Barton Legal Limited

Barton Legal is a boutique firm, specialising in all aspects of construction and engineering, and commercial property. Based in Leeds and London, it has clients all over the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Tunisia, South Africa, Korea and China.

The firm: Barton Legal was formed in May 2007 as a niche firm, specialising in construction and engineering (contentious and non-contentious) and commercial property.

A highly specialised practice, it offers expert and commercial advice on a personal basis. It has a strong reputation for being practical, commercial and uncomplicated, with a forward-thinking approach and providing clear, unambiguous advice in plain language when communicating with clients. This approach has attracted such clients as Brenntag UK Limited, Falck Renewables Limited, Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, SER Sustainable Equity Return GmbH, Thorney Farm Developments Ltd, Infinergy Ltd, China Machinery Engineering Corporation, China Gezhouba Group Ltd, ABM Precast Solutions Ltd, Stepnell Ltd, Prax Lindsay Oil Refinery Ltd and A. Bush (Engineering Services) Ltd.

A further specialised area of expertise is working for other law firms that either do not have their own construction team, or whose team need additional support. Client firms include Wilkin Chapman LLP, Bridge McFarland LLP, HM3 Legal, Ashworths Solicitors LLP, Jury O’Shea LLP, AM Davies Solicitors, Yoon & Yang and Peters & Peters.  Newstead & Walker, Nakamura Law Offices, Bell & Buxton Solicitors, Boardside Ltd, Hägen Wolf.

Fully engaged with the legal community, director Bill Barton is a past president of Leeds Law Society and has spoken at the IBA International Conferences in Sydney 2017, Rome 2018, Seoul 2019, Miami 2022 and will be speaking at the the Paris Conference in November 2023. Bill is also a regular speaker at international conferences on construction and engineering, such as the DRBF and will be speaking at the conference in Istanbul in October 2023.

The firm won the title of ‘Niche Law Firm 2016’ at the Yorkshire Legal Awards.

Recommended by:

British Legal Technology Awards: 2020 (Winner for Technology Venture of the Year)

Chambers & Partners: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (Leading Individual)

Legal 500: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 (Leading individual)

Legal 500: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 (Leading firm)

Yorkshire Lawyer Awards: 2016 (Winner Niche Law Firm)

Yorkshire Lawyer Awards: 2013 and 2014 (Highly Commended)

The Lawyer Awards:2014 (Shortlisted for Boutique Firm of the year)

In 2020 the firm demonstrated a pioneering solution required by the on-going impact of the pandemic, by successfully leading the first entirely remote trial in English legal history before the Technology and Construction Court. Barton Legal subsequently received recognition for this by winning ‘Technology Venture of the Year’ at the British Legal Technology Awards 2020.

Types of work undertaken
Construction and engineering: Barton Legal has particular expertise in renewable energy, such as wind, solar, biomass, as well as waste to energy. It also advises on contentious and non-contentious construction, ranging from office and leisure developments to flats and warehouses, large housing projects and civil engineering projects, as well as education and pharmaceutical. Additionally, the team has expertise in international litigation under ICC and LCIA, and mediation and adjudication. Its services are sought by both commercial clients and other law firms without construction expertise.

Barton Legal have a growing list of international clients. Examples include acting for law firms in Korea in relation to international disputes under English jurisdiction, to Chinese contractors working on diverse projects such as a $300m housing development in the Maldives and a £1.1bn dam project in Pakistan.

Commercial property: in combination with the team’s construction knowledge, the firm advises on all aspects of commercial property, including buying or selling land and/or buildings, promotion agreements and the granting and taking of options, and negotiation of s106 agreements, together with a variety of landlord and tenant-related matters, including negotiating leases, licences to assign and for alterations, deeds of variation and assignments and sub-leases.

The commercial property team is led by Director Trish Barton who has over 30 years experience in the sector and acts for a wide range of clients, from start-up business to multi-national plcs and works with all types of clients, whether individuals or sole traders, partnerships or companies.

The firm is also available for agency work.