Agenda

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

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8:00 – 8:30 am CST
Morning Session
8:30 – 11:45 am CST
Break
11:45 am – 12:15 pm CST
Afternoon Session
12:15 – 3:30 pm CST

 

Agenda
Contract Law Primer for Engineers                     B. Thomas

Reviewing the most important elements of any contract
Understanding contract “legalese”
Importance of scope of work and standard of care
What constitutes a breach of contract?
What are possible damages and remedies?
Liability-shifting contract provisions: warranties, guarantees and indemnities
How to effectively negotiate contracts

Professional Liability Law                     K. Slavens
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

Professional and General Liability Insurance for Engineers                     C. Reedy
Understanding business insurance coverage: general liability vs. professional liability policies
Additional insureds: obtaining certificates of insurance
Understanding insurance policies:
• Indemnities
• Assignment
• Insurance availability
• Warranties, guarantees and certifications
Recognizing and responding to claims

Understanding the Investigatory and Disciplinary Practices                     G. Snodgrass
of the Missouri Division of Professional Registration                                   N. Meriage
Understanding the Board’s disciplinary powers
Reviewing prohibited practices and grounds for disciplinary action
Investigatory procedures
Disciplinary hearings
Administrative and other penalties and enforcement

Complying with Rules of Professional Conduct                     G. Snodgrass
Sealing of documents                                                                                  N. Meriage
Standards for responsible charge of engineering work
Unauthorized practice of engineering
National Society of Professional Engineers’ Code of Ethics

 

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.

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Windows 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)

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The two most recent version of the following browsers:
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Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled


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Credits

Professional Engineers
6.0 PDHs

 

Continuing Education Credit Information
This webinar is open to the public and offers 6.0 PDHs to Missouri professional engineers. Educators and courses are not subject to pre-approval in Missouri.

Completion certificates will be awarded to participants who complete the event, respond to all prompts, and earn a passing score (80%) on the quiz that follow the presentation (multiple attempts allowed).

Speakers

Nicholas Meriage

Principal – Pitzer Snodgrass, P.C.
Nick Meriage is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law where he was awarded the Allen H. Parker Memorial Scholarship, and MU Grant, The JB Reynolds Student Award in Insurance Law, and CALI awards in: Insurance Law, Land Use Controls, and Agricultural Law. Mr. Meriage is developing a focused civil litigation practice. His practice includes professional liability, premises liability, product liability, and business litigation. Previously his practice included ctional work. He is a former small business owner, which helps him relate to the complex issues facing business owners today.

Christopher Reedy

Broker with Crane Agency
Chris is a long time member of the Crane Agency and has a vast array of risk management, loss control and insurance product knowledge. He also has a deep understanding of professional liability, general liability, property and management liability exposures. Through experience, education and training, Mr. Reedy has developed the skills and expertise required to find specialized risk management solutions to meet challenges specific his clients. He is a member of PLAN (Professional Liability Agents Network) and the exclusive representative of XL/Catlin’s Design Professional program, in addition to Berkley DP and CAMICO Mutual’s accountants program. Mr. Reedy has authored and delivered presentations to the American Institutes of Architects, American Council of Engineering Cos. and the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers in addition to numerous other organizations, individual design firms and higher learning institutions. He is always willing to assist existing and prospective clients – no issue is too large or small.

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.

Gary Snodgrass

Principal – Pitzer Snodgrass, P.C.
Gary E. Snodgrass received his B.A. degree in Psychology from Saint Louis University, graduating cum laude in 1973; his master of arts degree in Philosophy in 1975, magna cum laude, from Michigan State University; and his J.D. degree in 1978 from Saint Louis University. Gary was admitted to the Bar in Missouri in 1978 and the Bar in Illinois in 1979. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits. He is also a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel and The Defense Research Institute. Mr. Snodgrass is the former chairman for the International Association of Defense Counsel Construction Litigation Committee. He is an advocate for American Board of Trial Advocates. Other affiliations: The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Lawyers Association of St. Louis, The Missouri Bar, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, and the Illinois State Bar Association. He completed the American Academy of Attorney-Mediators’ training program in 1994 and serves as a mediator for USA&M on cases pending in various courts in the St. Louis area. Mr. Snodgrass co-authored “Architects and Engineers’ Liability” for the Missouri Tort Law CLE Desk Book series and “Waiver of Subrogation and Allocation of Risk in Construction Contracts” for The Defense Counsel Journal. He is also a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education seminars and trial practice seminars sponsored by the Bar and other professional organizations.

Bill Thomas

Co-Founder, Principal – Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC
William S. 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.