Expertise

William has experience of construction and commercial matters on major infrastructure projects, particularly in the converging energy and transport sectors e.g. electric vehicles (EV) and associated charging infrastructure. As well as acting for major utilities, regulators and industrials on a daily basis, William has undertaken secondments to E.ON, Drax Power, Low Carbon Contracts Company, Hitachi Rail and Riva Park Projects, each developing his sector expertise.

  • advising Volkswagen A.G. on the manufacture and supply of electric vehicle platforms;
  • advising on various on and offshore wind farm projects around the UK for multiple generators and developers;
  • supporting rail rolling-stock manufacturers in numerous bids to supply new trains to train operating companies;
  • providing legal advice on a range of matters for rail infrastructure owner-operators.
Experience

ENERGY AND WASTE

William has experience of construction and commercial matters within the electricity, coal, biomass, nuclear and renewable sectors.  He acts as day-to day advisor for a number of clients in the energy sector, and has undertaken lengthy secondments to E.ON UK Plc and Drax Power Limited.  William is a panel solicitor for regulatory bodies such as Ofgem E-Serve, OFWAT and NIAUR, as well as private sector clients. In particular, William's experience includes advising:

  • the Lender consortia for each of Diamond Transmission Capital's bids for the offshore transmission assets for Galloper, Burbo Bank Extension, Race Bank, Walney Extension, and Dudgeon offshore wind farms
  • Diamond Transmission Capital on their bid for the offshore transmission assets for Beatrice and Rampion Offshore wind farms  
  • Bayerische Landesbank on various multi-site solar-projects for which they were lender
  • Diageo/Guinness Limited on the establishing of a district heating network at Park Royal including leading on the shareholders agreement for the Heatco, the operation and maintenance agreement, management consultant's appointment and heat supply agreements
  • SSE on various commercial contracts relating to energy-related projects
  • E.ON Climate & Renewables on various projects including: a consultancy, installation and operation and maintenance agreements for the £700m 300MW Humber Gateway offshore wind farm project. Leading the negotiations for the developer consortium consisting of Centrica, RWE Npower, Warwick Energy and Dong Energy opposite NATS; the £2bn London Array offshore wind farm; and on the UK's first ever £65m disposal of an offshore transmission cable Robin Rigg Offshore wind farm
  • on the sole design consultant appointment for the JV client of Balfour Beatty and Urbaser in relation to Essex Waste Treatment Facility project
  • Peel Utilties on their electricity and gas connection agreements in respect of the MediaCity UK, Salford development. This involved negotiations with suppliers and network operators as well as drafting the connection agreements, and agreements relating to the sharing of revenues
  • on the Construction Contracts and O&M Contracts relating to an Anaerobic Digestion plants for BiogenGreenfinch and Agrivert
  • MEPC on the electricity connection agreements for their Wellington Place, Leeds development
  • on various electricity connection agreements for British Sugar, Rolls-Royce plc and Network Rail amongst others
  • Seven Energy on its acquisitions of East Horizon Gas Company, as owner of a 128km gas pipeline in Nigeria
  • Bayerische Landesbank on the electricity connection and power purchase agreements for the Suffolk Solar project in which they were funder
  • Tata Chemicals Europe Limited on their bid for the West London Waste PFI with E.ON, and the structure of their proposed solution for an energy from Waste CHP plant to provide heat, steam and electricity to the chemical plant
  • Drax Power Limited on procuring preferred bidder on its £200 million Selective Catalytic Reduction technology installation works, and biomass distribution systems
  • the UK's largest  nuclear site licence holder, Sellafield Limited, on various confidential projects often based on NEC3 suite of contracts
  • the Homes and Communities Agency on the construction of a new substation
  • on the EPC Contract for the Authority consortium, Project Green, as employer for its Energy from Waste plant
  • on an EPC contract for E.ON Energy Services for exclusive solar pv installations for supermarket chain
  • on the Engineering Consortium Framework Agreement for nuclear new build developer, NuGen Limited, and in relation to NEC3 and FIDIC procurement routes
  • John Laing Investments on their purchase of various UK onshore wind farm, and particularly in relation to the Balance of Plant Contract, Turbine Supply Agreement, Full Service Agreement, and Connection Agreement
  • Peel Group on the development and sale of various onshore wind farms in the UK
  • Rolls-Royce plc on the sale of Tidal Generation Limited, the tidal energy prototype business, to Alstom
  • Wolseley on agreements with training facilitators and suppliers surrounding the governments Green Deal scheme
  • Leeds City Council's Energy Forum on the delivery of low carbon projects in the city region, including several variations of Green Deal projects
  • Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation on the implications of infraction proceedings by the EU Commission for non-implementation of EU Gas and Electricity Directives
  • United Utilities Renewable Energy on the procurement and development of wind turbines at multiple regulated water treatment sites

