Construction: contentious

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Sally Davies
Hall of fameMayer Brown International LLP
Sally Davies is the Senior Partner in Mayer Brown's London office. She has extensive experience in the litigation, arbitration (domestic and international LCIA, ICC,UNCITRAL), mediation and adjudication of construction industry disputes. She advises owners, contractors, engineers and consultants, subcontractors and suppliers, as well as professionals and insurers, on all aspects of construction and engineering law. She has resolved such disputes involving airports, sports stadia, harbour facilities, nuclear facilities, waste water treatment plants, LNG plants, motorways, mines, roads, bridges, cranes and railways, dams, office facilities, distribution centres and water treatment facilities as well as traditional construction projects.
Michael Regan
Hall of fameMayer Brown International LLP
Michael Regan is recognised as one of the world's leading construction and engineering lawyers and is head of the Construction & Engineering Group in London. Michael has advised clients in relation to claims arising out of the construction of power stations, nuclear facilities, bridges, dams, process plant, refineries, buildings, roads, mining projects and infrastructure projects in many different countries and in every continent, and has conducted international arbitrations subject to the rules of all the major arbitral institutions including the LCIA, the ICC and ICSID. He has many years experience of conducting complicated technical disputes arising out of construction and engineering projects, including claims involving defects in design and workmanship, programming, delays and quantum. Michael also advises clients on risk allocation, and procurement strategies, and has extensive experience of all the major forms of construction and engineering contracts, particularly FIDIC.
Caroline Pope
DLA Piper
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Tony Dymond
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Tony Dymond is a partner in the firm’s London and Hong Kong offices, and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s Asia Arbitration practice. His practice focuses on complex, multijurisdictional disputes, in both litigation and arbitration.
Michael O’Connor
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Michael is an experienced construction and engineering lawyer, providing advice across the full scope of construction issues ranging from procurement/contract strategies through to dispute avoidance/resolution. Michael is familiar with all standard forms and methods of procurement including the use of JCT, NEC, and FIDIC and works on bespoke contracts.His experience includes acting for clients on domestic and international disputes relating to city centre developments, shopping centres, sports stadia, leisure resorts, road widening and bridge construction schemes, and LNG plant construction.
Kwadwo Sarkodie
Mayer Brown International LLP
Kwadwo Sarkodie is a partner in the Construction & Engineering group of the London office. He has substantial experience across a broad range of dispute resolution. He regularly advises employers, insurers, contractors, subcontractors and consultants in relation to disputes concerning such matters as defective works, final accounts, extension of time and loss and expense under a variety of forms of construction contract (both standard form and bespoke). He has extensive experience with regard to litigation, mediation and adjudication. Kwadwo has wide-ranging international experience, having advised in relation to projects and disputes in Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, India, Russia and the Middle East. He regularly advises in relation to international arbitrations, including under the ICC, UNCITRAL and LCIA rules. Kwadwo has written extensively regarding dispute resolution and arbitration in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Jonathan Tattersall
Addleshaw Goddard
Partner and head of the contentious construction department specialising in international arbitration, litigation and forms of ADR. Work includes acting for a Korean contractor in a $200m arbitration re a power plant in the Middle East; a US contractor in arbitration regarding power plants in Pakistan; major PFI disputes in the UK with values in excess of £20m. He has advised clients in construction and energy disputes worldwide, on projects including Malaysia, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, P&C, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Canada, Mexico, USA, Japan, Korea, Singapore.
Rebecca Williams
Watson Farley & Williams LLP
Rebecca has extensive experience in all major forms of dispute resolution in the construction, engineering, process, petrochemical and energy sectors including litigation, arbitration (both international and domestic and under various rules, including ICC and LCIA), adjudication and mediation. She offers real time advice during project execution and is an expert in all major standard forms of contract including FIDIC, IChemE, NEC, JCT and numerous bespoke contracts. Insurance-related disputes are another area of expertise. Rebecca has acted for owners/developers as well as major EPC contractors and sub-contractors on a wide range of infrastructure and energy projects both domestically and internationally. Rebecca has a particular depth of experience in disputes relating to Offshore Wind projects dating from 2008. Rebecca and her team have advised in varying capacities on projects comprising approximately 75% of the UK’s offshore wind energy generating capacity. As a result the WFW team are particularly adept at the early and cost efficient resolution of disputes before, during and after construction. In April 2019, Rebecca led the WFW team that successfully advised Bester in the ground-breaking PBS Energo AS v Bester Generacion UK Ltd matter and as a result of which the team were awarded Legal Week’s Construction and Engineering Team of the Year 2019 and shortlisted for Legal Business’ Commercial Litigation Team of the Year 2020. Rebecca has been named by leading UK legal weekly The Lawyer as one of its Hot 100 2020, a prestigious list of the lawyers of the moment who are shaping the legal profession. She was shortlisted for “Litigator of the year” at the Women in Law Awards 2020. Rebecca has been recommended as a leader in her field for a number of years. Legal 500 UK 2021 notes Rebecca “gives everything for her clients in each and every case. She is a real winner, and leads with confidence and tenacity a large team, who all support her completely. That support and loyalty is a real testament to her. Rebecca has great energy and enthusiasm for each case, which drives the team.” She is described as a “savvy operator” and “the epitome of the new generation of leaders in the construction legal industry”, as well as being “completely committed and determined to do the best for her clients.” Chambers UK 2021 cites “her main strengths are her attention to detail and ability to understand the technical complexities of cases. In her formulation and execution of a strategy, she never leaves any stone unturned and always identifies and addresses the key issues”, as well as “she is exceptionally good tactically and a very good case manager.”
