Construction

We acted for a landowner exiting a complex residential consortium. Over 250 legacy reports – many with unclear appointments – had to be novated to the incoming housebuilder. We tracked liabilities, reconstructed contracts (including PI terms), and secured formal novations with each consultant, some of whom had retired or merged. With strong relationships and careful negotiation, we achieved a clean break for the client – no residual liability and a full transfer of risk. The deal allowed our client to exit profitably while passing the development baton without legal encumbrance.  

We advised a regional developer selling a site with existing planning to a housing association for full build-out. The deal involved layered warranties, funder step-in rights, and a bespoke development agreement to ensure roads and utilities were delivered in sync with phased construction. We safeguarded access, structured deferred payments, and negotiated performance-based protections. Our role ensured seamless delivery for the purchaser while enabling the developer to extract value and de-risk its position early. A commercially watertight agreement supporting fast-track build and long-term infrastructure clarity.  

We represented a contractor in a million-pound dispute with a lottery-winning client who pulled funding midway through a hotel renovation. The case turned on thousands of receipts under a cost-plus contract. During trial, an unreliable timesheet entry by the contractor’s spouse – our key witness – nearly derailed the claim. We negotiated a settlement in a matter of hours. The result wasn’t just financial recovery, but emotional relief for a client who turned to us in distress and trusted our judgement when it mattered most.  

We defended a contractor claiming unpaid retention on a retirement housing scheme. The employer responded with an exaggerated counterclaim involving energy costs from air-source heat pumps. When COVID hit, we secured one of the UK’s first fully remote construction trials, prepared a seamless digital bundle, and dismantled the opposing evidence in cross-examination. The judge ruled in our client’s favour. Beyond the legal win, this case also demonstrated our agility in adapting to digital trials and leveraging technology to deliver strong results under pressure.  

We acted for a developer building student accommodation in Bournemouth who faced wrongful contractor demands totalling £1.2m. Interim payments had been certified based on overvalued and, in some cases, non-existent work. When our clients were threatened with personal bankruptcy and their company with liquidation, we intervened – challenging the validity of guarantees, bringing an injunction, and ultimately overturning a High Court decision in the Court of Appeal. The result: contractor pressure neutralised, confidence retained with funders, and the build completed. Our strategic litigation kept the project – and the client – financially afloat.  

We acted for a landowner exiting a complex residential consortium. Over 250 legacy reports – many with unclear appointments – had to be novated to the incoming housebuilder. We tracked liabilities, reconstructed contracts (including PI terms), and secured formal novations with each consultant, some of whom had retired or merged. With strong relationships and careful negotiation, we achieved a clean break for the client – no residual liability and a full transfer of risk. The deal allowed our client to exit profitably while passing the development baton without legal encumbrance.  

We advised a regional developer selling a site with existing planning to a housing association for full build-out. The deal involved layered warranties, funder step-in rights, and a bespoke development agreement to ensure roads and utilities were delivered in sync with phased construction. We safeguarded access, structured deferred payments, and negotiated performance-based protections. Our role ensured seamless delivery for the purchaser while enabling the developer to extract value and de-risk its position early. A commercially watertight agreement supporting fast-track build and long-term infrastructure clarity.  

We represented a contractor in a million-pound dispute with a lottery-winning client who pulled funding midway through a hotel renovation. The case turned on thousands of receipts under a cost-plus contract. During trial, an unreliable timesheet entry by the contractor’s spouse – our key witness – nearly derailed the claim. We negotiated a settlement in a matter of hours. The result wasn’t just financial recovery, but emotional relief for a client who turned to us in distress and trusted our judgement when it mattered most.  

We defended a contractor claiming unpaid retention on a retirement housing scheme. The employer responded with an exaggerated counterclaim involving energy costs from air-source heat pumps. When COVID hit, we secured one of the UK’s first fully remote construction trials, prepared a seamless digital bundle, and dismantled the opposing evidence in cross-examination. The judge ruled in our client’s favour. Beyond the legal win, this case also demonstrated our agility in adapting to digital trials and leveraging technology to deliver strong results under pressure.  

We acted for a developer building student accommodation in Bournemouth who faced wrongful contractor demands totalling £1.2m. Interim payments had been certified based on overvalued and, in some cases, non-existent work. When our clients were threatened with personal bankruptcy and their company with liquidation, we intervened – challenging the validity of guarantees, bringing an injunction, and ultimately overturning a High Court decision in the Court of Appeal. The result: contractor pressure neutralised, confidence retained with funders, and the build completed. Our strategic litigation kept the project – and the client – financially afloat.