The Atlanta Lawyer January/February 2014 | Page 31

section update Construction Law Section Update By Philip E. Beck, Chair Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP [email protected] T he Construction Law Section has now had four breakfast meetings since kicking off the 2013-14 Bar Year. The meetings have been well-attended, and the programs have been informative: “Unleashing the Power of BIM”; “Preserving Historic Buildings”; “What Keeps Design Professionals Awake at Night – a Panel Discussion” and “Georgia Legislative Report – Bills Affecting the Construction Industry.” The Section also had an enjoyable Holiday Party on December 10, 2013 at Five Seasons’ Sky Bar on Marietta Street. Thanks to Christy Sanders for organizing it. The next three meetings of the Section will be: • Wednesday, February 26, 2014: Joint Meeting with the Dispute Resolution Section. Tentative title: “From Arbitrators – A Few Things Lawyers Do Right and a Few Things They Do Wrong – a Panel Discussion,” Hal Gray - Moderator, Panelists - TBD. The Construction Law Section currently has 196 members, but always welcomes new members, as well as the return of former members and colleagues. The cost to join the Section is a modest $50 per year. For additional information regarding the Section, please contact any Section Board member: Phil Beck, Chair; Hal Gray, Vice Chair-Chair Elect; Damon Gunnels, Secretary/ Treasurer; Bart Gary, Immediate Past Chair; Frank Bigelis; Deborah Cazan; Dan Douglass; Mark Hanrahan; Frank Riggs; Henry Parkman; Christy Sanders; and Lynn Stewart. Carolyn Wingfield serves as the editor of the Section’s electronic newsletter. Finally, the Construction Law Section congratulates the Atlanta Bar Association on its 125th Anniversary, which will be celebrated at a Bar luncheon on February 25, 2014. Alive and well at 125 – quite an accomplishment, and one to which we should all aspire! • Wednesday, March 26, 2014: “Update on Georgia Legal Ethics,” by George Sewell (to qualify for one hour of Georgia CLE Ethics credit). • Wednesday, April 23, 2014: Tentative title: “OSHA – We’re From the Government and We’re Here to Help You,” by Ed Foulke, Fisher & Phillips; former Assistant Secretary of Labor of OSHA. All monthly breakfast meetings will be held at The Buckhead Club, starting at 7:30 a.m. All Section members are encouraged to register and attend. The meetings are also open to non-Section members for a small additional charge. All of the breakfast programs will qualify for Georgia CLE credit. The Section plans to conclude the Bar year with a Spring Social in May (Date and Location TBD). The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association January/February 2014 THE ATLANTA LAWYER 31