Focuses on providing students with background and framework for construction law and reviews legal case studies. Examines legal remedies available to construction project participants. Discusses and clarifies various types of insurance related to construction management. Covers legal aspects of construction administration, lien waivers, lien releases, damage, and dispute resolution. Examines legal framework of design and construction.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students will be required to complete additional case study research project with full reports and presentations. The final group project will be presented in-class at the end of the semester. The course utilizes active learning and participation with lectures, case study discussions, and construction jobsite visits. Each student is expected to participate in these activities.
Athena Title
Construction Law & Risk Manage
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
A student successfully completing this course be able to explain the concepts of the legal aspects of construction.
A student successfully completing this course be able to assess the framework whereby dispute resolutions occur.
A student successfully completing this course be able to describe the various types of construction insurance requirements.
A student successfully completing this course be able to assess specific case studies regarding legal disputes and their resolution.
Topical Outline
Required Textbook:
Construction Law, (ABA 2009), edited by William Allensworth, Ross J. Altman, Allen Overcash and Carol Patterson. Narrative text with numerous case law citations and intermittent decision excerpts followed by discussion topics at the end of each of the 24 chapters covering the entire gamut of construction law. A reference work worth retaining following course completion.
Optional Text/Materials:
Smith, Currie & Hancock’s Common Sense Construction Law, 6th edition
Week 1. Construction Team Roles and Responsibilities, Interconnection of Parties, and Payments
Week 2. Project Delivery Methods, Bidding, and Negotiation
Week 3. Construction Contracts and Contract Documents, Contract Forms, and Interpretations
Week 4. Scopes of Work and Contract Changes, Performance, and Defects
Week 5. Review and Exam 1
Week 6. Laws and Construction Codes
Week 7. Design Professionals, Contractors, Subcontractors, and Suppliers
Week 8. Intellectual Property Ownership
Week 9. Time, Scheduling, and Delays
Week 10. Changes, Claims, Disputes, Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, and Litigation
Week 11. Review and Exam 2
Week 12. Subsurface Issues and Concealed Conditions
Week 13. Risk Management and Insurance, Errors, and Omissions
Week 14. Termination and Bonding
Week 15. Sustainable Construction
Week 16. Review and Final Exam
Grading: Grade components will be weighted as follows in the computation of the final course grade:
Class Participation - 10%
Exercises and Discussion Boards (5) - 25%
Exam 1 - 15%
Exam 2 - 15%
Final Exam - 35%
Total 100%
Discussions: Participation in discussion boards is required. You are required to comment on the initial discussion question that is found on the class discussion board and then respond to a minimum of three separate discussions from classmates. Your comments and responses must contribute to the quality and advancement of the discussion. Support your discussion with a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.
Course Project: The final group project will be presented in-class at the end of the semester. It is the intent to provide the same grade to each student in the group; however, each student will be given the opportunity for peer assessments and this may have an impact on an individual student’s grade if warranted. It is the responsibility of the groups to manage their own interactions and individual participation.
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
