“James is empathetic – a rare quality in the legal world – and able to advise non-traditional, innovative businesses. Able to draw on existing body of work and knowledge and apply to novel commercial circumstances.”
Legal 500 UK, 2024
About
James is a partner in the Construction and Engineering team, specialising in power, transport and infrastructure projects, alongside construction development and finance. He acts for procuring bodies, joint ventures, developers and the supply chain, and has particular experience advising European developers on energy projects.
His areas of specialism include: the development and operation of renewable power systems and heat networks; renewable fuel projects, green hydrogen and the procurement of net zero infrastructure; industrial asset procurement; and site demolition and remediation works.
He advises water utilities on construction contracts for capital works, including the negotiation of framework and works contracts arising out of HS2 and other capital works programmes.
James has expertise in FIDIC, NEC, IChemE and MF/1 forms of contract and regularly provides advice on their negotiation and amendment. He is a speaker and panellist at industry events on topics such as critical minerals, heat networks and green hydrogen.
Experience
- Green Lithium Refining: Assisting on its venture to establish the country’s first merchant lithium refining facility which aims to establish an entirely carbon neutral lithium refining process.
- Joint venture company: Advising on the procurement of its green hydrogen portfolio, including negotiation of the contracts for electrolyser procurement.
- Sustainable aviation fuel project: Advising the developer of a major sustainable aviation fuel project, including FEED, EPC and maintenance agreements.
- Atrato Onsite Energy: Advising on its £10.6 million acquisition of Hylton Plantation Solar Farm Limited (the SPV managing a 20 MW ground-mounted solar PV system for Nissan’s manufacturing plant in Sunderland), Sonne Solar Ltd and a new rooftop solar project.
- Severn Trent Water: Advising in relation to works contracts in respect of its £566 million Green Recovery programme.
- Octopus, Brookfield, BayWa and others: Advising on the construction of their renewable energy projects and portfolios.
Credentials
- Admitted as a solicitor: England & Wales 2007
Latest thinking from James
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Thought leadership
Delivering low carbon heat and how the Construction Playbook can help
3 March 2021
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