In this episode, CMAA’s Carly Trout and Evan Hendershot are joined by Michael Griffin, partner at HKA, and Shawn Farrell, partner at Cohen Seglias, to discuss the evolving roles and responsibilities of construction managers and the growing risk and liability landscape. They outline the CM’s core functions—managing, advising, documenting, and keeping owners informed with “no surprises”—and compare the role to an air traffic controller coordinating schedule, cost, and multiple trades. The conversation highlights how early risk identification, timely owner decisions, and prompt payment can help prevent issues from escalating into disputes. Michael and Shawn also walk through practical steps to take when contractor performance begins to falter, including maintaining thorough documentation, providing proper notice, and operating within contractual authority. They conclude with a look at expanding CM liability, including exposure to negligent misrepresentation, and share a checklist of best practices, such as aligning contract language with actual duties, communicating carefully, and avoiding directives related to means and methods.

The Construction Leaders Podcast is produced by Association Briefings.