Page 15 - NYSAPLS 2026 Conference Journal

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2026 Beyond the Spec Sheet: Leading with Clarity in
Contracts and Client Expectations
Morning Sessions NY LS/PE: 1.5; NH .25; VT 1.5; NJ 1.5

Timothy A. Massi, LS
Mock Trial – Needham v. Hise 10:30am – 12:00pm
NY LS/PE: 6.0; NH 1.5; VT 6.0; NJ 6.0 Contracts and specifications are critical to defining project scope,
Gary R. Kent, PS responsibility, and protection – but they don’t guarantee success.
8:00am – 3:30pm That depends on how well expectations are communicated,
This program will be based on an actual boundary dispute case clarified, and led. In this course, we go beyond legalese to explore
that was litigated. Two attorneys and a judge will participate – the leadership skills necessary to ensure that client needs are
with the audience sitting as jury, as the plaintiff and defendant, understood and deliverables are clearly defined from the start.
and the two surveyors testify and we explore relevant issues Participants will examine real-world scenarios of vague or rushed
such as the chains of title, conflicting lines of possession, the communication, including poorly written field emails, scope drift,
related boundary law principles, and differing claims of title. As an and ambiguous deliverable requests. Through discussion, polling,
integral part of the trial, questions will be taken from the audience. and case studies, we’ll explore how to lead conversations that
In addition, the judge will discuss the process and procedures in clarify scope, avoid rework, and reinforce professional credibility.
such a case and the attorneys will offer guidance and suggestions
to those who would testify as expert witnesses. UAS Software: You Now Have Successfully Collected
*Class includes lunch break from 12:30pm – 2:00pm. Data from a UAS, Now What?
*Attendees must attend the entire session to receive credit. NY LS/PE: 1.5; NH .25; VT 1.5; NJ 1.5
Kenneth J. Fronheiser, LS
Stonewalls: As Boundary Lines 10:30am – 12:00pm
NY LS/PE: 1.5; NH .25; VT 1.5; NJ 1.5 Now that you have collected data from an UAS, what do you
Richard C. Brooks, LS do with the data? This session is designed to look at different
8:00am – 9:30am software packages to understand their features, capabilities, and
Agricultural stonewalls, the grandest of all boundary line how to match them with the desired deliverable.
monumentation, had a distinct roll in forming New York’s early
landscape as well as its boundary line case law. This presentation
will acquaint the attendee with the history of stone walls. The
human interaction with these stones will be explored, looking at
the wall placement, their juxtaposition and functions. Tracking
their evolution from being an agricultural structure to a boundary
line landform. Tying these unique monuments to a boundary line
location is not an automatic exercise. We will review the Doctrine
of Practical Location and the legal concept of Acquiescence. For
the doctrine to apply, there must be “a clear demarcation and
equally known, understood and settled”. (McMahon v Thornton, 69
AD3d 1157, 1160 [2010]. We will explore case laws that rely on
these overruling principles to move the boundary as described in
the deeds to the physical location of a stone wall.

UAS Hardware: Essential Components for a Successful
UAS Operation
NY LS/PE: 1.5; NH .25; VT 1.5; NJ 1.5
Kenneth J. Fronheiser, LS
8:00am – 9:30am
Explore the critical hardware components that drive a successful
UAS mission. During this session, we will delve into both fixed-
wing and rotary drones, as well as the different payloads that
are available with both types of UAS units. Attendees will gain
insight into selecting the correct hardware sensor(s) for the
desired deliverable.

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