Construction and Projects

L'Estrange & Brett's Construction & Projects Group straddles its corporate,
energy, commercial property, banking and employment disciplines to offer market-leading capability in the full remit of construction and projects related work. The firm has developed the largest Construction & Projects Group in Northern Ireland to provide practical and commercial advice in this expanding market. The continued focus we have placed on this area of work has seen us rewarded by being named as Northern Ireland's top law firm in the UK PPP/Infrastructure market by the European Legal 500 and the Chambers UK Legal Directory for the fifth year running. Chambers 2008 refers to us as being "efficient and effective" whilst the European Legal 500 (2008) quotes clients who "continue to be impressed by the quality, robustness and timeliness of advice and legal support."

We act for both public and private sector clients in various sectors including health, ICT, education, energy, waste, accommodation and transport. Recent highlights include advising Belfast Education & Library Board and the SIB on the £500m Belfast Schools Strategic Partnering Scheme, advising the Western Trust on two major hospital PPP projects and being appointed by Northgate Information Solutions (UK) to advise on the Bristol, Leicester and Kent Schools PPP Schemes in Great Britain.

L'Estrange & Brett adopts a practical and commercial approach, working closely with clients to understand their commercial objectives and to provide practical and commercial advice. The practice is broad based with clients including government bodies, public authorities, public companies, private companies, partnerships and individuals. The firm also acts for developers, main contractors, specialist contractors, suppliers, consultants, insurers and financial institutions.

Our skills cover a broad range of matters, including:

• advising consortia on the various bid requirements for PFI/PPP Projects, including the formation of special purpose companies and related joint venture arrangements with consortium members;
• advising public sector bodies and private sector consortia on procurement issues and on concession contracts, including direct agreements and lenders and subcontractors;


• advising construction companies on the differences between JCT construction
  contracts and those used in PFI/PPP projects and on direct agreements with
  lenders and public sector bodies;


• the preparation, negotiation and review of development, construction, engineering
  and professional contracts;


• the preparation, negotiation and review of bonds and collateral warranties;


• advising companies on facilities management and operating contracts;


• advising lenders and consortia on project finance issues, including the negotiation of loan, security, inter-creditor and direct agreements; and


• advising professional team members on collateral warranties and direct agreements;


• advising parties on property and surplus land issues.

The North South Legal Alliance allows us to further enhance our services by
drawing upon the considerable experience and expertise of McCann FitzGerald
in Dublin. Clients have recognised that significant advantages accrue to them
from the involvement of the Alliance principally arising out of the seamless
service which can now be provided on an "All Island" basis. We also have excellent
relationships with many of the leading GB law firms and often team with those
firms for particular types of infrastructure work.

For more detail on recent Construction and Projects transactions, please click here.

For details of some of the independent endorsements that our construction department
has received, please a click here.

For further information, please contact:
Adrian D Eakin
Andrea McIlroy Rose
Ian W Huddleston
Stuart J Cairns