Construction

Real Estate

The US–Mexico Border Wall : A Unique Project with Unique Real Estate Issues

By Roy R. Brandys, Nicholas P. Laurent, and Blaire A. Knox

The potential construction of a US–Mexico border wall is a highly charged project, fraught with political obstacles and high emotional stakes, and brings with it significant legal issues and unknowns, such as how to appropriately compensate landowners who own property that is affected by the wall.

Forum on Construction Law

37 years after its 1976 founding, the ABA Forum on Construction Law has grown to be the largest organization of construction lawyers in the world. Consistent with its mission of “Building the Best Construction Lawyers,” the Forum is widely recognized as the leading provider of high-quality CLE on the full range of construction law topics, delivering higher quality programs at significantly lower prices than competing commercial seminar companies, and covering a far broader range of topics than the construction law interest groups within individual state bar associations. The construction and design industry is the largest single industry in the U.S., and Forum members represent all segments of the industry, including owners, design professionals, contractors, construction managers, integrated design-builders, subcontractors, suppliers, insurers, and sureties.

Trusts & Estates

Home Repair : A Handy Lawyer’s Guide to Fixing a Damaged QPRT

By Michael H. Barker, Adam M. Damerow, Caitlin N. Horne, and Lauren A. Jenkins

This article briefly outlines the nuts and bolts of qualified personal residence trust (QPRT) construction as well as the substantial estate planning benefits that can be reaped from a healthy QPRT.

Trusts & Estates

Can Boilerplate Raise Contracts of the Dead from the Grave?

By William A. Drennan

When death arrives, must the estate attempt to channel the decedent’s skills and complete any remaining contractual duties? The outcome does not always hinge solely on whether the remaining duties are personal services. Instead, the intent of the parties is paramount. Courts disagree whether boilerplate, such as clauses that the contract is “binding on successors or assigns,” or is “binding on heirs, executors, and administrators,” reflects the intent of the parties and causes personal service contracts to survive a party’s death.