As school district facilities become inadequate to meet the needs of an expanding population, or are simply in need of repair, districts find themselves involved in the construction of new facilities or facility school improvement projects. Our firm has extensive experience in guiding districts through the legal steps that such projects require.

The following, though not exhaustive, is a list of the services we frequently provide to clients undertaking a construction project:

provide pre-construction legal advice on various topics, including funding options, property acquisition through purchase or eminent domain, voter propositions, information dissemination and contract negotiations with architects and project managers.

review specifications for conformity with the Education Law, SED regulations and other legal requirements including the SED safety regulations.

review all SEQRA documents, give guidance on the legal constraints of making a SEQRA classification determination, and guide the district through the procedural steps necessary for the SEQRA review.

review all bid documents prior to the bid period and give legal advice concerning the award of the bids.

review awarded contracts and all contractor submissions including insurance and bond documents.

advise the district on legal issues that arise during construction, including contract interpretation, environmental issues, coordination with other agencies, change orders, delays, labor issues, subcontractor problems and disruption of school routines.

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