To enhance NASBP’s already robust educational offerings to its members, affiliates, associates, and the public, NASBP recently posted valuable
materials and information from those serving on its NASBP Attorney Advisory Council (AAC) to nasbp.org. These materials cover topics including commercial surety bonds, federal construction contracting, risk management, and surety bond claims and dispute resolution.
More materials are soon to be posted to the webpage on these topics: construction industry, contract surety bonds, contract terms and conditions, project-delivery methods (including P3s), and small business issues.
The NASBP AAC was developed this year to serve as an “outstanding new resource team” for the association's membership, General Counsel Martha Perkins said. “The attorneys who serve on the AAC raise NASBP's educational and informational efforts to an even higher level,” she said.
CEO Mark McCallum said the council helps NASBP enhance its publications, make meeting programs more substantive, keep staff apprised of legal and industry developments that the attorneys are aware of through their private practices, and serve as “another sounding board for legislative, regulatory and legal challenges that may affect the industry.”
“You can't have enough perspective from skilled and knowledgeable people,” he said. “It helps us have a broader perspective, but also to focus on the details that you get from legal subject matter experts.”
The council is composed of eight attorneys from across the United States. Perkins said these attorneys are supplying their expertise in surety bonds, both contract and commercial; construction contracts; and government contracting.
They and other attorneys in their firms have provided NASBP with articles for its Surety Bond Quarterly and Pipeline publications, white papers on construction and surety, and presentations at Annual and Regional Meetings and during Virtual Seminars, Perkins said. The most recent issue of Surety Bond Quarterly included an
article where each member of the AAC answered a question addressed frequently in their practice.
The attorneys on the council are Barron Avery of Baker Hostetler LLP in Washington, DC; Adrian Bastianelli of Peckar & Abramson PC in Washington, DC; Jeff Frank of Alber Crafton, PSC in Troy, MI.; Keith Langley of Langley LLP in Dallas; Mike Pipkin of Weinstein Radcliff Pipkin LLP in Dallas; Steve Reed of Smith, Currie & Hancock in Atlanta; Todd Regan of Robinson & Cole LLP in Hartford, CT; and Armen Shahinian of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC in West Orange, NJ.
Pipkin said the ultimate goal of the council is “to figure out the best and quickest ways to solve problems at the least possible expense” while doing so in the most effective and efficient manner.
“I think it's going to be a tremendous opportunity for those of us on the council that have done work with sureties for decades to be able to build and enhance the relationships between all of the parties that are part of the surety relationship,” he said.
The eight attorneys are volunteering their contributions to the council and will not receive compensation. They also will not provide legal representation to NASBP and will not be expected to provide such services to NASBP's members, affiliates, and associates while serving on the council.
For more information about NASBP's Attorney Advisory Council and to read more about the attorneys involved, visit the NASBP website at
http://www.nasbp.org/aac/home/.