Newsletters
When the terminator shows up, you must be ready. Termination of the contractor on a project almost always guarantees a lawsuit, and the architect is often among the casualties. The risk report, Contractor Termination Lawsuits: The Architect’s Risks and How to Manage Them, addresses why the architect is often sued when a project goes wrong,…
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The risk report, BIM Me Up, Scotty: Navigating Risk in Digital Practice, is your chance to get the inside on preemptive risk management for your digital travels. It is an opportunity to gain insight for managing your practice so that you can put up your deflector shields to guard against incursions from the litigious Borgs…
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One of the most important defenses in any professional liability lawsuit is that an architect is not responsible for losses of a person who has no contract with the architect such as a general contractor or sub-contractor on a project. The legal term is that the architect and the third party do not share “privity…
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We live in an age of ever-accelerating change and “advancement”. On the one hand, technological advancement provides the lure and expectation of increased opportunities and efficiencies. However, those new technologies, products, and approaches present an increased potential for failure and disappointment. Design professionals are constantly expected to find new ways of building projects better, faster,…
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What should you do when your client wants you to assume a duty to defend the client in any claim brought against him or her relating to your professional services? And how do you avoid this unduly burdensome risk? Agreeing to defend another party, generally, an owner or developer against a covered third-party claim, means…
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Risk management education is key to managing a successful firm—and utilizing risk management webinars on critical topics is an indispensable approach. The longevity of an organization doesn’t happen by chance. It is the result of careful planning that includes proactive risk management. Client loss prevention and risk management services are an integral part of the…
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Are you clear on the federal pay rules for compensating overtime correctly so your firm isn’t confronted with audits, back pay, and fines? Paying employees overtime pay can be an expensive proposition. Under the Department of Labor (DOL) rules, businesses are not required to pay an employee overtime if the employee is considered “exempt” from…
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Emerging professionals work hard—you apply yourself to everything you do. You thrive by embracing the changes you know life brings. Yet starting your career is only the first step toward achieving financial stability—since all of life’s events cannot be predicted. As you start your future, how do you protect your income? Accidents and illness happen…
Read MoreDrones and cyber liability are all over the news these days. And they have big implications for architectural practice. The AIA Trust has just published guides on each of these topics to help architects navigate new regulations and risks. An Architect’s Guide to Using Drones Drones—also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aerial…
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Most people will agree that quality medical insurance is an important part of an individual’s overall health and wellness. However, there is a great deal of variance in the level of coverage offered. In addition, the level of emergency coverage and the type of emergency services included in a medical policy are significant because emergency…
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What comes to mind when you think of the AIA Trust? While many of you may view it as simply a source of insurance and retirement member benefit programs, this only represents a portion of what the AIA Trust actually offers AIA members to help them practice strategically. In fact, the AIA Trust has developed…
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The AIA Trust new risk report, “BIM Me Up, Scotty: Navigating Risk in Digital Practice” focuses on how to successfully manage your digital practice risks. While there has not yet been a proliferation of claims, risk management can be preemptive. This report looks at risk assessment and the risk-sensitive areas of the BIM process. A…
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Cyber liability insurance is a valuable risk management solution that addresses the emerging coverage gaps found in traditional professional liability policies. This is mainly due to the increasing reliance on technology and the use of data in design firms. From criminals tricking you into paying false invoices, to liability arising from lost data, to income…
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Whether you live in a desert or next to a lake, there are good reasons to conserve water. By saving water, you can save money while helping the environment. Here are some ideas for wringing the most use out of your family’s water supply. Seek the Leaks Did you know that there is a national…
Read MoreThe AIA Trust published two risk reports to their website, one exploring the risks associated with contractor terminations and the other about the risks associated with design/build teams. Contractor Termination Lawsuits: The Architect’s Risks and How to Manage Them, a risk report authored by Bryan Hale, Esq., is aimed at helping architects understand the…
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Spring is a great time to make a green resolution: recycling. If you aren’t currently recycling at your home and office, take this opportunity to consider how many resources are saved and what a hugely positive impact recycling makes—and take the necessary steps to get involved. The Problem Here are some numbers from the Environmental…
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AIA members and their firms can now find qualified A/E Construction Lawyers to help when it’s needed most—in handling a pending claim or another A/E legal matter. The AIA Trust Legal Network is a database of experienced A/E law firms that may be searched by state to assist members in finding appropriate legal representation when needed. The…
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Earn 1 HSW Credit The AIA Trust sponsored a one-hour Webinar on Managing Professional Exposures as a Small Project Practitioner for 1 HSW Credit, conducted by Frank Musica, Assoc. AIA, Esq. of the Risk Management Department of Victor. Frank offers a wealth of experience in design and management of architecture firms and currently provides advisory…
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Cranking the heat up in winter can make it hard to keep energy costs down. Try these quick tips and save on your home energy bills next winter: Use the sun. During the daytime, open curtains and blinds on the south side of your home to let in natural heat from sunlight. Retain the warmth…
Read MoreThe AIA Trust Professional Liability Database is a resource designed especially for AIA members, detailing everything you need to know about risk management and professional liability. A searchable directory of more than 40 professional liability insurers, the AIA Trust Professional Liability Database gives AIA member architects critical information about one of the most important purchasing…
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