On their surface, construction companies seems to be a pretty straight forward business. Companies submit bids for various jobs and complete the construction of the buildings and projects for the bids that they get. In reality, however, a construction company also has many other facets of its job. From obtaining the licenses needed for the use of drones to making sure that all of the needed building permits are in place, lawyers for construction companies find themselves as busy as any of the workers on the job site. In fact, few jobs could ever begin or end without the process of having lawyers for construction companies look over contracts, monitor workers compensation plans, and help mediate and oversee employment hires and layoffs.
The construction industry depends on the legal assistance of their team so often, in fact, that some firms specialize in construction law and labor law. Consider some of these facts and figures about the various legal issues that face companies who are in the construction industry:
- The construction industry eliminated more than 40% of its work force between April 2006 and January 2011. Even the elimination of jobs requires a legal team to oversee the process.
- Construction companies are held accountable for their work of an extended period of time after the job has been completed. For instance, in the state of Texas, the law indicates that a breach of contract claim can be filed within four years, unless the contract specifies two years.
- Plaintiffs win bench trials 68% of the time and 54% of the time in jury trials, according to a 2005 review of civil cases filed in state courts.
- One of the reasons that so many construction jobs have been lost in the last two decades is the impact of technology. For instance, construction companies that use 3-D printers today mainly print concrete materials, but these printed materials can take the place of past jobs.
- Technology also helps companies make more efficient use of time. For instance, drones will help engineers and architects tackle various construction tasks more accurately, according to Colin Guinn of 3-D Robotics.
Far from an industry that simply relies on crafts people on job sites, the construction industry relies on the assistance of legal teams as well.
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