The past year has been most interesting for a former social studies teacher turned lawyer. As Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Construction Law Section, I found myself shepherding an effort to update the North Carolina Lien Law. Many do not realize that there have not been substantive changes to that portion of the general statutes since the 1960’s. There have been numerous patches to address specific cases, but …Read More
The end of the year is often a busy time for business owners and other individuals. It is easy to let some seemingly less pressing business and personal legal updates get pushed aside until the new year. Of course, when the new year starts, different challenges and time commitments can cause people to forget about those basic, yet important, legal matters. So as 2012 begins, perhaps it is time for …Read More
As we turned the calendar to January 1, 2012, certain news laws have come into effect here in North Carolina. These new laws have resulted in changes to the purchase of gas or certain medicines in the State, while others affect North Carolina’s teen drivers. Gas Tax Increase: Commencing January 1, North Carolina’s state motor fuel tax grew an additional 3.9 cents per gallon to a record of 38.9 cents …Read More
Federal bond claims have recently increased as a result of construction spending at North Carolina military facilities. Previously, suppliers to federal projects could usually rely on prompt payment from the bonding companies after making a claim. Suppliers now experience a trend of delay tactics from numerous sureties on federal projects. These delay tactics force suppliers to initiate federal litigation in a higher percentage of bond claims than in years past. …Read More
In previous years, serving as a board member for non-profit and/or charitable organizations was perceived as prestigious and a great way to give back to the community. Sure, you were expected to attend a few galas and a board meeting every now and then, but it was all doable, feasible, and most of all – monetarily sensible. Now however, in the midst of our nation’s significant economic downturn and sharp …Read More
