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Recent Articles from Jeremy Vermilyea
OP-ED: FHWA’s interpretation of Buy America Act rejected
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has long held that the federal government’s so-called 鈥淏uy America鈥� requirements apply neither to steel and iron manufactured products with less than 90 percent steel […]
Government contractors, beware the ever-tightening contract enforcement
Public owners have been signaling for some time that they intend to require strict adherence to contract language, and contractors who conduct business with them would do well to listen, writes attorney Jeremy Vermilyea in this months' Construction Zone column.
OP ED:Think you have solid documentation? Think again.
Taking a proactive approach, and recognizing that email is a tool, but not a panacea for all potential issues that may arise on a project, can result in much cleaner contract documentation and a reduction in claims and disputes.
OP-ED: You’re in a lawsuit? Now what?
Construction contracting is an adversarial process. Three principal players, multiple contractual relationships and profit motives can and often do lead to conflicts. These conflicts generally center around issues of money, […]
OP-ED: Keeping up with federal labor laws
As the public has come to understand in the post-election flurry of political maneuvering, the president of the United States has (arguably) broad power to act via executive order so […]
Retainage debate likely to restart soon
In 2013, the issue of retainage is likely to be taken up by the Legislature. This is at the behest of trade organizations that assert that the amount of retainage that can be withheld on any progress payment, regardless of contractual role and regardless of whether a payment and performance bond is in place, should be capped at 5 percent.
2011 Legislature bans subrogation waivers: Is this the end of indemnity as we know it?
In 2011, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 961, a partial ban on a requirement of subrogation waivers in construction contracts. Since the legislation became effective in June 2010, much […]
News
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $10.6 million in top bidders | July 31, 2026
- Many Oregon counties struggling to maintain their fairgrounds
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization 鈥� the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion
