Adele specialises in construction, engineering, and energy dispute resolution at both a domestic and international level, with a focus on avoiding, managing and resolving disputes for clients as efficiently as possible during the course of their projects and thereafter.
She has successfully acted for employers, main contractors, and subcontractors in high-value litigation, arbitration, mediation and adjudication proceedings concerning a number of issues related to construction, design, delays, payment and termination.
Adele advises on all standard forms of construction contract including JCT, NEC and FIDIC, and has worked across a wide range of sectors within the industry including infrastructure, large scale commercial and residential builds, transport, and power including the offshore windfarm sector. Adele has also advised on disputes arising from PFI contracts for hospitals and has advised on a number of bespoke construction and energy contracts.
Specialist expertise
Examples of Adele's expertise include:
- advising and acting for a domestic construction company in respect of ongoing High Court proceedings concerning large scale residential cladding defects and Building Safety Act issues;
- a seven-month secondment with an international main contractor which included advising on and adjudicating extension of time, compensation events, payment, and retention disputes;
- High Court proceedings for a civil engineering contractor in respect of complex ground and civils works through central London and in respect of energy framework and supply chain agreements;
- part of the team acting for an energy-from-waste plant owner in a complex post termination dispute concerning a facility in North England, with a particular focus on defective works, including excessive noise;
- a series of high value adjudications and enforcement proceedings for an international infrastructure contractor in respect of defective and delayed subcontractor works at Gatwick Airport;
- acting for building and civil engineers against an MEP subcontractor in a series of adjudications concerning delayed and defective commercial space refurbishment and payment;
- acting for an international marine engineering contractor in international and domestic arbitration proceedings in respect of dredging and land reclamation disputes;
- advising an international and domestic civils and infrastructure contractor in respect of upgrade and asbestos removal works within a London tube station;
- advising a major civil contractor in relation to disputes concerning an onshore substation for a large offshore windfarm and contract administration in respect of a nuclear project;
- High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings for an energy employer in respect of the design and installation of an offshore wind farm.
Other activities and memberships
- Adele is a member of the Society of Construction Law, TeCSA and the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC);
- she contributes regularly to the firm’s Adjudication Update webinars, has provided a number of articles and blogs and is an active participant in the firm’s Leading Ladies initiative.