TRANSPORT

  • Hitachi Rail Europe on its bid to supply train units to First Greater Western for the West of England routes franchise, TransPennine Express for the Trans Pennine route, and to the Northern franchise 
  • Hitachi Rail Europe as seconded Legal Counsel providing the sole internal legal support to the business, leading negotiations with the supply chain, designing a new supplier framework agreement, supporting on bids and contractual reviews, advising the board of risks at phase gate meetings and general corporate matters
  • Skanska-Balfour Beatty JV on a design failing by its supply chain on the M25 widening project
  • Network Rail on various agreements in connection with the electricity supply at the Old Dalby train testing facility
  • Network Rail on the agreements required to replace the electricity supply to remote properties historically owned by Network Rail but for which they remain responsible for supplying electricity at Woodfidley
  • an employer client, Earls Court, in relation to Basic Asset Protection Agreements and the GRIP process for developing land near Network Rail property
  • Rolls-Royce in relation to several European Funding for aerospace R&D projects
  • Luton Borough Council in its capacity as owner operator of London Luton Airport on amendments to its concession agreements

WATER

  • OFWAT on the self-lay and requisition (connection to water network) procedures under the Water Industries Act 1991
  • OFWAT in relation to statutory powers and equivalent rights afforded to OFCOM and OFGEM
  • United Utilities in relation to various projects in its non-regulated business

DEVELOPMENTS

  • HSBC Bank plc, Bank of London and the Middle East, Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland plc of various financed development projects
  • Primark on the construction of a highly technical distribution centre
  • negotiating and preparing the construction documents for Simply Health group companies for several retail fit-out projects
  • preparing JCT construction contract schedule of amendments for dental surgery developments for Practice Plan Limited
  • Redrow Homes Limited on consultant appointments and collateral warranties in relation to various developments across the country
  • reviewing design consultant appointment for Homes and Communities Agency as landlord for the King's Waterfront development, Liverpool
  • drafting Schedule of Amendments for a JCT D&B 2005 Rev 2 sub-contract, for Wates Construction on Kirklees BSF PFI
  • acting for Funder on the £400m Salford and Wigan BSF PFI project I advised on the apportionment of risk, reviewing each version of the main building contract, and parent company guarantees
  • managing some smaller transactions for employer Universities on the building of a new £16m business school, and private developers for the construction of medical practices
  • advising South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority on the implications and risks resulting from the liquidation of a sub-contractor in addition to warranty negotiations on the £19m HQ relocation

HEALTHCARE

  • on various healthcare projects for trusts and developers including Whipps Cross Hospital London, John Radcliff Hospital Oxford, and Calderdale and Huddersfield trust
  • Northwest London NHS Trust on the procurement of its 111 project
  • advising Heathcroft Properties in relation to the building contracts and consultant appointments for John Radcliff 
  • drafting consultant appointments and collateral warranties for subcontractors on LIFT projects, and clients such as Smith & Nephew including the assessment of net contribution clauses
  • Hospital, Oxfordshire
  • University Hospitals of South Manchester in relation to their pathology consolidation project 

THEME PARKS

  • Riva Park Projects LLC as seconded legal counsel on various contracts including the Ride Supply Agreements and Development Agreements in relation to the development of their Motiongate, Bollywood and HUB theme parks in Dubai, UAE
  • Meraas Developments LLC in relation to its FIDIC Engineer, Procure and Construct contracts for the Meraasland, Dubai theme park

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

  • A consortium of South Yorkshire Local Authorities including Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield in respect of their Superfast Broadband project with BT
  • advising Cheshire East Council in relation to its BDUK Superfast Broadband negotiations of the Call-Off contract with BT plc, and the connected ERDF funding requirements and related council consortium arrangements.  Specifically responsible for the drafting of funding requirements and flow down obligations
  • advising the Lincolnshire consortium of North Lincolnshire Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and Hull City Council on the interfaces between BDUK and ERDF funding requirements in relation to their Superfast Broadband project
  • Cumbria County Council on the issues arising out of a dispute with BT during the deployment of Superfast Broadband
  • advising Cable & Wireless Worldwide in relation to a dispute with the CapGemini plc
  • advising KCOM in respect of its procurement of a full system upgrade and its in depth negotiations with IBM as preferred supplier
  • negotiating the ICT main and sub-contracts on Leicester BSF and
  • acting for KCOM for its negotiations with a large central government body for the provision of telephony services