WestCon Tribune

January 2001

JANUARY MEETING

Responsibility - Liability

Presented by Fred Field, AIA - with audience participation
Presentation by an architect would suggest a concentration on the responsibility or liability of the architect - not necessarily so. There is more than enough to go around. When one is responsible does that mean another is not responsible?

For our January meeting, Westcon member Fred Field will share his observations, experience and frustrations of over forty years as a practicing architect. Special efforts are being made to include a good number of our legal members to attend this meeting with extended invitations to their peers and special masters for our opportunity of social mixing as well as their solicited contributions to the evening program. This meeting will be a rare occasion to voice a question that has been nagging at you for a rational answer - or any answer at all.

The subject of responsibility will be treated as a dynamic one. To be aware of the history and continuing changes in the design professions, construction industry and education and coincidental to the start of Architect Field’s professional career we have made handout copies from the October 1962 Specification Digest (predecessor to the CSI Specifier Magazine), "When is an Architect Liable" reprinted from the April 1962 American Bar Association.

The presentation will generally continue with showing directions, trends and changes as marked by milestone cases in the last 30-40 years and the speculation of trends continuing, having reached a plateau or even reversing - for example the code of the new millennium being overshadowed by reverting back to 1997. This, as well as introduction of cases that have impacted our work, will be enhanced with prepared comment and evaluations from numerous solicited Westcon members and special masters.

Among the scheduled cases to be commented upon are those effecting limited recovery of damages, deep pocket rulings, indemnification and settlement of recent cases involving Westcon members.

Input is invited from all. Please bring your thoughts and questions and help our organization find clarity on these most important issues that faces all aspects of our business and the construciton industry. If you would like more information the scheduled presentation, call Fred Field at (415) 485-5882.

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Published monthly by WESTCON (Westcon Consultants Association) for general membership and friends. Publication of original articles or reprinted material does not imply approval or endorsement. Submitted material becomes property of WESTCON. Not responsible for accuracy of content. Views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of editors of WESTCON.
Send submittals to Rikki Field at Box 305, Ross, CA 94957: (415) 451–4897