Construction & Engineering

Specialist Construction and Engineering lawyers

Freeths has a team of around 30 construction and engineering law specialists. Our team covers both the “front end” of projects, drafting and negotiating the documents, and dealing with the disputes which sometimes arise on construction projects, whether via negotiation and settlement or some more formal dispute resolution procedure.

The many issues the construction and engineering sector has had to deal with since Brexit and COVID and the invasion of Ukraine (cost inflation, labour shortages, particularly skilled labour, recession, political uncertainties, to name but a few) have created stresses within the sector. The rising number of contractor insolvencies being one obvious symptom of this.

Construction and engineering projects are still going ahead and are benefitting both the UK as a whole and the companies involved in the projects. Both customers for new projects and those delivering new projects have opportunities to seize, but the levels of risk are higher than in more normal times. To avoid the worst of the risks and maximise the opportunities, you need to focus on:

• careful set-up of projects, including well thought out advice on the procurement structure, well drafted and negotiated contracts, and clear focus on payment profile, payment security (bonds, guarantees, retentions, etc); and
• prompt responses to any signs of stress – using the contractual machinery properly, early engagement with a client or supplier who seems to be struggling, and adopting creative solutions to deal with problems before they become critical.

Our Construction & Engineering team cover all aspects of the built environment and process plant, from infrastructure to commercial and residential buildings, via offices, retail, logistics and production facilities. Every building, engineering and process plant project has its unique challenges and risks, and you will benefit from a large and specialised legal team that knows exactly what it’s doing.

Our expertise in Construction & Engineering

• A proactive and commercially-focussed team, with a pragmatic approach to problem solving
• Our nationally-acclaimed specialist team of construction lawyers work exclusively in this field
• We pride ourselves on being honest and building a long-term business relationship with you
• You can rely on our in-depth and wide-ranging knowledge to add value to your projects and to resolve your disputes cost-effectively
• We understand the sector, with clients on the employer, funder and supply sides of the industry
• We can advise you on how to avoid risks, in a way which the other parties to the project will be able to accept. We can then produce a clear cost/benefit analysis of any dispute and the potential resolution of it.

Our team of construction & engineering lawyers are renowned for their no-nonsense approach; quickly tackling difficulties head on and using their experience of the market to anticipate issues – not “processing” things.

Who we work with

Our clients are some of the best-known names in the construction & engineering industry and have an excellent reputation across the UK.

We have clients, experience and expertise on all sides of the construction & engineering industry, acting for public and private sector employers, contractors, funds, consultants and sub-contractors, therefore we can produce solutions which all parties can live with. We don’t take unsustainable entrenched positions which slow or kill a project, or delay cost-effective resolution of a dispute. Call us to see how we can help.

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