Free Webinar: Risk Management Essentials of the New Normal

Posted by & filed under Events.

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Thursday, September 18, 2025
10-11 AM Pacific
12-1 PM Central
1-2 PM Eastern

Approved for 1.0 AIA Learning Units 
1 RCEP Professional Development Hours+

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

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In today’s rapidly evolving AEC landscape, risk management fundamentals are more critical than ever. This webinar explores how post-pandemic shifts, emerging technologies, and changing client expectations are reshaping professional liability exposure for architects and engineers. Gain actionable insights and tools to protect your firm and enhance risk resilience in the “new normal.”

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Design/Construction Standards and Building Codes Evolving to Address Climate Change

Posted by & filed under BDP Blog.

By Andrew Mendelson, FAIA
Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer
Berkley Design Professional, a Berkley Company

October 23, 2023

Climate change is already having a significant impact on the design and construction industry and this impact is only going to grow in the years to come. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes are becoming more frequent and severe and buildings and infrastructure are increasingly being damaged or destroyed.

In response to these challenges, building codes and construction standards are changing to address climate and extreme weather concerns. Local, State and Federal agencies are also working to update design and building requirements, a meaningful factor in the evolution of the standard of care for professionals in the industry.

Changes to building codes and construction standards

One of the most significant changes is an increasing focus on resiliency. Resilient buildings are designed to withstand extreme weather events and quickly regain functionality when damaged.

Specific changes include:

  • Higher wind load requirements: Buildings in areas prone to hurricanes and other high-wind events are compelled to withstand higher wind speeds.
  • Flood-resistant design: Buildings in flood zones are required to be elevated above the floodplain and to have flood-resistant materials and construction methods.
  • Wildfire-resistant design: Buildings in areas prone to wildfires are required to utilize fire-resistant materials and to create site features such as defensible perimeters and flame-resistant plantings.
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Be a Good Neighbor: Strategies to Mitigate Risk of Damage to Adjacent Properties

Posted by & filed under BDP Blog.

By Andrew Mendelson, FAIA
Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management and CX Officer
Berkley Design Professional, a Berkley Company

May 9, 2023

One of the emerging 21st Century perils for design professionals, particularly for structural and geotechnical/CMT engineers and architects, is the potential impact of new projects on the condition and even the integrity of adjacent properties.

An architect or engineer’s legal duty is to their client according to the scope and terms of the professional services agreement as well as the responsibilities embodied in state statutes for licensed professionals. However, consideration should be given to adjacent property owners during the planning stages and efforts should be undertaken to protect against claims that could be made by other “injured parties” on adjacent properties.

In states where the applicable law embodies the principle of “joint and several liability,” disproportionate responsibility and financial exposure can be allocated to the design professional—even if their actions had very little to do with the cause of damages to an adjacent structure.

Trends in design and construction claims and litigation indicate the casting of an ever-widening net with plaintiffs seeking defendants with deep pockets, such as the professional liability insurance policy and the assets of a firm. Therefore, it’s prudent for design professionals to be proactive in managing risk with respect to potential exposure for damages beyond the property line of the project, especially in dense urban or suburban areas.

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Complimentary Webinar | Design-Build Public Infrastructure Projects: Risks and Challenges for Consulting Engineers, and Their Professional Liability Insurers

Posted by & filed under Events.

Presented by:
David J. Hatem, PC, Partner, Chair, Professional Practices Group, Donovan | Hatem, LLP
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
10:00 am – 11:30 am Pacific Daylight Time
1.5 AIA Learning Units
1.5 RCEP Professional Development Hours

This webinar has been recorded and is available on demand for Berkley Design Professional policyholders and our appointed agents and brokers on the BDP Risk® Learning Management System.

bdp Risk® lms login

Berkley DP is pleased to offer a live webinar featuring David J. Hatem, PC, and Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA.

Design-Build (DB) is increasingly popular as the delivery method of choice for many governmental entities (federal, state, and local) for public infrastructure projects. Those owners are attracted not only to the ability to contract on a fixed-price basis with a design builder who is responsible for both design and construction but also to the opportunity to transfer substantial risk—which would traditionally be retained by the owner—to that design-builder.

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