Construction & Engineering

Our specialist Construction, Engineering and Maintenance Department provides completely integrated legal advice and representation to the construction and engineering industries. We play a hands-on role from the outset to shape and deliver innovative, cost effective results that ensure and enhance the deliverability of your projects.

The work we do ranges freely across all sectors of the construction industry, from negotiating and drafting every type of construction documentation to handling disputes, from house refurbishment projects to multimillion pound claims, as well as adjudications, domestic and international arbitrations and litigation in the Technology and Construction Court.

What can we do for you?

Our experienced lawyers regularly work with Local Authorities and Registered Providers (RPs) of social housing, from project inception, proposal and contract drafting, through to dispute advice, resolution and enforcement. We lead large scale nationwide residential and mixed-use developments, advising on the establishment and use of VAT savings vehicles, as well as working closely with developers, national and multi-national corporations, employers, funders, contractors, sub-contractors, Local Authorities, housing associations, construction professionals, PFI consortia, registered charities, public sector authorities and bodies and private sector entities, whilst also handling tenders arising from compliance with European procurement rules.

The department is renowned for rolling up its sleeves and delivering pragmatic, straightforward, no-nonsense advice and is headed by Mark London, described as “extremely knowledgeable and reassuringly experienced” by the Legal 500 directory. Our network of legal specialists offer two core selling points: a willingness to work together to help manage and avoid litigation when possible whilst resolving legal issues efficiently, and a ready availability to make site and office visits. This means that we always have a complete, real world understanding of the environment in which our clients operate, and can offer advice which they relate to and can make use of.

Covering all the Bases

We are unique in that we do not limit ourselves to ‘standard’ construction disputes of time, cost and quality, and frequently act in respect of ‘peripheral’ matters including health and safety prosecutions and public procurement challenges. Our team’s diverse expertise also covers the Building Information Modelling (BIM) process, Party Wall issues, maintenance, planned works and gas servicing, basements, and right to light and boundary disputes.

Our construction advisory and construction dispute services commonly include:

• Advice and support on the appropriate method of procurement, structuring and delivery, as well as project support and construction finance advice, including advice on joint ventures (JVs), both contractual and special purpose.
• Support with all the major standard forms of contract and documentation used in the construction sector including drafting, negotiation and implementation.
• Ad-hoc advice for contractors or employers designed to protect a party’s commercial position.
• Advice on project dispute resolution and dispute avoidance (including arbitration, adjudication, expert determination and mediation), which enables parties to settle in a voluntary, consensual and confidential manner, avoiding litigation completely where possible and saving our clients both time and money.

Training

Our comprehensive education and training service relates to all aspects of construction and engineering projects, from new standard forms of contract to challenging features of existing standard forms, thereby ensuring that you are at the forefront of an area that is constantly evolving.

Our expertise has been built up over many decades. We also provide regular Dispute Resolution updates that cover developments in areas such as adjudication, arbitration and civil procedure, areas which affect how clients deal with disagreements arising from construction contracts.