May, 2016 Luncheon
Speaker: Kathryn F. Taylor with K&L Gate
Date: Thursday, May 19, 2016
Topic: Building A Strong Foundation for Avoiding Catastrophic Losses
Presentation: Not Available
Summary: The presentation focused on the steps engineering businesses can take to avoid or limit losses arising out of professional activities. Specifically, three areas where engineering businesses can stop or limit losses before they start are: (1) striking and managing good contracts that appropriately allocate risk to the owner and various design and construction contractors; (2) risk management processes; and (3) obtaining the benefit of the insurance coverage for which you've paid.
Topics covered included:
- Contractual provisions allocating risks for delay and the legal limits of liquidated damages for delay;
- Contractual indemnity and limitation of liability provisions
- How choice of forum impacts you more than you think it does
- Professional liability implications of "scope creep"/ "mission creep"
- The legal trend towards fiduciary duties for design professionals
- Mistakes commonly made in obtaining insurance coverage for losses or suits
About the speaker:
Kathryn F. Taylor represents clients in high-stakes litigation in State and Federal courts across the United States. Her broad experience includes litigating breach of contract, fiduciary duty, fraud and misrepresentation, professional negligence, class actions, consumer fraud, breach of warranty and reinsurance matters. Ms. Taylor has represented numerous Fortune 50 companies in complex cases, and has effectively managed all aspects of complex litigation, including electronic preservation and discovery issues, selection and preparation of technical and damages experts, consolidation and coordination of multiple lawsuits across jurisdictions, discovery, mediation and settlement conferences, and trial. She has extensive experience litigating IT outsourcing disputes, particularly on behalf of State and Local government contractors. Ms. Taylor also has extensive experience litigating issues relating to derivatives and over-the-counter commodities trading, reinsurance industry financials and private equity transactions. Her clients have included companies in the technology consulting industry, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, private equity investors, major automotive manufacturers, and reinsurance brokers and underwriters.