Expertise

Laura supports clients in avoiding disputes especially in relation to construction and engineering matters by giving strategic dispute avoidance and risk management advice.

Where disputes cannot be avoided, Laura has considerable experience in relation to all forms of dispute resolution, including High Court proceedings, adjudication, arbitration and mediation. She has dealt with many complex, high value disputes concerning professional negligence, product liability, extensions of time, delay and disruption, valuation and payment claims (both interim and final) and defective works.

• Successfully defending concurrent multi-million pound adjudications for our utility client. This was a dispute under a call off agreement under an NEC form of main contract with target cost. Disputes arose over the valuation of purported compensation events which culminated in the other joint venture partner issuing three concurrent adjudications. Together, these claimed an increase in the total of the Prices of over £5 million and a further Euro 2.5 million together with a 903 day extension of time.
• Advising an employer client since September 2019 with respect to the issues that have arisen with the delivery of a project and how best to resolve those issues. Laura provides risk management advice and advises on contractual liability for delays that have occurred to the delivery of the project and the associated financial consequences.
• Assisting a main contractor in relation to a £9 million pound claim for purported fire stopping defects on a large residential and commercial development. The issues/defects primarily related to cladding, fire compartmentation and changes to the fire strategy.
• Advising a global FTSE 100 manufacturing business with respect to significant delays and defective works arising with the construction of an advanced manufacturing facility. 
• Successfully pursuing an adjudication on behalf of a developer against a structural engineer in relation to the negligent design of a university building.