Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

Introduction

An owner of a new office building seeks legal advice. The building is merely one year old, yet it has constantly been plagued with serious problems. The elevator acts irratically, stopping three feet below floor levels, making sudden drops and having the doors close prematurely. In addition, not only have some of the glass plates been popping out from the curtain walls, but two of the floors have sagged so badly that the doors have jammed closed and the walls have cracked.

Should the attorney accept the owner's case? It is the attorney now who has the problem. How involved are the intricacies of building construction? Who should be retained to get the facts? What type of engineer is best suited to investigate and testify for litigation purposes? In other words, how is the attorney to find an expert witness for construction litigation?