Design-Build Lessons Learned: Case Studies from 2003

Design-Build Lessons Learned: Case Studies from 2003 is a one-of-a-kind guide that provides an in-depth analysis of court decisions issued in a given year on design-build projects. An important resource for anyone interested in construction law, construction project delivery systems, design-build and construction management, this guide will also appeal to those who are involved in arbitration or mediation of construction disputes.

This book reviews 62 important design-build decisions released in 2003. It not only describes in detail the factual situation giving rise to the litigation, but also provides informative commentary on the practical lessons to be learned from the decision. The specific topics discussed include: (a) single point of responsibility liability; (b) public sector procurement issues; (c) conflicts in forming teaming relationships; and (d) design-build insurance issues.

Michael C. Loulakis is President of Wickwire Gavin, P.C., a construction law firm headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Mr. Loulakis is both a civil engineer and a lawyer, having received a BSCE degree from Tufts University and a JD degree from Boston University School of Law. For the past 25 years he has practiced construction law, with special focus on design-build and project delivery issues.

Mr. Loulakis has represented a number of public and private sector owners, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons, The International Monetary Fund, The World Bank, and Mobil Corporation on construction issues. His role includes assisting in the selection of the right project delivery system, drafting procurement documents, administration of claims and dispute resolution. Mr. Loulakis also regularly represents engineers, architects and contractors around the country in their design-build endeavors.

Mr. Loulakis is Legal Counsel to the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and took a lead role in developing the DBIA standard form design-build contracts and the DBIA Design-Build Contracting Guide. He is also an accomplished and frequent speaker on construction and design-build issues, making frequent presentations to the AIA, NSPE, DBIA, AGC, ASCE, ACEC and other trade and professional groups.

In addition to the Design-Build Lessons Learned series, which he has published since 1995, Mr. Loulakis has written over 100 other publications on project delivery systems and other issues affecting the A/E/C industry. Recent books include The Design-Build Contracting Handbook (2nd Edition, 2001) and Design-Build for the Public Sector (2003), both published by Aspen Publishers, Inc.; and Design-Build: Planning Through Development (2001), published by McGraw Hill Publications. He is also the author and developer of a widely acclaimed interactive CD-ROM entitled Construction Project Delivery Systems: Evaluating the Owner's Alternatives (1999), published by A/E/C Training Technologies, LLC.