Larson Skinner adds veteran Real Estate counsel Andrew Mathews, expanding MLS and brokerage practice. MINNEAPOLIS, MN, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - Larson Skinner, PLLC, announced today that Seattle-based attorney Andrew L. Mathews will join the firm on October 5, bringing extensive experience advising multiple listing services, real estate brokerages, and other organizations operating in the residential and commercial real estate industries. Mathews will join Larson Skinner from Stoel Rives LLP, where his real estate practice focused on brokerage-related matters, regulatory and licensing compliance, risk management, real estate transactions, and disputes. He serves as outside counsel to the Commercial Brokers Association and has advised multiple listing services and brokerages on issues ranging from brokerage regulation and industry forms to competition, compensation, and emerging legal risks. "Andy has spent his career inside the issues our clients face every day," said Mitchell Skinner, managing attorney at Larson Skinner. "He understands MLSs and brokerages not just as legal entities, but as operating businesses navigating rapid changes in rules, technology, competition, and consumer expectations. His addition gives our clients another deeply experienced counselor who can move comfortably from strategic questions to practical implementation." Earlier in his career, Mathews served as General Counsel of John L. Scott Real Estate, one of the largest residential brokerage firms in the U.S., where he advised the company and its affiliated offices across multiple states. He previously served as general counsel of a Seattle-based property management company and practiced commercial litigation at Reed Smith LLP in Chicago. Mathews also served as a judicial law clerk to U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice of the Southern District of Ohio. "Larson Skinner has built a national practice around the legal and strategic issues that are reshaping organized real estate," Mathews said. "I've worked with MLSs, brokerages, real estate start-ups, and industry organizations from several different perspectives, and I'm excited to bring that experience to a firm that is focused so directly on helping these organizations adapt and succeed." Mathews's addition comes during a period of substantial change for the real estate industry, as MLSs, associations, and brokerages confront evolving competition and antitrust issues, new business models, technological change, regulatory scrutiny, and shifting expectations around listing distribution and access to real estate data. His experience complements Larson Skinner's existing work advising clients on MLS governance and policy, brokerage matters, technology and data licensing, intellectual property, contracts, and industry strategy. Mathews earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan. He is also a licensed real estate instructor in Washington. Larson Skinner, PLLC, is a Minnesota-based law firm serving real estate multiple listing services (MLSs), real estate trade associations, and real estate brokerages nationwide. The firm advises clients on complex legal and strategic issues in the modern residential real estate marketplace, including intellectual property, competition, technology, governance, and related litigation. Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

Could California's new construction claims law override your contract? Many owners and contractors assume that their construction contract controls how claims and disputes will be handled. After all, substantial time is often spent negotiating notice provisions, mediation requirements, dispute resolution procedures, and payment terms. Beginning with many private construction contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2026, that assumption may no longer be entirely correct. California's Private Works Change Order Fair Payment Act (Civil Code § 8850) establishes a mandatory statutory process for certain construction claims. The Act creates specific requirements governing claim notices, response deadlines, payment obligations, mediation, and, in some circumstances, work-suspension rights. Perhaps most importantly, the Act is generally non-waivable. In other words, parties should not assume they can simply contract around these requirements. Because these provisions have now been effect for a few months, claims implicating these new laws will likely soon arise. The default of looking at what the parties' contract dictates may no longer going to be enough. Why This Matters Many construction contracts already contain detailed claim and dispute-resolution provisions. The new statute does not necessarily replace those provisions, but it may require parties to comply with a separate statutory framework before or concurrently with pursuit of contractual remedies. That creates a practical challenge for project participants. Compliance with contractual procedures alone may not satisfy the Act's statutory requirements. Parties may also need to satisfy the Act's statutory requirements. For example, the Act establishes deadlines for owner responses and payment of undisputed amounts. It also creates a process for informal conferences, mediation, and, in some situations, contractor work-suspension rights. Failure to comply can carry significant consequences, including prompt-payment penalties and potential project disruption. What Should Owners and Contractors Do Now? Project participants should review their existing contracts and internal claim-handling procedures to determine whether they account for the statute's requirements. Owners, contractors, and subcontractors should ensure that project teams understand: * Claim submission requirements * Response deadlines * Payment obligations * Mediation procedures * Potential work-suspension rights An administrative process that worked under prior contracts may no longer be sufficient. Stoel Rives recently published a comprehensive alert discussing California's new Private Works Change Order Fair Payment Act, including claim procedures, mediation requirements, payment deadlines, subcontractor claims, and work-suspension rights. Stoel Rives LLP. has also developed a California Construction Remedies Timeline that summarizes the Act's key deadlines and procedural requirements in a practical, easy-to-reference format.