PRACTICES

CONSTRUCTION

What We Do

DWK has unparalleled breadth and depth of resources necessary to advise and represent clients throughout the school and college construction process, from design through project closeout. We work with our clients to set clear objectives and then develop an aggressive strategy to reach those goals as part of the district’s team.  Areas of focused expertise include:

Construction Documents and Procurement

  • Front-end bid documents for design-bid-build projects, including CUPCCAA
  • Lease-leaseback, design-build and energy service contracts
  • Agreements with design professionals, inspectors, construction managers, and other consultants

 

Performance Under Contract

  • Compliance with prevailing wage laws and skilled and trained workforce requirements
  • Subcontractor substitution
  • Change Orders
  • Stop Payment Notices
  • Termination
  • Tender to surety for project completion
  • Project closeout with state agencies


Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

  • Claims by contractors for extra work, delay, unforeseen site conditions
  • Claims against contractors and/or consultants for construction/design defects

Construction – the DWK Way

  • DWK was the first education law firm in California to develop a comprehensive construction law practice, and we take pride in being known in California as tough, but fair, in negotiations with contractors. We have developed a widely accepted set of construction contract documents that is accepted all over the state and used by districts as the basis for their bid documents.
  • We focus our advocacy solely on districts and the public interest without conflicts.
  • We seek to build staff knowledge, capacity and self-sufficiency by offering easy-to-use, “best practice” publications, advisories and forms of agreements. Our Bond Implementation Toolkit publication provides our clients with a straightforward reference guide and training tool for districts that captures many of complex issues related to construction projects and bond-funded construction programs.

Sample Trainings and In-Services

• FAQs Regarding Procuring Maintenance Contracts
• The Top Ten Ways to Screw Up a Construction Project
• School Construction 101/201
• Hard Bids and Competitive Selection
• Navigating the Murky Seas of Bid Protests

Interested in scheduling a training for your team?