Situated within the firms wider dispute resolution practice, the ‘superb’ contentious construction team at Watson Farley & Williams LLP is very active in representing architects, EPC contractors, and public sector institutions in various complex disputes and litigations, often before the Supreme Court. The team is also well equipped to advise on cross-border renewable energy-related contract terminations. Team head Rebecca Williams is an ’excellent disputes partner’, leading on offshore construction disputes in the TCC, while Ryland Ash assists with public infrastructure-related matters. Barry Hembling and ‘hugely experienced partner’ Theresa Mohammed boast expertise in the transport and social infrastructure sectors. Mark Mcallister-Jones and Stephanie Geesink are other key members of the team.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Rebecca Williams is a sharp thinker, deeply committed to her cases, and has a fantastic eye for detail.'
  • 'Rebecca Williams is an excellent disputes partner and a delight to work with. She is laser focused on obtaining the best possible outcomes for her clients.'
  • 'Mark McAllister-Jones is exactly the sort of lawyer you want to work with on a big dispute. His knowledge of the detail of the cases he is working on is second-to-none, and he has a wonderful ability to make you feel like everything is under control.'
  • 'I have worked alongside Barry Hembling, who is highly responsive and very client-focused. Barry takes a holistic view of the issues facing his clients, consults with counsel and experts as and where appropriate, and is prepared to pursue novel issues through the court.'
  • 'Theresa Mohammed is a hugely experienced partner with excellent industry knowledge and sound judgement. She is very approachable and adept at filtering out the noise to provide 'straight to the point' advice.'
  • 'We dealt mainly with Ryland Ash, who is extremely knowledgeable, very upfront about both the risks and the opportunities with each case, and worked extremely hard to negotiate favourable terms, constantly pushing for an increased outcome in our favour, whereas others may have settled for an easy win.'
  • ‘The construction team at Watson Farley Williams is superb. They combine the intellectual rigour, industry knowledge, and business acumen with a genuinely modern approach. As good as any of the best teams in the game.’

Key clients

  • VINCI UK Developments
  • Abbey Healthcare
  • Zaha Hadid Architects
  • BP Pension Fund
  • Colas Limited
  • Ardmore Construction Limited
  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
  • Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust
  • GMS Estates
  • Millennium Hotels & Resorts
  • Ørsted

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Rebecca Williams

Other key lawyers

Ryland Ash, Barry Hembling, Theresa Mohammed, Mark McAllister-Jones, Stephanie Geesink