``A lot of this is going to be code-related,'' says Ignazio J. Ruvolo, a construction law specialist at Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, a San Francisco law firm.  Plaintiffs, he says, will argue that damaged structures weren't built to proper design standards.
the buildings met San Francisco's stringent building codes
But if defendants can prove that they met San Francisco's stringent building codes, ``that's probably going to protect them,'' Mr. Ruvolo says.
``A lot of this is going to be code-related,'' says Ignazio J. Ruvolo, a construction law specialist at Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, a San Francisco law firm.  Plaintiffs, he says, will argue that damaged structures weren't built to proper design standards.</s>But if defendants can prove that they met San Francisco's stringent building codes, ``that's probably going to protect them,'' Mr. Ruvolo says.</s>the buildings met San Francisco's stringent building codes