Engineering design, construction and operations professionals must adhere to the highest professional standards in the conduct of their work responsibilities. This requires a good understanding of professional principles and of the legal environment in which the professional duties are being fulfilled. Basic knowledge of the structure and the operation of the legal system in the United States and of the pertinent laws and regulations affecting engineering professionals in their workplace will prevent adversarial relationships from developing and escalating to the point of requiring costly and time consuming litigation. Understanding what to expect from the legal process is necessary for all engineers who need to be successful in the conduct of their duties.