Topic: Professional liability

Hasta la Vista, Baby: Contractor Termination Lawsuits

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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Live Long and Prosper

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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I’m Responsible for Them?

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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Designing for the Future: Avoiding Intellectual Property Claims

From 2009 through 2018, almost all intellectual property claims against design professionals in the Victor and CNA program involved copyright issues. Intellectual property, perhaps the most valuable asset for design professionals, includes trademarks, patents, and copyrights. While intellectual property claims in the program were minimal, design professionals should be aware of these risks arising from…

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Professional Liability

Should You Assume a Duty to Defend?

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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Business Coverage Professional Liability

Risk Management Webinars

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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Technology and Transformation in Architecture

Integrating architectural services into a more collaborative design and construction process is transforming practice today. And younger architects are leading this transformation. Design creativity and instantaneous communications are two key characteristics of the youngest generation in the architecture profession. Rapid changes in technology provide transformational tools to enhance both creativity and communication. New technological tools…

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Business Coverage Professional Liability

New! Free Guides for Your Practice

Drones 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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Take Cyber Liability Exposures Seriously

Professional service firms are facing an increased exposure to cyber liability. According to Victor, many firms do not take the necessary steps to secure their systems, guard their digital assets, protect confidential client information, and maintain productivity. Each firm should have digital protection protocols that help avoid or minimize data breaches. There should also be…

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An Architect’s Guide to Using Drones

By Michael J. Corso, Esq. Michael J. Corso is Florida Bar Board Certified in Civil Trial and Business Litigation Law. He concentrates his practice in the defense of product liability claims and non-medical professionals including architects, engineers, surveyors, lawyers and accountants. He is an allied member of AIA Florida and Florida Engineering Society. Michael received…

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