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Richard Adams
Burges Salmon LLP
Construction & engineering Partner; a specialist construction troubleshooting and disputes lawyer with a sector focus covering Transport, Energy & Utilities and Real Estate infrastructure. Recent matters include providing strategic troubleshooting advice and acting in adjudications and arbitrations for a main contractor on a complex road infrastructure project; advising an international client on disputes relating to the construction and fit out of headquarters in central London; advising an international client involved in the nuclear industry on disputes with a specialist contractor valued in the region of €300m; advising Birmingham City Council in relation to capital projects associated with the 2022 Commonwealth Games; advising a local authority on cladding and fire safety issues in relation to two residential blocks.
Alexandra Clough
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Alexandra is a Partner in the Construction Disputes team in the Real Estate Department. She has over 15 years' experience advising a range of clients across numerous sectors including contractors, developers and occupiers on litigation, arbitration and adjudication matters. She has particular experience in mixed use schemes, offices, student accommodation, high-end residential, and retail. Alex spends much of her time helping her clients avoid disputes on live projects, giving pragmatic advice and seeking practical solutions. Where disputes cannot be avoided, she guides her clients through often complex and high value disputes, providing clear strategic guidance and robust analysis. She has a strong grasp of technical issues and uses alternative dispute resolution techniques such as mediation to obtain excellent outcomes for her clients. Alex has expertise in claims relating to building safety, and in particular disputes concerning defective external wall systems. She is a trusted advisor on the new building safety regime and has provided strategic advice on this complex area of law to some of the UK's leading developers.
Charlotte Heywood
Stephenson Harwood
Charlotte is a partner within the commercial litigation team specialising in construction, engineering, PFI and rail disputes. She has extensive experience in adjudication claims as well as litigation, arbitration and ADR. Charlotte advises contractors, employers and subcontractors in resolving disputes arising both internationally and domestically in relation to payment, defects and delay and disruption and has experience in a wide range of sectors including luxury residential, commercial, hotels, health and education, retail, energy and power. She regularly deals with disputes arising out of the JCT, NEC and FIDIC forms of contract, as well as numerous bespoke forms. Charlotte also advises clients in relation to real time project management dispute avoidance over the active construction phase including in relation to dealing with payment applications, contractual notices and extension of time and loss and expense assessments. Charlotte is an active member of the National Association of Women in Construction.
Rupa Lakha
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Rupa has extensive experience of both contentious and non-contentious areas of construction law. She has advised on the drafting and negotiation of building contracts and consultants’ appointments and now specialises in dispute resolution, acting regularly for developers, consultants, sub-contractors and consultants in various forms of dispute resolution including mediation, adjudication and litigation.Rupa's recent clients have included RBS, P&O, The Greater London Authority, The Goldsmiths’ Company, Dover Harbour Board, Dorchester Collection, Derwent London Plc, Permasteelisa and Bouygues.Rupa has been ranked in The Legal 500 2017 ‘Next Generation Lawyers’ category for Construction: contentious and non-contentious.
Mark Lawrence
Macfarlanes LLP
Mark acts for a wide range of clients, including commercial developers, PFI project companies, house builders, financial institutions, investors, landlords and tenants. He has extensive experience of advising in relation to construction and engineering, infrastructure, real estate and professional negligence disputes. Mark has acted for clients in claims in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, as well as in domestic and international arbitration and adjudication. He has also acted on a number of cases in the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). He regularly facilitates the resolution of his clients’ disputes through negotiation, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. He has particular expertise in guiding clients through technically, legally and factually complex disputes and works closely with the leading barristers and experts in the field. His recent disputes experience spans infrastructure, power stations, hotels, data centres and large residential and commercial developments. He is a member of the Society of Construction Law, the Adjudication Society, the Property Litigation Association, the Young International Arbitration Group and the International Bar Association.
James Morris
Mayer Brown International LLP
James Morris is a partner in the Construction & Engineering and International Arbitration practices of the London office. His practice includes a wide range of dispute resolution, advising employers, contractors, consultants and insurers in relation to all forms of construction related disputes and EU public procurement. He regularly advises on complicated technical disputes, including claims concerning defective design and workmanship, programming, delay, disruption and quantum, which arise out of the major forms of construction and engineering contracts. He is an experienced litigator who has represented clients in complex multi-party litigation in the High Court (Technology and Construction Court), mediations, adjudications and arbitrations (both domestic and international). James has advised on disputes regarding a wide variety of projects, including jetties, defence facilities, waste management facilities, mines, railways, utilities, office facilities and hospitals. He has represented clients in a number of different jurisdictions in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. James also has experience of dealing with complex insurance issues and regularly advises insurers on professional indemnity cases.
Jonathan Stone
Mayer Brown International LLP
Jonathan Stone is a partner in the Construction & Engineering practice of the London office. He advises clients (including architects, engineers, consultants, contractors and suppliers) on all aspects of construction and engineering law. A significant part of his work involves advising insurers and professionals in the defence of professional indemnity claims. Jonathan also advises insurers on policy coverage issues arising out of various types of construction policy, including professional indemnity, public liability and CAR policies. Jonathan has a broad experience of contentious litigation matters, and acts on high value and multi-party disputes arising out of civil works, sport stadia, public transport systems, waste treatment facilities, hospital PFI projects, office buildings, public car parks, road networks and wind farms. Disputes include those relating to defective works, negligent design, delays, loss and expense, contract terminations and payment issues.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

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