Projects & Infrastructure
"Michelmores provided clear and concise advice on a number of complex contractual issues."
Chambers UK 2024"The team were very adept at dealing with the contractual matters, the risk profile and the various stakeholders"
Chambers UK 2024"The Michelmores team address all the issues that arise from a PFI contract. They understand the contracts well and have the ability to understand what the clients expect as an outcome."
Chambers UK 2024"The team provide sound and commercially astute advice. They have a wealth of industry knowledge."
Chambers UK 2024"The practice is unique because they are extremely detailed, they look at issues from multiple perspectives and offer sound advice and options. They work extremely hard to meet sometimes unreasonable deadlines, they are flexible and committed, they build strong relationships with their clients."
Legal 500 2024"Michelmores are really collaborative, and they put themselves in the position of the issues that their client is facing. They are also really adaptable and cope with the intricacies of the public sector."
Legal 500 2023True partnership
Led by Ben Hogan and key partner Carol McCormack OBE, our award-winning Projects & Infrastructure team is ranked Band 1 nationally by Chambers & Partners. Our team consists of lawyers who are experts in the establishment, management and termination / handback of infrastructure projects in a broad variety of sectors. In addition, our team has vast experience of project finance transactions, facilities management services and large-scale governmental and commercial projects.
Our team draws on the expertise of specialist lawyers from other teams within the firm, including procurement, construction, real estate, employment, corporate and banking, who have significant experience of working on infrastructure project transactions. This is key to us providing the seamless and first class service our clients expect.
We are renowned for building strong and lasting relationships with our clients and commence every client relationship with the goal of becoming and remaining a trusted adviser throughout the life cycle of the relevant project.
Sustainable solutions for sustainable infrastructure
Having acted for a wide range of procuring authorities, sponsors, service providers and lenders, we understand the many challenges facing project stakeholders in ensuring that social and economic infrastructure projects deliver the service outcomes required by the procuring entity, as well as projected returns to lenders, investors and subcontractors.
However, we also understand the wider societal and environmental context in which our clients operate and are committed to helping our clients to find ways to deliver truly sustainable infrastructure assets that achieve their social or economic purpose, are energy efficient, resilient and are fully integrated with related systems and networks.
We have an established track record of advising high profile procuring authorities such as Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust on a range of major new procurements, from estate redevelopment schemes including the construction of new facilities in combination with commercial real estate developments to significant extensions to existing facilities. Our depth of experience means we are able to advise on all legal aspects of a major new procurement, as well as assisting our clients to navigate the required approvals processes.Major new procurements
In respect of projects where the underlying facility or asset has been built and is in operation, we play a key role supporting our clients to manage their contractual and commercial relationships and avoid disputes. In addition, we advise our clients on proposed variations to existing project documents, assisting our clients with the evolution of their facilities or assets whilst preserving the financial close risk profile. We have significant experience of assisting project stakeholders to develop innovative and sustainable solutions which integrate with existing infrastructure assets, such as district heat networks, ‘closed-loop’ waste management solutions and on-site waste processing to the healthcare sector. We are increasingly assisting clients to be proactive with the expiry of their PFI and PPP project contracts and the handback of the assets to facilitate the smooth transfer of service provision, staff and assets. We are proud to act for a number of the UK’s leading investors and subcontractors in this space, including Innisfree, Dalmore Capital and Equitix and ISS Mediclean, as well as a number of procuring authorities.Operational asset management
We have market leading experience of advising on infrastructure projects suffering from sustained underperformance and/or fractured relationships between one or more of the project participants. Our experience working for public and private sector clients enables us to develop commercial solutions in respect of disputes that are more likely to be sustainable (and avoid formal proceedings). Where formal disputes cannot be avoided, our Infrastructure & Projects specialists work closely with infrastructure specialists in our Commercial & Regulatory Disputes Team in order to provide a fully integrated service focussed on delivering positive outcomes."Distressed" projects
We advise clients, including a number of major international service providers such as ISS Mediclean, Urbaser and Idemia Identity and Security, in relation to high profile and technically complex outsourcings and service contracts.Outsourcing projects / PPP service contracts
We have significant experience of advising clients in relation to the sale and purchase of PPP/PFI projects, outsourcing contracts and recycling businesses.Secondary markets transactions
KEY CONTACTS
Ben Hogan
PartnerTEAM
Carol McCormack
Partner
Marie-Louise King
Partner
Hannah Slater
Senior Associate
Jo Spalding
Senior Associate
Yvonne Farrell
Associate
Henry Mayman
Associate