Introduction to the Special Section on “Risk Management and Legal Considerations of Project and Services Delivery”

Abstract

Effective project delivery starts with effective services delivery. Fundamental to the delivery of services is the proper management of the most important professional asset of any company—that being the talent and commitment of a dedicated staff. Building on that premise, this special section of Legal Affairs looks at the key legal issues of employee management and the risks associated with geographically spread area office management. Patrick Bannon, a longtime employment lawyer, tackles the key issues confronting employers in this age where every key employment decision must consider the potential of a claim. Gerry Conklin, president of a consulting engineering firm, delves into the practical aspects and risks of managing employees geographically dispersed in area offices. From this look at the risks of project delivery from the perspective of staff, David Brush and Lisa Turnbaugh, both having extensive project experience, then look at risk from the standpoint of large-scale projects. Here the focus is identifying project risks and the techniques of qualitatively assessing that risk. The consequences of failing to deliver services and managing risks include