This year, significant changes have been made to the standard form construction contracts. It the end of last year the AIA issued wholesale revisions to the commonly used AIA Standard Form Documents. Earlier this year, ConsensusDOCS released its updated forms including its Design-Build series. Although these “form documents” have now been around for many years, the debate rages on as to which form should be used, when and why. Attend this 90-minute presentation to learn and explore the key differences between the AIA and ConsensusDOCS, and to develop a better understanding of which “form document” best suits your needs.

This presentation discusses updates to these documents, the ins and outs of the competing forms, and the biases that are found in each set. You will be more prepared to identify the key terms that may seem innocuous, but in reality, could have a significant impact on your rights and obligations should you enter one of these form contracts.

This 90-minute, information-packed program will help you:

• Review changes to the AIA and ConsensusDOCS contract documents released in 2017 and 2016
• Understand the similarities and key distinctions between the AIA and ConsensusDOCS
• Learn how these new documents can help you draft better contracts that will reduce disputes and claims
• Take advantage of and determine which form document is right for your organization
• And much, much more!

This program is more than just a review of the standard contract forms. Your speakers take sides and comment/negotiate from the contractors and owners/architect’s side to share the changes to the contracts, in an informative and entertaining dialog between the speakers.

Your speakers have a unique historical perspective on the issue. Mr. Ellickson was head of contracts for AIA from 1980 – 2000. Mr. McManus was the lawyer for AGC for the 1987 edition of AIA A-201 (and related documents) and represented MCAA and ASC for the 1997 edition. Your experienced speakers will help you fine tune your contract drafting whether you are an owner, architect, general contractor or subcontractor/supplier on your projects.

This webinar is a must if you’re a public or private owner, construction manager, contractor, subcontractor, architect or engineer.

This event features key insights from our knowledgeable construction experts:

Dale Ellickson is Of Counsel to McManus & Felsen, where he practices in the area of construction contracts and design professional agreements. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He has been a member of the Bar since 1976 and obtained his license as a registered architect in 1975.

Joe McManus advises clients on construction and commercial issues and disputes. He gained this experience as a construction and public-contracts lawyer since 1972, as a lawyer in the US Air Force JAG corps, as general counsel to Clark Enterprises, Inc. (parent of Clark Construction), and as a member of his own firm. He has represented many public owners, including MWAA, the DC Council, the government of Barbados, and the government of Greece. Mr. McManus frequently serves as arbitrator on local, national, and international cases. He is a member of the Large Complex Case Panel of Arbitrators and a mediator (American Arbitration Association). He has appeared as an expert witness in cases involving construction documents, specifically AIA documents, in the United States and in the Caribbean. Mr. McManus is a past President of the American College of Construction Lawyers.