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Jessica is key member of the firm’s disputes practice with particular focus on complex disputes and recoveries, including with expertise in the construction space. Based in Manchester, but acting across the country, Jess is able to attend to clients’ needs wherever they are.

Jessica acts for a range of clients with recent experience particularly with Insurers, Developers, Employers, Contractors/ Subcontractors and Professional Consultants, including being a core contact for one of the largest architects in the country.

Acting both on the Defence and Claimant side historically, Jessica has in recent years been able to put that experience to good use adding to the firms subrogated recovery claims practice. She also has experience advising on a non-contentious basis in regard to JCT Construction contracts, bespoke contracts, consultant appointments and warranties.

Of particular note are the following:

  1. Jessica acted on a subrogated recovery involving and architect and cladding sub-contractor – via adjudication – arising out of one of the first matters settled post Grenfell and which touched on various matters such as the application and interaction of the Defective Premises Act 1927 and the Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978, on very similar issues to those which were recently considered by the Supreme Court in URS -v- BDW. The matter dealt with many of the core post-Grenfell questions were raised in regard to the materials used in the cladding, cavity barriers and scope of the Architects primary and secondary, co-ordination obligations
  2. Jessica advised a mechanical and electrical engineering subcontractor as regards alleged defective works in respect of fire stopping, fire walls and the air conditioning system in a care home in Stoke-On-Trent. The proceedings were in the TCC and the matter also clarified the approach to amendments to statements of case where there is a reasonably arguable limitation defences to the entirety of a new cause of action sought to be introduced (DR Jones Yeovil Ltd v Drayton Beaumont Services Ltd [2021] EWHC 1971 (TCC)).
  3. Jessica acted for an Employer in a construction dispute regarding (1) breaches of a JCT Intermediate Form of Contract concerning external drainage and civil engineering works and (2) breaches by the Architect of its appointment to advise and coordinate as the Contract Administrator at a substantial warehousing facility.
  4. Jessica advised a Developer/Employer on an adjudication against its contractor as regards its Final Account.
  5. Jessica played an integral role in acting for a landowner in an ICE Arbitration against a Council regarding their breach of a Section38 Agreement on a housing development site in Cumbria where the highways remain unadopted due to defective and incomplete works by the developer/contractor.
  6. She played an integral role in acting for an Insurer of an earthworks consulting engineer in the defence of a claim brought by a housing consortium for negligent earthworks calculations on a large scale housing development in the South of England.
  7. Jessica acted for an engineering consultant in the defence of an alleged claim as to the defective design of a foul drainage network system at a large scale housing development site. The matter did not proceed past a substantive response to the letter of claim.  
  8. She assisted in representing an Insured and Main Contractor (and its Group) in a claim brought by the Employer in regard to the design and construction of 85nr dwellings in London in which the cantilever balconies failed and became detached. The claims advanced were in contract, tort and statute. The Claimant also sought a Building Liability Order. On behalf of the Insured subrogated claims were also advanced against the Architect and Timber Frame Sub-Contractors, on similar bases and under the Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978.

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