DO A GOOD JOB: PROFESSIONAL-PRACTICE GUIDELINES AND COMPETITION

“The best way to avoid getting sued is to just do a good job.” These words were spoken by Dr. James E. Slosson over a quarter century ago. He went on to say that consulting engineering geologists who ‘did a good job' sometimes did not get paid if their findings were unfavorable to certain clients' short-term interests. So, do a good job, but pick good clients, too. As State Geologist (1973-75), Jim led the California Division of Mines and Geology (CDMG) to issue a series of guidelines for preparation of geologic and related reports which were published in the CDMG Note series. Jim was invited to participate in a symposium on Engineering Geology Mapping at the 1983 AEG Annual Meeting. His paper, “Genesis and Evolution of Guidelines for Geologic Reports,” including all eight CDMG Notes, was published in the Bulletin of the Association of Engineering Geologists, Vol. XXI, No. 3, 1984; pp. 295-316, along with other symposium papers. Having the guidelines in a professional society journal not only made them available to practicing engineering geologists, but also elevated their legal stature, possibly to a minimum standard of care. Jim was quick to point out that when a minimum is required, it becomes the maximum achieved. Competition, to some extent, has had a negative effect on the quality of consulting engineering geology services (and other professional services, for that matter). Consultants who offer services for low fees typically provide no more than the minimum. One consequence of this business model is that junior geologists get no mentoring. In fact, some, if not most, of the consultants who are doing a minimum job need mentoring themselves. So the emphasis tends to shift from doing a good job to doing a minimum job. Meanwhile, a class of lawyers began soliciting homeowners' associations with offers to help them finance remodeling by filing construction defect suits against all consultants and contractors involved in any way with their condominium complexes or subdivisions; many consultants settle because they believe it is cheaper than going to court, even if they had nothing to do with any alleged defects. Many high-quality consultants now refuse to work for high-risk owners, so the work is being done by low-budget consultants, instead. Doing a good job is still a good practice, but it has challenges, too.