Simon McCann > Blake Morgan LLP > Cardiff, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

Comprising of ‘very skilled and knowledgeable lawyers across all seniorities’, Blake Morgan LLP‘s Cardiff team acts on its own as well as often alongside other lawyers from offices throughout the network on high-profile domestic and UK-wide projects for developers and contractors. Team head Joanna Rees has vast experience advising on construction issues throughout the life cycle of a project  (from tender through the build phase and on any subsequent disputes which may occur) and regularly works alongside public procurement expert Simon McCann on matters where there is involvement with a public sector entity, including on infrastructure and health projects. ‘Exceptionally capable’ senior associate Kate Howell has developed a strong reputation handling contentious matters before the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) as well as in adjudications and risk management assessments, including as it relates to managing large cladding and defects cases in high rise buildings.

Public sector concerns inform a significant amount of work handled by the majority of Blake Morgan LLP‘s practice area offerings, from both a contentious and non-contentious perspective. As well as this multidisciplinary approach, the firm also has a core knowledge of pure public law and regulatory matters, enabling it to provide a tailored service addressing issues unique to entities in the space, including at local and central government level. Team head Eve Piffaretti provides ‘expert and sensible advice’ to Welsh public sector and UK regulators across a range of health and social care matters, including on safeguarding issues, mental health and mental capacity law, areas which have an added layer of complexity due to their adherence to secondary legislation which is Welsh specific. Graham Miles ‘ professional regulatory specialism also regularly seems him involved in the health and social care setting, particularly in the context of advising regulatory bodies investigating and presenting fitness to cases involving practitioners in the space. The firm also has vast experience advising public sector bodies on public procurement tenders, as well as in any subsequent judicial review challenges to the process. In this regard, Penri Desscan  and Simon McCann  are very well-known on the contractual side, while Joanne Thompson is recognised as ‘a first-rate procurement litigator with a wealth of experience and excellent judgement’. At a non-partner level, Sarah Whittle is particularly adept at defending health sector clients against challenges to decisions and processes, while Trish D’Souza, who joined from Capital Law Limited in October 2022, has a flourishing reputation advising clients in the education sector.