Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm CDT (including a 30-min. break)

 

Managing Risk in the Practice of Engineering 
Presented by: William Thomas and Hayley Hughes  

  • Identifying engineering risks 
  • Reviewing consequences of potential risks 
  • Understanding principles of risk management 
  • Complying with professional and ethical standards for Missouri engineers  
  • Identifying strategies to minimize engineering risk and maximize positive results 

 

Understanding How Contracts Can Shift, Reduce (or Increase) Risk
Presented by: William Thomas  

  • An overview of contract law and key concepts 
  • Understanding contract formation and revision 
  • Recognizing liability exposure under contract 
  • Reviewing standard contract provisions and understanding their impact on risk 
    • Guarantees, warranties and indemnities  
  • Understanding consequences for delay, disruption, nonperformance, inadequate performance 
  • Using contract terms to manage risk  

 

Complying with Missouri Laws and Regulations Requiring Engineering Work be Performed or Supervised by Engineers
Presented by: William Thomas  

  • Missouri laws that regulate the composition of engineering firms 
  • Regulations on responsible charge of engineering work  
  • Rules on sealing of engineering documents 

 

Law of Engineering Malpractice
Presented by: William Thomas and Najla Hasic      

  • Reviewing the grounds for professional liability claims 
  • Identifying who can bring a claim 
  • Examining common sources of professional liability claims  
  • Reviewing defenses to liability claims  
  • Determining damages 
  • Participating in dispute resolution: arbitration, mediation, litigation 
  • Obtaining insurance coverage for professional liability claims 

 

Minimizing Risk by Maximizing Compliance with Rules of Professional Conduct
Presented by: Kenneth Slavens 

  • Complying with rules of professional conduct 
  • Preventing conflicts of interest 
  • Promoting health and welfare vs. managing risk: complementary or conflicting duties? 
  • Protecting the environment: meeting or exceeding legal requirements 
  • Watching the bottom line: identifying and balancing economic pressures in design and construction 
  • Integrating new technologies: identifying and balancing the benefits and risks 
  • Reviewing ethics case studies and hypotheticals 

  

Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.

GoToWebinar App requirements:
Windows 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)

Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled

Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps       Hardware: 2GB RAM or more

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com

Credits

Engineers 
6.0 PDHs 

 

Continuing Education Credit Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers in Missouri. The Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Professional Landscape Architects does not pre-approve courses or activities; the determination of qualifying activities must be made by the licensee. 

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed). 

Speakers

Najia Hasic

Associate Attorney at Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC

Originally from Bosnia, Ms. Hasic came to the United States with her family when she was a year old and they settled in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended Southern Illinois University School of Law where she graduated magna cum laude in May of 2020. Ms. Hasic was admitted to the Missouri Bar in September of 2020.

Hayley M. Hughes

Associate Attorney with Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC in St. Louis, MO

Ms. Hughes engages in a variety of civil defense litigation ranging from general liability to professional liability, including complex litigation. She received her B.S. degree from Illinois College and her J.D. degree from St. Louis University School of Law. Given her business background as an undergraduate, Ms. Hughes brings an exceptional touch that complements the firm’s design and construction focus.

Kenneth Slavens

Partner with Husch Blackwell LLP

Ken Slavens is dedicated to helping solve construction and development clients’ most complicated problems with as little disruption as possible to their businesses. He represents architects, engineers, owners and contractors in construction disputes over alleged defective design and construction, delays, cost overruns, interference, obstruction, property damage and suspension of work. He litigates claims arising from injuries on project sites or from defective construction. His substantial experience also includes related civil litigation, arbitration and mediation. Mr. Slavens’ familiarity with the construction and design industry dates to his college days, when he worked for a residential and small commercial contractor. After law school, he was introduced to construction and design litigation by an attorney mentor. Having spent his entire career in construction law, Mr. Slavens has a unique understanding of the business that benefits clients. To help maintain his broad perspective and deep knowledge, Mr. Slavens is actively involved in organizations affiliated with the non-legal side of the construction industry. These interactions provide valuable insights into the issues that clients experience day to day, as well as their longer-term concerns.

William S. "Bill" Thomas

Co-Founder, Principal - Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC

Mr. Thomas is a co-founder and member of Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC, in St. Louis, Missouri where he focuses his practice on handling matters involving the construction process, including up-front contract reviews, commercial litigation, professional liability defense and trial work. He has represented owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, land surveyors and landscape architects in all phases of construction claims. He also handles product liability claims, other general commercial disputes, and general liability claims. He is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Illinois, the Federal Court of Claims, and several Federal Courts. He is a past president of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis, the local trial bar. Mr. Thomas is involved in many professional organizations, including the IADC and the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and its Construction Law Committee, Product Liability Committee, and Building Products – Substantive Litigation Group, and Professional Liability Committee, where he served on the Steering Committee, and Design Professional Subcommittee. Mr. Thomas is an associate member of the ASCE and the AIA and is a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. He is recognized by U.S. News – Best Lawyers as a Best Lawyer in Construction Law and was honored as Lawyer of the Year in Construction-Litigation for 2022.

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $329.00