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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Good questions, Bruce. Here is my two cents at this early stage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>558.0035(1)(a) provides: “The contract includes a prominent statement … that … an individual <i>employee</i> or <i>agent</i> may not be held individually liable for negligence.” You singled out a partnership, limited partnership or proprietorship. However, each of those entities could employ a professional that would meet the exemption definition. It would be those employees and agents of the partnership that would be exempt from personal liability. I agree that the partners or proprietor of the company would not escape liability, but the liability would be indirect, through the lack of any liability shield provided by these forms of business entities, rather than direct from the partners status as a professional. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Thus, while John Smith might be an Architect/Partner in Design Partnership and his work might be the target of a lawsuit for economic damages, he would not be a named party even though he may be liable for the judgment debt of the partnership. Through the same theory, he would be liable for the errors and omissions committed by his professional employee, John Doe, even though Mr. Smith did not perform the work as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>The changes that were not made support this interpretation. For instance, section 471.023(3) still provides that “Partnerships and all partners shall be jointly and severally liable for the negligence, misconduct, or wrongful acts committed by their <i>agents</i>, <i>employees</i>, or <i>partners</i> while acting in a professional capacity.” It would appear that the corresponding sections to 471.023 in chapters 472, 481 and 492 would all require modification if the legislature were attempting to eliminate design professional liability for purely economic damages.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I agree that the inclusion of a sole proprietor in 558.035(2) is confusing at best. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Gene</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Atwood</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'> | </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Shareholder</span><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'><img width=249 height=65 id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image002.png@01CE4288.071ED650"></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Rogers Towers, P.A. | 1301 Riverplace Blvd., Suite 1500 | Jacksonville, Florida 32207</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Direct </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>904.346.5721</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'> | </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'><a href="mailto:GAtwood@rtlaw.com" title="Click to send email to Gene Atwood"><span style='color:#7F7F7F'>GAtwood@rtlaw.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'> | </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'><a href="http://www.RTlaw.com" title=""><span style='color:#7F7F7F'>www.rtlaw.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Florida Bar Board Certified Construction Attorney</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Bruce Partington<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 26, 2013 1:14 PM<br><b>To:</b> Roberts, Hardy L.; Construction Law Discussion<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [CLC-Discussion] SB 286 - Limitations on Individual DesignProfessional Liability<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Since we’ve all been thoroughly studying this for the last 25 hours (and busily forwarding it to all our design professional clients and those who contract with them), it seems to me that there is a conflict or ambiguity within the bill (or at least one).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>On the one hand, it seeks to limit the individual responsibility of licensees who are acting as the agent or employee of a “business entity” -- but then includes within the definition of “business entity” both traditional liability limiting entities, but also “partnership, limited partnership, proprietorship, . . . .[and] self-employed individual.” It seems to me that the statute can’t do much good in those instances due to the inherent liability under those other forms. In other words, a sole proprietor who would be personally liable for ALL debts and obligations of the proprietorship would seem still to be liable since a proprietor does not employ himself or herself, and cannot be his/her own “agent.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Or, would the statute be construed to essentially eliminate claims for “solely economic” damages against design professionals? It’s not written that way, but that would seem the only alternative construction that would give some meaning or value to partnerships, sole proprietorships, and “self employed individual.” But, given that this elimination of economic damages claims would have to be <u>inferred</u> run afoul of the access to courts provision of the Florida Constitution (despite the staff analysis). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I’d welcome the thoughts of others on this and any other issues on the bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#0000A0'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#0000A0'>Bruce D. Partington</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Clark</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Partington</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:bpartington@cphlaw.com" title="blocked::mailto:bpartington@cphlaw.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>bpartington@cphlaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Direct: 850-432-1399</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'>Fax: 850-432-7340</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#1F497D'>*Board Certified in Construction Law</span></i><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#1F497D'>NOTICE: This e-mail message and any attachments are private communication sent by the law firm of Clark Partington Hart Larry Bond & Stackhouse, and may contain confidential, legally privileged information meant solely for the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message, and delete the e-mail and any attachments from your system. Thank you.</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org">clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org</a> [<a href="mailto:clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org">mailto:clc-discussion-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Roberts, Hardy L.<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, April 25, 2013 11:03 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'Construction Law Discussion'<br><b>Subject:</b> [CLC-Discussion] SB 286 - Limitations on Individual DesignProfessional Liability<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>CLC’ers,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For your information, I understand Governor Scott signed the attached bill into law yesterday.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hardy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><img border=0 width=190 height=53 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image003.png@01CE4288.071ED650" alt="Carlton Fields"><br>Hardy L. Roberts</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>Attorney at Law / Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar<br>4221 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Ste. 1000<br>Tampa, Florida 33607-5780 <br>Direct: 813.229.4105 | Fax: 813.229.4133<br><br><a href="mailto:hroberts@carltonfields.com">hroberts@carltonfields.com</a> | <a href="http://www.carltonfields.com/">www.carltonfields.com</a> <br><a href="http://www.carltonfields.com/hroberts/">bio</a> | <a href="http://www.carltonfields.com/load.vcf?type=atty&id=49fd8f5b-3f72-45c2-9ca7-83799b9c8b29">vcard</a> <br><br><i>Confidential: This e-mail contains a communication protected by the attorney-client privilege or constitutes work product. If you do not expect such a communication please delete this message without reading it or any attachment and then notify the sender of this inadvertent delivery.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>