Renovation of Commercial Building to Specialized Medical Treatment Center

Work as a (repeat) researcher for a law firm representing a client whose medical practice was seriously damaged by the failure of the architect to complete the project by their promised scheduled date. Subsequent examination indicated a number of serious planning and design defects. The case was settled out-of-court in favor of the client for near insurance limits.

(Arthur Chenen, Esq. and Richard Decker, Esq., THEODORA, ORINGHER, MILLER & RICHMAN PC, Los Angeles)

2004-2005. Work as an expert witness with one of two law firms representing a Contractor defendant. The plaintiffs asked that the entire several-million dollar house be demolished and re-built. The defense was able to show that any repairs needed could be accomplished for less then a third of the cost of re-building. The case was settled out-of-court for insurance limits.

(John A. Mayers, Esq., MULVANEY, KAHAN & BARRY, San Diego, CA)

2004. Work as an expert witness with a law firm defending an architect in a claim of breach of Standard of Care by the architect’s developer client in the renovation of a large residence. Failure of architect to perform on-site verification of dimensions supposedly resulted in added costs during construction. Settlement quickly reached prior to mediation on favorable terms to architect.

(Jeffrey J. Christovich, Esq., LEWIS, BRISBOIS, BISGAARD & SMITH LLP, Los Angeles, CA)

2002-2003. Work as an expert witness with a law firm representing a Contractor defendant against alleged construction defects leading to supposed mold damage in a large single-family residence. Settlement reached prior to mediation at a fraction of the original claim.

(John A. Mayers, Esq., MULVANEY, KAHAN & BARRY, San Diego, CA)

1999-2004. Work as the lead expert witness with a law firm representing the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles to help determine the cause and responsibility for major construction defects at a newly completed low-rise, wood-framed, public housing project. This multi-million dollar case involved 43 separate defendants, all of whom settled out-of-court after extensive court-ordered mediation.

(David Mead, Esq., THEODORA, ORIGNGER, MILLER & RICHMAN, P.C., Los Angeles)

1998-99. Work with counsel for the defense of a major building material/process supplier that was facing claims by a number of building owners over alleged product failure. Tasks included extensive building permit research, review of original historic construction documents, assistance in analysis of claims, and selected on-site observation.

(Sub-contractor to John Dudley Miller, Ph.D., Science and Technology consultant.)

Hollywood, CA, 1996. Research and creation of chronological building permit database for all structures along Hollywood Blvd. in connection with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s defense of building subsidence claims due to subway construction.

(Sub-contractor to Peyton Hall, FAIA, Historic Resources Group, Hollywood, CA)