Joanne Gaston > Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP > Cambridge, England > Lawyer Profile

Joanne Gaston

+44 1 223 447 3658 joannegaston@eversheds.com

Work Department

Joanne is an associate in our litigation and dispute management group, specialising in both contentious and non-contentious construction matters.

Her experience includes advising on a range of dispute resolution methods including mediations, adjudications, arbitration and court claims, as well as providing advice during the pre-action stage and on dispute prevention. Joanne also deals with non-contentious matters including development agreements, building contracts, professional appointments, collateral warranties, bonds and novation agreements.

Joanne is based in our Cambridge office but has also completed a secondment to our office in Doha, Qatar, advising on a range of local law and English law matters.

Joanne's recent experience includes:

• drafting and negotiating the development agreement for a QAR 280 million (c. £50 million) project to construct a new school in Qatar, in addition to the building contract, consultant appointments and lease to take effect after construction;
  
• advising the employer on a £4m adjudication claim for defects at the East Village in London;
  
• advising a large Qatari bank on a $100m breach of contract dispute;
  
• reviewing a contractor’s $300 million loss and expense claim for an international utility company;
  
• advising a construction manager on a $50 million claim for breach of contract and payment due on termination for convenience, and the $35 million counterclaim for overpayment and defects, on a project in Azerbaijan;
  
• advising an academy trust on its rights under development agreements for the construction of two new schools, where various defects (of a value around £5 million) became apparent both at and after practical completion;
  
• advising a major contractor on the defence of a £200,000 final account dispute with a subcontractor;
  
• drafting a gas supply agreement and EPC contract for the construction of a $50 million industrial gases plant in Oman;
  
• advising Highways England on amendments to the M25 DBFO contract; and
  
• advising on the transfer of the Highways Agency to Highways England.

In addition, Joanne is the principal advisor on all UK construction projects for a large pension fund.

Joanne read law at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, before completing a Masters in European Trade and Commercial Law at Durham University. She completed her LPC at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice.

Prior to joining Eversheds, Joanne trained with another Cambridge firm, gaining experience in both contentious and non-contentious Property and Construction law.

Position

Associate