Most Highly Regarded Firms: Construction 2011

• June 2011

• Construction

This article analyses the findings of our research in greater depth to identify the firms and practitioners who stand out worldwide.

Pinsent Masons LLP is the best recognised firm in this edition, fielding 12 lawyers from offices in the UK, Asia and the Middle East. The UK is home to more than half of the firm’s featured professionals, including leader of the firm’s projects and construction group Richard Foley. A former head of Pinsent’s Hong Kong office, Foley has extensive experience in Asia-based infrastructure projects and has earned particular recognition in recent years for his “first-rate” mediation and dispute avoidance work. Another “big name” in London is Martin Harman, whose Asia and Middle East-focused infrastructure work, encompassing airport, stadia, port, motorway and mass transit system projects, is “internationally recognised”. Mark Roe’s global construction and energy-related arbitration work was lauded by peers, who also regard his mediation and adjudication practice as “world-class”. The “excellent” Mark Lane’s practice is focused on energy, road and water infrastructure, and he leads the firm’s water sector group. Procurement and contract drafting expert Neil Morris and head of construction Richard Laudy are also considered “leading lights” in London, while Alastair Morrison in the Glasgow office was hailed as a “very notable practitioner”.

Two lawyers feature from Pinsent’s Hong Kong office. Dean Lewis is particularly well thought of for his private, public sector and privatisation projects for construction and engineering clients, and acts as a legal adviser to the Hong Kong Construction Association. Vincent Connor heads the Hong Kong office and leads the firm’s Asia Pacific practice, boasting a “strong reputation” for his dispute resolution work throughout the region. John Bishop is head of the Beijing office and a “great name” for construction and engineering-related work, spanning the energy, transport and natural resources sectors. Kian Heong Hew is the head of the Shanghai office and is considered an “invaluable adviser” on infrastructure and commercial construction projects in China. Dubai-based Michelle Nelson completes the firm’s listings, earning particular praise for her contentious work on behalf of employers, consultants and contractors in the construction and engineering sectors.

Peckar & Abramson is in the “front rank” of construction law firms internationally and fields two of the most highly regarded professionals in the world. Robert Peckar is a former recipient of Who’s Who Legal’s construction lawyer of the year award, and once again receives the most votes of any practitioner in the current research. Peckar is one of the firm’s founding members and an internationally regarded authority in complex construction-related disputes and ADR proceedings. Adrian Bastianelli III also enjoys “global renown” for his construction disputes work, in particular with relation to government construction contract claims. Steven Charney joins Peckar in the firm’s New York office, for which he acts as managing partner and is held in “high-esteem” by peers for his representation of contractors and developers in construction and engineering disputes. Three of Peckar & Abramson’s listed professionals are based in the River Edge office, including co-founding partner Richard Abramson who has distinguished himself in handling complex matters before the federal courts of New York and New Jersey, as well as the US Court of Federal Claims and numerous arbitration tribunals. Bruce Meller and government practice group leader Patrick Greene are also listed in River Edge, while Stephen Reisman completes the firm’s listings as one of the leading names in Miami.

Europe

England is the largest jurisdiction in the current edition based on number of lawyers listed and is home to a number of the leading solicitors and barristers.

Described by sources as “London’s leading silk for construction matters”, Humphrey Lloyd QC of Atkin Chambers spent 30 years as a barrister before becoming a judge at the London Technology and Construction court between 1993 and 2005, when he returned to his work as an arbitrator and mediator in international and domestic construction matters. At the same chambers, Andrew White QC comes highly recommended for his domestic and international civil engineering and building disputes work, encompassing natural resources and infrastructure projects. Nicholas Dennys QC is a noted advocate and adviser in court and arbitration proceedings relating to construction, engineering, transport and oil and gas projects, and sources also described him as a “first-rate” mediator and adjudicator. The “superb” Martin Bowdery QC and the “highly respected” David Streatfeild-James QC are also based at Atkins Chambers.

Other notable silks include Stuart Catchpole QC of 39 Essex Street Chambers whose advocacy work before the House of Lords, Court of Appeal and different divisions of the High Court, as well as institutional and ad hoc international arbitrations arising out of large scale construction and engineering disputes is praised by peers. Richard Wilmot-Smith QC and Adrian Hughes QC also achieve prominent listings at the same chambers. Michael Black QC of XXIV Old Buildings has extensive experience in commercial litigation and arbitration disputes related to the construction, energy and funds sectors and sources consider him a “great name” in London and internationally.

