Construction Law and Ethics Seminar
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Registration: 7:30 – 8:00 am
Morning Session: 8:00 am – 12:30 pm
Lunch (On your own): 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Afternoon Session: 1:30 – 5:30 pm
Facilitating the Project with Effective
Construction Contracting
C. McMillan
Understanding the legal rights/duties of project participants: owners,
contractors, design services firms, subcontractors and suppliers
Understanding your project delivery system: design-bid-build, design-build,
construction manager, construction manager-at-risk
Using standard or custom contract documents: AIA, ConsensusDocs, others
Understanding key contract concepts and terms: performance, breach,
warranties, guarantees, indemnity, damages
Modifying contracts and selecting dispute resolution mechanisms
Protecting the Project with Bonds and Insurance
M. Talley
Obtaining construction bonds
• Performance
• Payment
• Alternatives to bonds
Obtaining insurance
• Commercial general liability insurance
• Builder’s risk insurance • Errors and omissions insurance
• Additional/alternative insurance
Claims and notice issues
Making Changes and Resolving Disputes
During the Construction Process
B. Wheatley
Making changes to the contract and contracted work
• Types of changes: ordered and constructive changes
• The contract change clause
• Requirements for making changes
• Liability issues
Solving problems during the construction process
• Site conditions
• Delays
• Disruption
• Acceleration
• Accidents
Handling Ethical Issues in Construction
D. Kilday
Avoiding ethical issues during the bidding process
• Gifts, favors and the appearance of impropriety
Your duties to your employer, the project owner, and other project participants
Adopting practices that minimize ethics issues
Ensuring Environmental Compliance
During the Construction Process
A. Moorman
Stormwater management
Erosion and sedimentation control
Air quality preservation
Materials handling
Reviewing Accessibility Standards and Compliance
J. Torkelson
What standards apply and when?
Federal standards
• ADA Standards for Accessible Design
• Architectural Barriers Act
• Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines
Texas Accessibility Standards
Credits
Professional Engineers
8.0 PDHs (1.0 Ethics Hour)
Architects
8.0 HSW CEPHs/CE Hours
1.0 Accessibility Hour
1.0 Sustainability Hour
8.0 AIA LU|HSW
Contractors
Non-Credit Continuing Ed.
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 8.0 PDHs, including 1.0 ethics hour, to Texas professional engineers and 8.0 HSW CEPHs/continuing education hours, including 1.0 accessibility hour and 1.0 sustainable design hour, to Texas architects. Educators and courses are not subject to pre-approval in Texas.
The American Institute of Architects has approved this event for 8.0 LU|HSW (Sponsor No. J885). Only full attendance can be reported to the AIA/CES. Visit www.halfmoonseminars.org to view complete AIA information under this course listing.
This seminar offers a non-credit continuing education opportunity to contractors. It has not been approved by any state contractor licensing entity for continuing education approval.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
G. Kilday
Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, P.C.Shareholder, Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, P.C.
Mr. Kilday is a trial lawyer with more than 25 years of experience handling complex business-related cases in a wide variety of areas, including contracts, real estate, construction, wind energy, oil & gas, fiduciary duties, and professional liability. He has tried cases for both plaintiffs and defendants, and has represented clients in both state and federal court and in arbitration proceedings.
Chris McMillan
Benjamin, Vana, Martinez & Biggs LLPAttorney, Benjamin, Vana, Martinez & Biggs, LLP
Mr. McMillan’s broad interdisciplinary construction practice spans all major industry segments including civil, architectural, structural and MEP design, construction defects, contract and payment disputes, and schedule disputes for owners, contractors, suppliers and design professionals. Mr. McMillan holds a B.S. degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M. He went on to work as a project manager for a commercial general contractor in Austin before attending St. Mary’s University School of Law. He graduated from St. Mary’s cum laude and is a LEED AP. Mr. McMillan practices law in both San Antonio and Austin, is a member of the Construction Law Section of both the San Antonio Bar Association and Austin Bar Association, and is a member of the Austin Young Lawyers Association.
Angela Moorman
Birch, Becker & Moorman, LLPPartner, Birch, Becker & Moorman, LLP
Ms. Moorman has practiced environmental and administrative law for over 20 years, assisting municipal, commercial, and industrial clients with permitting, compliance, and enforcement issues related to water quality, stormwater, municipal solid waste, and air quality. She represents clients before state and federal agencies, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the State Office of Administrative Hearings, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and she has been a frequent participant in TCEQ stakeholder groups for the development of agency rules and general permits. Ms. Moorman holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, a law degree from the Indiana University–Bloomington School of Law, and an MS degree in Environmental Science from the Indiana University–Bloomington School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Matthew Talley
Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr, P.C.Associate, Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr, P.C.
Mr. Talley represents owners (public and private), design professionals, general contractors, and subcontractors in construction-related transactional and litigation matters. His transactional practice focuses on drafting and negotiating complex construction contracts, professional service agreements, subcontracts, and purchase orders. In addition, he specializes in drafting and negotiating contractual insurance requirements for commercial real estate and construction projects. On the controversy side, Mr. Talley frequently works with his clients in the construction industry to develop strategies to resolve insurance coverage disputes and complex litigation matters in state court, as well as in arbitration.
John Torkelson
TheACCESSpartnership, L.P.Principal, TheACCESSpartnership, L.P.
Mr. Torkelson founded theACCESSpartnership, l.p. in 1997 to provide consulting services relating to accessibility for the ADA, FHA and local building codes nationwide for architects, building owners and institutions. He is licensed with the State of Texas and California; is an Accessibility/Usability Specialist with the International Code Council; and is a recognized expert on Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Mr. Torkelson is both a founding member and past president of the Accessibility Professionals Association and a member of the Certified Access Specialist Institute.
Benton Wheatley
Duane Morris, LLPPartner, Duane Morris, LLP
Mr. Wheatley practices in the area of construction law with a focus on construction, design and engineering disputes and transactions. His practice has included: complex delay; impact; defective design; defective construction or differing site conditions claims involving mediation, litigation or arbitration; and problem project workouts, including negotiating with sureties and owners. He also has experience with the drafting and negotiation of complex construction, design and engineering contracts and environmental issues concerning construction projects. Mr. Wheatley is certified in Construction Law by the State Bar of Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Construction Law and Ethics
Delivery Method: Live
Course Description: This eight-hour live lecture presentation examines construction contracting, project and owner protection with bonds and insurance, dispute resolution, environmental compliance during construction, accessibility standards and compliance, and ethical standards in construction.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to explain how the construction contract identifies the rights and duties of all construction project participants (including owners), and learners will be able to identify the ways in which project quality and timeliness can be positively and adversely affected by contractual relationships between parties.
Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to comply with environmental regulations during the construction process that will prevent stormwater runoff, which when not managed often results in erosion and the transportation of pollutants into rivers and streams thereby threatening the ecosystems that reside in them. Compliance with indoor air quality standards during construction promotes the comfort and well-being of occupants by reducing dust and use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to comply with federal and Texas accessibility standards that promote accessible access to structures for individuals with disabilities, including entry to and exit from buildings, access to all living space in buildings, and the use all facilities contained in them.
Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able to identify and avoid ethical pitfalls that are common to construction activities, including conflicts of interest and impropriety, such as not disclosing shoddy workmanship of other contractors or subcontractors, gifts and favors that are granted for using substandard materials, or not being truthful with project owners.
LUs: 8.0 LU Type: LU|HSWs.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with construction contracting, accessibility standards, and environmental compliance.
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 06/21/2022
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to doug@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost, or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.