Services
- Consultation. Early review of the quality records and claims to help counsel understand the issues and plan discovery.
- Records review. Quality control plans, checklists, inspection reports, deficiency logs, punch lists and corrective action records.
- Field inspection. Assessment of the work against project requirements and comparison with the quality records.
- Written reports. Opinions on quality control, quality assurance, inspections and corrective action, with their basis and exhibits.
- Rebuttal. Review of opposing expert reports on quality issues.
- Testimony. Deposition, arbitration and trial.
Written Reports
Paul's quality reports identify the quality requirements that applied, the records reviewed, the inspection findings, and each opinion with its basis. Where useful, they include workflow diagrams showing the required inspection sequence compared with what occurred, and tables classifying deficiency and punch list items. Reports are prepared to meet the disclosure requirements counsel identifies for the forum.
Testimony
Paul has testified at deposition and trial in the Circuit Court of Will County, Illinois, at an AAA arbitration hearing, and at deposition in Wyoming. He explains quality processes in practical terms, drawing on his daily experience scheduling inspections and directing corrections at O'Hare International Airport, and he is direct about the limits of his opinions.
Starting a Conflict Check
Your first message only needs the names of the parties and counsel, the project type and location, a short description of the quality issues, your role and any deadlines. Please do not send documents until the conflict check is cleared and the engagement agreement is signed. After that, documents are exchanged through the secure file-transfer method you prefer.
Inquiries are normally answered within one business day. You can download Paul Gaston's CV before calling.
Who Contacts Paul
Most inquiries come from attorneys representing owners, general contractors, subcontractors, construction managers and insurers. Claims professionals and property owners also contact Paul directly. Whatever your role, the first step is a conflict check, followed by a short conversation about the quality issues and whether the matter fits his experience. If it does not, he will say so and, where possible, describe the type of professional the matter needs, such as a special inspector, testing laboratory or engineer.
Engagement Terms
Engagements are set out in a written agreement that describes the scope, the fees and the retainer. Work begins when the signed agreement and retainer are received. The current engagement fees are listed below so that counsel and claims professionals can plan for them before calling.