Stephenson Harwood‘s non-contentious construction practice is co-led by Graeme Barton and Navpreet Atwal and has experience acting on matters related to power projects, residential developments, and higher education developments. Barton is well-versed in advising on procurement and contracting strategies, while Atwal leads on construction due diligence and building safety guidance. In January 2026, Matt Pearson joined the team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- The team, led by Navpreet Kaur Atwal, Partner at Stephenson Harwood, stands out for its combination of technical expertise, commercial judgment, and genuinely client-focused service. They are able to deal with complex legal issues in a clear, practical, and solutions-oriented way, which is particularly valuable when matters are time-sensitive or commercially important. Potential clients would want to know that Navpreet and her team are highly responsive, collaborative, and pragmatic. They take time to understand the client’s business, priorities, and risk appetite, and their advice is always tailored rather than generic. The team’s strength lies not only in the quality of its legal analysis but also in its ability to help clients make confident commercial decisions. Compared with other firms, Stephenson Harwood feels more accessible and engaged. The team provides City-quality advice while remaining approachable, flexible, and easy to work with. They are proactive in anticipating issues, clear on strategy, and efficient in how they manage matters. Overall, Navpreet and her team combine legal excellence with a practical, relationship-driven approach that makes them trusted advisers.
- There is a perfect understanding of the construction process, which is very important in building the contracts for construction. Stephenson Harwood shows full cooperation and flexibility for any changes from all the parties involved.
- Navpreet Atwal from Stephenson Harwood was very cooperative, and she has a lot of experience with construction contracts. She possesses high skills in problem-solving and knows how to find proper solutions for conflicts.
- Ryan Fordham is great at building relationships and looking after clients.
- A strong stable of senior construction lawyers with experience in a variety of matters, both contentious and non-contentious.
- Ryan Fordham is detail-oriented, fastidious, and a clear communicator.
Key clients
- JJ Rhatigan & Co (UK) Limited
- North London Waste Authority
- Enviroo Project Co Limited
- Schroders Capital UK Real Estate Impact Fund
- Firethorn Investment Trust
- DP World London Gateway
- GoldenTree Asset Management
- Schroders Real Estate Fund (SCREF)
- The Self Storage Company
- Soller Group
- M&G Real Estate
- M7
Work highlights
Advise a number of clients across energy transition projects in the UK and internationally.
Advise both lenders and borrowers on development financing across a range of sectors.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Graeme Barton; Navpreet Atwal
Other key lawyers
Jonathan Cripps; Ryan Fordham; Matt Pearson