I'm not an attorney but I have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. When working on a second project claim with the same attorney a while back, I asked him what the most important thing a project team can do to be setup for success in a claim situation. He had a one word answer: notice. Read the contract provisions, especially, how they relate to notice and then follow them. Construction pros should provide initial notice as required by the contract and then follow up per additional contract terms and timelines even if the client doesn't respond or respond in a way that conforms with the contract and the notice provisions. While attorneys will almost always take an hourly rate to work on a claim, following notice requirements contractually preserves a contractors right to an eventual claim which makes the attorney's job slightly easier and might reduce the overall cost a contractor sinks in an effort to win.
As contractors it's our job to read and understand the contract, notice when provisions are required or kick in based on project events and then provide notice to the client as required by the contract. If you notice, provide notice.
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