The Legal 500

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP is an ‘excellent firm with an economic approach taken towards claims’. ‘Very knowledgeable and proactive’ Simon Lewis heads the disputes team, where David Skelton, Helen Pearce and Belinda Fox are recommended as ‘excellent at contentious construction matters.’ The highly recommended Alex Hirom leads on the transactional side. Hirom is advising Venator on EPC, construction and procurement contracts on the reinstatement of its Tioxide Plant in Pori, Finland, which was badly damaged by a fire in January 2017. The firm also has expertise in the renewable energy sector, regularly advising power generation developers on new gas, wind, solar and bio-diesel plants, as well as downstream oil and gas and chemicals projects, refineries, rigs, jackets and subsea installations. The team continues to act for SABIC on the conversion of its gas cracking plant at Teesside. Other clients include Huntsman Group, Southern Water, ATCO Power Limited, STRABAG AG, and Network Rail. Emily Monastiriotis departed for Simmons & Simmons.

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP has a strong profile for corporate and commercial work, energy regulation matters and energy sector litigation. Simon Lewis assists clients with disputes pertaining to final accounts and project completion delays, among other issues. Barbara Painter is best known for handling infrastructure mandates such as oil and gas pipelines and storage projects while also dealing with site acquisitions for capacity market generation projects. Michael Brown routinely handles energy infrastructure mandates alongside real estate-related renewable energy instructions. Clients include oil and gas, power and renewable energy sector players such as Centrica, EDF Energy Renewables, National Tube Stockholders and Renewable Energy Systems.

Assisting public and private sector clients with contentious and non-contentious construction matters, Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP ‘provides solutions and does not just explain the law’. The ‘knowledgeable and prompt’ practice is a regular fixture on key projects and has particular expertise in the educational, chemicals and energy sectors, while also being ‘a pleasure to work with’. Team head and litigation expert Simon Lewis and ‘superb’ project specialist Ian Atkinson continue to advise the Education and Skills Funding Agency on its £10bn refurbishment programme concerning the delivery of new and refurbished schools across the country. Atkinson, who is also noted as being ‘incredibly knowledgeable and pragmatic’, is advising Newcastle City Council on the refurbishment of a prominent city centre building, which included various construction and procurement matters, while Simon Rowland continues to assist the Beamish Museum with the delivery of a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) funded construction programme for its ongoing Remaking Beamish project. Rowland is also advising the Cleveland Fire Authority on its £20m Capital Build Programme to deliver a new HQ and four fire stations. Recommended managing associate Andrew Clough has a focus on contentious work.

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP's practice in Southampton is best known for handling non-contentious mandates for the firm's national clients. Recent highlights include advising contractor Faithdean on a variety of contracts the client is planning to enter into with developers for a number of schemes, primarily in London. Simon Lewis leads the team nationally, which also acts for developers pension funds, education establishments and railway infrastructure companies. In another key mandate, the team advised longstanding client B&Q on construction issues related to its property portfolio, as well as assisting the client on framework agreements with construction suppliers. Ben Willis joined Stevens & Bolton LLP in 2018.