Timothy Woodward, a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP and leader of the firm’s Construction practice group, recently participated in Law 360’s Coronavirus Q&A, discussing the pandemic’s impact on the construction industry and the adaptations made by key players in the business.
As part of a series of interviews by Law360 to discuss the ways COVID-19 has impacted businesses and the law, Tim shared his thoughts on the state of the construction industry before the pandemic, how the coronavirus has restricted the industry and created new legal challenges, what differences he has seen between project sectors and what he has noticed with respect to litigation.
He noted that the construction industry has readily adapted to added protocols put in place to safeguard against virus transmission, thanks in part to the heavily regulated nature of the industry. Although businesses have mostly been able to maintain operations, Tim provided insight on various challenges in the industry, including project delays and cancellations, as well as lending issues. Discussing COVID-19’s impact on litigation, Tim noted that “anytime the economy takes a dip in construction, then parties who are owed money have less tolerance to wait for it.”
“They're going to exercise their lien rights or bond rights and bring their claims earlier to make sure they're the squeaky wheel. So there's an uptick in people trying to get paid for the work they've already done,” he said. “They're not willing to wait for that receivable to be really old before they call us, their lawyers.”
To read the full Q&A, click here.
About Timothy Woodward
Timothy D. Woodward is a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he leads the firm's Construction Litigation Practice Group. Board certified in Construction Law, Tim focuses his practice on commercial construction litigation. Tim has experience assisting clients with construction law and commercial litigation related issues in the State of Florida. He has achieved successful results for clients in jury and non jury trials in Florida’s state and federal courts and in various arbitration proceedings. He's been listed among the Best Lawyers in America® in Construction Law since 2012 and has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers since 2011. Tim represents design professionals, contractors, owners, and developers in a myriad of disputes, including claims regarding: design errors and omissions; delay and acceleration damages; bonds and liens; professional negligence and licensure; building code and Americans with Disabilities Act violations; construction and materials defects; fraud and civil RICO; personal injuries; and, wrongful death.