Vincent Rowan is London’s foremost construction solicitor according to our research. A partner in the energy, trade and commodities group of Reed Smith LLP, Rowan has recently acted for consortia, insurers and contractors in the development of chemical and LNG plants, as well as rail and power projects, throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Specialist construction practice Fenwick Elliot LLP fields four “top quality” professionals in this edition. The “excellent” Simon Tolson has prepared and conducted numerous construction and engineering disputes, including 14 reported decisions in the High Court and Court of Appeal, and over 120 adjudications. Nicholas Gould’s practice combines a “strong” reputation for dispute resolution work with contract drafting and project strategy expertise, and sources were quick to praise him as “an innovator” in the field of construction-related mediation work. Building and engineering contracts expert Victoria Russell and dispute avoidance and procurement specialist Tony Francis also rank highly at the firm.

White & Case LLP achieves two prominent listings in London. Ellis Baker is head of the construction and engineering practice in the London office and represents developers, contractors, consultants and lenders in energy, infrastructure, power and commercial property matters throughout the world, and Phillip Capper is recognised for his international arbitration work in construction and engineering disputes. Across the Channel, White & Case emerges as the best recognised firm in Paris for construction work, with three lawyers making the cut. Christopher Seppälä is well regarded for his international construction-related arbitration work, particularly in the Middle East. Christophe Von Krause and Charles Nairac are also “well-known” for their international arbitration work. Additional recognition in Stockholm and Prague further attests to the firm’s reputation as a “European leader”.

Marc Frilet at his own eponymous boutique is another “big name” in Paris, where his public and private infrastructure, mining, joint venture and PPP work is recognised as “extremely good” by domestic and international sources.

North America

Our research uncovers 188 lawyers that merit inclusion from a total of 33 US states, with Illinois, Texas and California emerging as the most populous jurisdictions in the country.

Steven Stein of dedicated construction firm Stein Ray LLP is “very well respected” for his work on behalf of clients, both in court and arbitrations, in complex design and construction disputes, as well as the drafting and negotiation of construction agreements. Fellow name-partner Stephen Ray is noted for his consulting work to contactors and designers alongside his work litigating construction defect, delay, interference and mechanics lien claims and breach of contract matters.

Laurie & Brennan LLP is another of Chicago’s well-regarded construction-focused firms, and its two name partners also receive praise from our sources. Ty Laurie is an internationally recognised mediator and arbitrator with extensive experience of contract negotiation, and has been involved in numerous high profile project developments, including the Chicago Spire development, Lincoln Financial Field, Soldier Field and the multi-building development of the former World Trade Centre site in downtown Manhattan. Daniel Brennan focuses his practice on advising owners, designers and contractors on risk management issues as well as prosecuting and defending construction claims and negotiating contracts, and he is described as “brilliant” by peers.

Joseph Canterbury, founding shareholder and director of Canterbury Elder Gooch Surratt Shapiro & Stein PC in Dallas, is one of the world’s best regarded construction lawyers, who has been involved in some of the most significant construction matters in the US during his over-40 years of practice. Sources were quick to praise Canterbury’s court and ADR work as well as his “substantial” scholarly contribution to the field of construction law. Fellow shareholder Kyle Gooch is also hailed as “among the best lawyers in the US” for construction ADR work.

Farella Braun + Martel LLP is one of the leading firms in California according to our research, with construction and insurance litigation partner Deborah Ballati earning particular recognition for her contentious and non-contentious commercial, residential and civil construction projects for clients like the University of California and BAE Systems. Charles Sink is a former chair of the firm’s complex litigation practice and has a “stellar reputation” for his work in construction, energy and insurance disputes. Of counsel Alan Harris is also noted for his disputes work, as well as his “first-rate” contracts work.

North of the border, Robert Beaumont of Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP emerges as one of the most prominent names in Canada. Appearing alongside partner Harvey Kirsh, Beaumont is renowned for his infrastructure, engineering and procurement expertise, having acted for the city of Toronto, Graywood Development, Brookfield Properties and Northland Power in recent high-profile matters.

Asia Pacific

Doug Jones AM of Clayton Utz in Sydney is an internationally respected infrastructure and dispute resolution specialist and has acted on behalf of a host of public and private clients, including the government of Queensland and RailCorp, in project structuring and implementation, contract drafting and ADR matters. Andrew Stephenson is another “top-flight” name at the firm, garnering international praise for his risk assessment and allocation, contract drafting and dispute resolution work on major construction projects throughout Asia and the Middle East. With two additional listings at the Brisbane office and a further two in Hong Kong, Clayton Utz emerges as one of the most prominent firms in Asia.

Mallesons Stephen Jaques also sees two of its lawyers rank highly in our Hong Kong research, including dispute resolution specialist and “international leader” David Bateson, whose construction-related arbitration and litigation work is “much admired” throughout Asia. Construction and dispute resolution practice group leader Paul Starr is also listed, having acted in a number of the region’s largest project disputes, including claims against Hong Kong’s new airport and disputes over the Bangkok Metro, in recent years.

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