Payment Protection in Construction: What Every Contractor Needs to Know (Private & Public Works)
In-depth seminar on California construction payment remedies and lien law. Designed for contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, project managers, and other construction professionals, this program will help attendees better understand and protect their payment rights while avoiding costly errors in the claims process.
Join Weintraub Tobin’s Dustin Amrein for a practical, in-depth seminar on California construction payment remedies and lien law. Designed for contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, project managers, and other construction professionals, this program will help attendees better understand and protect their payment rights while avoiding costly errors in the claims process.
California’s payment enforcement laws are complex, highly technical, and governed by strict deadlines that are often misunderstood. Through practical guidance, statutory analysis, and real-world examples, this seminar will provide attendees with the knowledge and strategies needed to preserve claims, strengthen collection efforts, mitigate legal risks, and maximize recovery opportunities.
The seminar is divided into two focused sessions:
Morning Session: Private Works
Learn the critical steps required to secure, preserve, and enforce payment rights on private construction projects. This session will provide a practical understanding of the deadlines, notice requirements, and procedural rules that can determine whether a claim succeeds or fails, helping attendees maximize payment recovery and avoid common pitfalls. Topics include:
- Mechanics lien fundamentals and constitutional protections
- Who is entitled to lien rights and what property may be liened
- Preliminary Notice requirements and common pitfalls
- Critical recording and enforcement deadlines
- Mechanics lien perfection, foreclosure actions, and lis pendens requirements
- Waivers and releases: conditional vs. unconditional forms
- Notices of Non-Responsibility
- Private works stop notices and bonded stop notice claims
- Expungement motions and strategies to defend lien rights
- Prompt payment statutes and available remedies
Afternoon Session: Public Works
Explore the unique payment enforcement tools and statutory remedies available on public construction projects, where mechanics liens are generally unavailable. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how to preserve and pursue payment claims through stop notices and payment bond claims, while navigating the strict procedural and timing requirements that govern public works recovery efforts. Topics include:
- Public works stop payment notices
- Preliminary Notice requirements on public projects
- Eligibility rules for contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, laborers, and specialty claimants
- Service and timing requirements for stop notices
- Enforcement deadlines and lawsuit requirements
- Public entity withholding obligations
- Summary proceedings challenging stop notices
- Payment bond claims and surety recovery
- Public works prompt payment laws and retention requirements
About the Instructors
Dustin Amrein is a Shareholder in Weintraub Tobin’s Construction and Litigation practice groups. An experienced litigation attorney, Dustin represents contractors, subcontractors, owners, and material suppliers in complex construction and real estate disputes. He regularly assists construction clients in actions involving the enforcement of mechanics liens, stop notices, construction delays, and construction defect disputes. He helps contractors navigate and secure construction contracts and understand the complexities in construction transactions that often to lead to litigation. Dustin is active with several construction and trade industry organizations, and currently serves on AGC’s Legal Advisory Committee for California.
