Contractor claims on construction projects not only have a potential negative financial impact, they can also significantly impact the project team dynamics by shifting focus from completion of a project to defending for/against a claim. This presentation considers the impact that contracting methods, contract language, change management, and team dynamics can have on preventing claims. It also considers the events which most commonly result in claims, signs a claim may be coming, and what to do when a claim is received.

About the Speaker: Jerry Schulte serves as an Associate Director of Construction for the University of Michigan’s – Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) department. His primary role is managing the day-to-day operations of AEC’s construction group. This group is responsible for all construction on the Ann Arbor campus and for capital projects on the Dearborn and Flint campuses. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Civil Engineering program and is a licensed professional engineer in three states.