Careful construction industry people (and others) may want to make the following New Year's resolutions for 2013 (perhaps to help avoid attorneys’ fees):

• Resolve to make all reasonable efforts to settle disputes directly with the other party—and leave your attorney out of it;

•决心仔细记录可能通过信件，归档电子邮件，会议记录和通讯，日期照片以及（如果适用）视频，推文和其他社交媒体来引起索赔或争议的所有事件。

• Resolve to watch out for deadlines such as completion dates, times for asserting mechanic’s liens or verified claims or statutes of limitations, among others;

• Resolve to read every contract document carefully, to question vague, misleading or unfavorable provisions before signing and until you understand and are satisfied with every term and provision (or have no other choice);

• Resolve to “put it in writing,” using standard and familiar contract forms, purchase orders, authorizations-for-extras and other documents designed to make everyone’s responsibilities and positions clear and avoid hassles later on;

• Resolve, if required by your contract, to give timely notice of claims for additional compensation or time;

• Resolve to alert office personnel about what to do with legal papers and other documents handed to them by inspectors, auditors, sheriffs or other mysterious people;

•决心，如果报纸，杂志，广播或电视记者开始提出问题或四处张望，尤其是在发生工作场所事故或重大问题的情况下，请提前提醒您的员工。

• Resolve to communicate thoughtfully, as if everything could (and might) become evidence in a dispute: letters, archived e-mails, memos, virtual models and so on;

• Resolve to read the dispute provisions of your contracts and know what to do if and when a dispute arises that cannot be settled amicably;