I am an experienced lawyer specialising in the non-contentious aspects of construction, development and finance law.
My work includes drafting, negotiating and reviewing construction contracts, development agreements and the ancillary documents (professional appointments, guarantees, performance bonds, collateral warranties and finance documents). I routinely advise on bespoke as well as standard JCT and NEC contracts and have a track record in development projects ranging from small multi-unit developments up to multimillion-pound mixed-used projects.
Legal work carried out:
- Acting for London and Cambridge Investments Limited who are acting as developer for a retail development in St Helens. The work includes drafting and agreeing the development agreement, schedule of amendments to the JCT Design and Build Contract 2016, professional appointments and all ancillary documents.
- Reviewing and assisting with the negotiation of JCT contracts for Deconstruct UK limited on two high profile sites in London.
- Acting for Cape Homes Limited in connection with its building of 24 units for Gloucester City Homes. The work included reviewing and agreeing a bespoke building contract with Gloucester City Homes.
- Acting for Kingfisher Una Resort Limited on a letter of intent with Kier Construction for a new £50m hotel complex in St Ives, Cornwall.
- Acting for Fiduciam on a number of development bridge lending loans from £2m - £5m
- Acting for Ubicap International Limited on its £20m bridge finance for the development of a racing track in Wales.
- Advising Sterling and Wilson Co-Gen Solutions Private Limited in connection with its health and safety obligations for an EPC Contract for a containerised power generation plant in the UK.
Knights Plc:
Partner in the Construction Department. The role initially included setting up and building a construction team, as Knights previously did not have this expertise prior to me joining.
Legal work carried out:
- Acted for Magdalen College and Lincoln College on the full suite of development documents for several projects in Oxford ranging from £10m - £15m.
- Drafted and negotiated the full suite of construction documents for a joint venture between Henry Boot and a well-known contractor for a student lettings development in Bristol.
- Acted on a £400m mixed-use redevelopment in Cornwall by Inox Group, including drafting and negotiating the full suite of construction documents in an investor-friendly form.
- Conducted numerous contract reviews on a variety of different types of JCT, NEC and bespoke contracts for ISG, Deconstruct UK and Barnwood Construction.
- Acted for Baxalta UK Limited (a biopharmaceutical company) on a refurbishment and surrender of leasehold premises.
- Drafted construction documents for Tyseley Energy Park based on NEC 3.
- Acted for the fit-out contractor refurbishing a well-known hotel in Mayfair using a JCT Design and Build Contract amended by a schedule of amendments.
- Acted for the developer on a new Travelodge development in Oxford.
Devonshires Solicitors:
Senior solicitor in the Construction Department principally under Andrew Thompson, Partner. The Work involved drafting, advising upon and agreeing the full suite of development and construction documents (primarily JCT) for Registered Provider clients including Notting Hill Housing Association; Rockdale Housing Association; London and Quadrant Housing Trust; Estuary Housing Association; Swan Housing Association; Genesis Housing Group; Circle Anglia; and Lloyds.
Legal work carried out:
General Development:
- Acted for numerous Registered Providers drafting the full suite of construction and development documents on numerous transactions ranging from £5m - £100m.
Housing:
- Advised upon the construction aspects of Oldham HRA Sheltered PFI Project; Stanhope HRA Housing PFI and Regeneration Project; and Woking Housing PFI Project.
Care:
- Advised upon the construction aspects of Kent Excellent Homes For All PFI Project; Camden Care and Extra Care PPP Project; Kent Extra Care Housing PFI Project; Walsall Sheltered Housing Project; London Borough of Camden Older People Project; and North Tyneside Extra Care and Sheltered Housing Project.
Education:
- Advised upon the construction aspects of Swansea University Accommodation Project; Ealing Schools PFI Project; Slough Schools PFI Project.
Maintenance:
- Drafted, advised and agreed maintenance contracts up to a value of £30m for Ujima Housing Association; Look Ahead Housing and Care; Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association Ltd; City West Housing Trust; London and Quadrant Housing Trust; and Presentation Housing Association.
BPE Solicitors
- Initially a trainee solicitor before qualifying into the Commercial Property Department and working principally for Richard Handley for three years before transferring to the Construction Department and working for Derryn Rolfe.
Legal work carried out:
Construction Work:
- Acted for developers, contractors, financiers, sub-contractors and professionals in drafting, negotiating and advising on construction and engineering contracts and subcontracts (both standard and non-standard forms) and ancillary documents including advising Nite Nite Limited upon the construction contracts and ancillary documents for a hotel in central Birmingham; acting for Blooms of Bressingham Plc for their redevelopment of garden centres throughout the UK.
Commercial Property Work:
- Drafted and negotiated conditional and unconditional agreements for sale/lease/surrender, development agreements, options, pre-emption agreements and certificates of title.
- Drafted and negotiated leases, surrenders, underleases, assignments and deeds of variation.
- Assisted with Landlord and Tenant issues, including lease renewals, rent reviews and notices excluding leases from the security of tenure provisions.
- Completed investigation of title and drafted reports on title and advised lenders in connection with proposed finance of property transactions.
- Site acquisition for residential development and onward plot sales, including setting up and hand-over of residential management companies for the benefit of the individual leaseholders.