Contracts, Insurance, and the Standard of Care

Presenters:

Lauren Rhodes Martin is a risk management and claims specialist focusing on the firm’s architect and engineer accounts. In her role, Lauren, who is based in the Ames & Gough Washington, DC office, works directly with the firm’s partners and client executives on all aspects of design firm clients’ risk management, including contract reviews, claims advocacy, loss prevention training and advice. Prior to joining Ames & Gough, Lauren had a distinguished career of nearly 35 years at CNA, where she held positions of increasing responsibility in claims and client management, culminating with her appointment in 2018 as A/E Platinum Accounts Director. For more than three decades she was directly responsible for handling architect and engineer errors and omissions (E&O) claims.

Jonathan Shoemaker, of Lee/ Shoemaker, believes that the best solution to most problems is often the simplest: what does the contract say? Jonathan begins every new engagement seeking to understand how the parties on a construction project elected to allocate risk and responsibility before the project, and then works with his client to develop a plan for bringing the issue to resolution as expeditiously as possible consistent with the client’s goals.  Jonathan has tried cases before judges, juries, and arbitrators, and relishes the opportunity to advocate for his clients in court and in arbitration. Jonathan frequently speaks on risk management issues, best practices for design professionals, different project delivery methods, and legal updates both at in-house seminars for his clients and at programs put on by design professional organizations and insurance carriers.

Taylor Dolan, of Lee/ Shoemaker, is an experienced business and corporate attorney that advises design firms in a wide range of mergers and acquisitions and internal ownership transitions.  She has hands-on experience in structuring, negotiating, and documenting transactions and advising clients through the integration process.  Taylor also advises design professionals throughout complex contract drafting and negotiation of both traditional and alternative project delivery agreements. She understands the unique risks and coverage concerns design firms face in design-build and other alternative project delivery arrangements and uses contract negotiation strategies to limit potential exposure.