2026 Construction Law Update, Year in Review
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
3:00pm – 4:30pm
Location Address
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
One Ritz Carlton Dr, Dana Point,
CA 92629
Registration Fee
$35 | Real Property Law Section Member
$55 | Non-Real Property Law Section Member/Non-CLA Member
Earn 1.0 Hour of MCLE
This course will address new
case law and recent statutory revisions that are likely to affect the practice
of construction law in California in the years to come. Join noted
construction law practitioners as they review notable substantive and procedural
changes in California construction law and provide pointers and “best
practices” in light of such changes.
Speakers
John Carpenter is Executive Vice President and
General Counsel for Shimmick Construction. Mr. Carpenter has extensive
experience in diverse sectors, including power, water treatment, residential,
transportation (airports, freeways, high-speed rail), and government
procurement. Mr. Carpenter has held various high-profile executive roles
most recently at Balfour Beatty U.S., and a 23-year tenure as Assistant General
Counsel at Kiewit Corporation. Prior to his counsel roles, Mr. Carpenter
was in private practice where he represented both public and private owners as
well as contractors and designers on various types of projects. An author
and lecturer, Mr. Carpenter is recognized as an industry expert, sought-after
writer, and presenter in the field of construction law, including speaking at
last year’s CLA California Construction Year in Review. He holds bar
admissions in California, Colorado, and Utah. Mr. Carpenter serves on the
American Arbitration Association’s Panel of Construction Arbitrators and is an
active member of the American Bar Association’s Forum Committee on the
Construction Industry and a member of the Steering Committee of that
organization’s Division 13 Government Contracts. He is also a member of
the California Lawyer’s Association Real Property Section and Environmental Law
Section and is actively involved in legal issues impacting the construction
industry through the AGC of California’s Legal Advisory Committee.
Xenia Tashlitsky is a construction attorney with
Fennemore. She represents federal, state, and private owners, general
contractors, and subcontractors in lien enforcement, contract negotiation, and
claim resolution matters, including HOA, delay, and insurance coverage
disputes. She was a member of the first graduating class of the UC Irvine
School of Law and served as a federal law clerk for Judge Dale S. Fischer in
Los Angeles, California and Judge Charles Lynwood Smith, Jr. in Huntsville,
Alabama. She is the Regional Co-Chair for Southern California of the California
Lawyers Association’s Construction Section and Associate Editor of the
Association of Defense Council’s Defense Comment. She has been published in the
UC Irvine Law Review, California Lawyers Association’s Real Property Journal,
Daily Journal, ABA Journal, and Defense Comment.
Missy Griffin is a senior associate at Gibbs Giden,
where she represents clients in the areas of construction claims and litigation
in addition to business and commercial transactions and litigation. Ms. Griffin
has worked on complex construction litigation for private and public works,
contract analysis, contract drafting, and mechanics lien and stop payment
foreclosure actions. Ms. Griffin has experience representing general
contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and public agencies in a wide
range of business, commercial and construction negotiations and disputes. Ms.
Griffin is also an Adjunct Professor and a member of the Dean’s Council at
Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, and an active member of the American Bar
Association (ABA) Forum on Construction Law, the largest association of
construction lawyers in the world. Ms. Griffin brings to her practice
nearly a decade of professional experience in various operations positions in
the real estate and property management industries. Prior to becoming an
attorney, she worked in operations for a leading multifamily residential
company on the West Coast followed by positions in operations and human
resources for the largest owner and operator of premium showroom and exhibition
space for the home furnishings industry.
Aaron Silberman is a shareholder at Rogers Joseph
O’Donnell, PC and co-chairs its Construction Practice Group. He has practiced
construction law since 1992, representing general and specialty contractors,
suppliers, design firms and construction managers on large public and
commercial projects. He is an experienced litigator, representing clients in
state and federal court proceedings, through trial and appeal; administrative
law proceedings, including federal, state and local bid protests and claims;
and ADR in disputes over contract terms and compliance, fraud and false claims,
terminations, responsibility conflicts of interest and performance evaluations.
He has also advised and assisted clients in drafting and negotiating contracts,
conducting internal investigations, debarments, and licensing proceedings. Mr.
Silberman is a former chair of the ABA Public Contract Law Section; served on
the ABA Forum on Construction Law’s Governing Committee and chaired its
Publications Committee and Specialty Contractors Division; and chaired the AGC
of California’s Legal Advisory Committee and SF Bay Bridges District Board of
Directors. Since fall 2023, he has spoken at ABA conferences on federal
projects and on climate change impacts on construction, and he spoke at last
year’s CLA California Construction Year in Review.
Cancellations/Refunds
Cancellations and refunds must be received no later than Monday, February 2,
2026, and are subject to a 10% service fee. Refunds will not be provided
after Monday, February 2, 2026.
Questions
For program and registration information, please email ProgramRegistrations@calawyers.org or
call 916-516-1757.
Accessibility
We are committed to accessibility!
To request an in-person accommodation, please email us at accessibility@calawyers.org or
contact us at 916-516-1760 to discuss your accessibility needs.
This event may be recorded. By attending this event, you consent to be
photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded, and to any use, by the CLA, of
your likeness, voice, and name in any and all media including social media. If
you do not want your name or photo to be used, please let us know in advance.
We cannot, however, honor requests to opt out of the use of your image or voice
if you choose to ask a question during one of the event sessions.