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Construction

Sep. 9, 2026

California court erodes privity shield for construction consultants in Lynch

California courts are chipping away at privity as a shield for construction consultants, with Lynch signaling broader potential liability to project owners, particularly in residential construction.

Garret D. Murai

Partner
Nomos LLP

Email: gmurai@nomosllp.com

Garret is the editor of the California Construction Law Blog at www.calconstructionlawblog.com.

See more...

California court erodes privity shield for construction consultants in <i>Lynch</i>
Shutterstock

"The declining significance of privity has found its way to construction law."

So begins the decision in Lynch v. Peter & Associates, Engineers, Geologists, Surveyors, Inc., 104 Cal. App. 5th 1181 (2024), in which the 4th District Court of Appeal signaled a growing willingness among California courts to chi...

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