to Texas caselaw that had been in place for over a century, Texas contractors now have protection in certain circumstances from liability for defective plans and specifications provided to the contractor by someone else. In the 1907 Texas Supreme Court case Lonergan v. San Antonio Loan &
Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code just received major updates for the first time in years. On June 15, 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law HB 2237. This bill makes many notable changes to Texas’s lien laws. The construction industry and construction lawyers should take note of these changes to the complex and
President Biden recently signed an executive order (EO) that will increase the minimum wage rate to be paid to workers performing work on or in connection with a federal contract from $10.95 per hour to $15.00 per hour beginning January 30, 2022.
The EO states that federal executive departments and agencies shall, to the extent
If your business holds a U.S. security clearance — or is in the process of applying for one — take note of two big changes at the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). First, after more than 25 years, the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) is now being codified in the Code of
The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council recently issued a final rule that implements the requirements of the Maximizing Use of American-Made Goods, Products, and Materials Executive Order. As discussed below, the final rule – which largely adopts the proposed revisions set forth in the FAR Council’s September 14, 2020, proposed rule — contains important
An important update to Georgia’s statutory lien waiver laws took effect on January 1, 2021. The amendment to Georgia’s mechanic’s lien law alters the form for interim and final lien waivers. Essentially, the new statute clarifies that lien waivers only waive lien or bond rights against the property and do not waive the right to
The Alabama Supreme Court recently found that a party was in breach of an arbitration agreement for declining to pay the fee schedule set forth by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and thus lost the right to compel arbitration. This case serves as a reminder to follow the orders of arbitral institutions or risk losing
After a number of controversial bills proposed from various industry groups over the last few years, the Tennessee construction community came together in 2020 to push through legislation intended to protect members of the construction industry. A cornerstone of that attempt was gaining lien priority – or at least parity – with construction lenders, further
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Court of Arbitration, one of the leading international arbitral institutions, has released revised Rules of Arbitration to take effect in January 2021. The 2021 ICC Rules contain some important updates, especially for the construction and energy sector, which constitutes approximately 40% of the ICC’s overall caseload. The 2021