The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > Yorkshire And The Humber > Construction

Addleshaw Goddard's construction team handles the full range of projects, advising on high-profile residential, commercial and infrastructure developments for major corporates, developers and public sector bodies. Recent work includes nationally significant road, rail, airport, and energy projects, as well as notable mandates within Leeds. James Reynolds heads up the non-contentious construction department, advising on a number of national redevelopment schemes, with Joe Wilkinson handling construction and engineering disputes. David Shaw takes the lead on energy, transport and utility projects, with John Emerton acting in the related disputes. Director Ally MacKenzie also specialises in construction and engineering disputes with a particular focus on the energy and utilities sectors.

Ian Doig and David Moss jointly lead the team at DLA Piper, which assists with regional, national and international infrastructure projects; recent cross-border work included issues in Malta and across Eastern Europe and Russia. The group has handled real estate developments for residential and commercial developers as well as further education and healthcare clients, alongside infrastructure projects for clients including Highways England; Leeds-based Ben Peecock is a specialist in this field. While the firm has a global platform, its has a notable presence in Yorkshire, enabling it to lead major projects from both its Sheffield and Leeds offices.

Squire Patton Boggs focuses on the the energy and utility sectors, development projects and public sector infrastructure issues, with a range of national and international mandates from major clients, aided by the firm's global reach. A particular strength of the practice is its work with governmental bodies and corporates on PFI and PPP-funded projects. Practice head Zakir Mulla focuses on construction, engineering, and infrastructure projects, James Duckworth specialises in developments and infrastructure procurement work in the energy sector, and Matthew Mulqueen handles renewable energy projects, particularly offshore wind matters, on an international basis.

Jo Hatton-Jones leads the team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, which acts on contentious and transactional construction matters. The group advises national clients in the energy and infrastructure sectors alongside retailers, property developers, and education providers, and also has notable expertise in work for international clients. Process sector matters are handled by practice head Jo Hatton-Jones, who has engineering qualifications, and Simon Chamberlain and new hire Sarah Maylor handle built environment work on the transactional side. Maylor, who arrived from Kennedys in early 2020, also works on construction disputes in tandem with Gregory Buckley.

Boutique construction firm Hawkswell Kilvington Limited is active on a number of local, national, and international mandates from its Wakefield base. The extensive and experienced team handles contentious and non-contentious construction matters, with co-founder David Kilvington leading on non-contentious work. The practice is otherwise led by key disputes contact Daniel Silberstein, Thomas Salter, who also handles contentious work, and legal director Rachel Heald, who focuses on the negotiation of building contracts and construction documents for developers. The team has been strengthened by the arrivals of David Spires, former head of construction at Watson Burton LLP, and Gary Ashton from Schofield Sweeney. Jonathan Hawkswell has retired.

Construction specialist Bill Barton heads up Barton Legal Limited, which receives referrals from several national law firms on a range of mandates, encompassing contentious and non-contentious construction and engineering work. The team works closely with its legal and industry clients, which include renewable energy companies and several international corporates, in line with the firm's role as a go-to referee for construction matters.

DWF advises on national and international construction projects across a number of sectors, with a particular focus on energy. The firm acts for developers, public sector bodies and corporates. Andrew Symms leads the national practice.

Rachael Yates and Joseph Hale head up the Leeds-based team at Freeths LLP, which supports developers and utilities providers on the contentious and non-contentious elements of projects, including complex disputes, transactional issues and procurement matters. Yates takes the lead on disputes, acting for employers, contractors and individuals within the construction industry; Hale also works on contentious matters, representing developers in disputes with competitors. Both are also active in procurement work. Managing associate Marie Mulligan joined from Slaughter and May in late 2019.

Irwin Mitchell advises on contentious and non-contentious matters relating to its sector focuses, which span the commercial property, education, student accommodation, and retirement housing industries. Contentious matters are a growing source of work for the practice. The team, which is led in Yorkshire by consultant Mike Plews, works on projects within the region and nationally, as part of a nationally coordinated construction practice headed up by Mark Clinton.

Schofield Sweeney has a strong focus on contentious construction work, including acting in adjudications and damages claims for developers and building contractors. It is also growing its non-contentious practice, which has handled work for major national retailers and developers including site acquisitions and pre-build logistic issues. Richard Stockdale is a dedicated construction litigator.

Shoosmiths LLP specialises in non-contentious construction work, advising developers, retailers and investors on projects in the mobility, retail, student accommodation and care home sectors; the group has a particular specialism in forward funding issues and other complex real estate financing structures. The team acts for regional and national clients, often collaborating with other offices and with the growing real estate team in Leeds. Practice head Rick Atha assists developers with all elements of complex projects, and is supported by senior associate Christine Burrows.

Judith Hopper leads the practice at Bevan Brittan LLP, which specialises in contentious construction work. The team represents corporates and public sector clients, with a particular focus on high-value PFI-related work in line with Hopper's expertise. The practice also works closely with the firm's social housing team on the contentious elements of housebuilding projects.

Phil Morrison heads up the team at Clarion, which handles complex contentious and non-contentious mandates for developers, public bodies, commercial clients and housebuilders. Recent mandates include commercial advice concerning procurements, development agreements and building contracts. Particularly notable is the firm's work in the healthcare sector, which includes large scale and sector-crucial projects.