Bio
Ella is a Construction Solicitor.
Ella specialises in contentious construction and engineering disputes.
She works with a broad range of clients across the construction sector, including commercial and residential developers, main contractors, specialist subcontractors, private individuals and charitable organisations.
Ella supports clients to resolve disputes through litigation, adjudication, arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of construction disputes, including advising on payment disputes, (including issues relating to interim and final account valuations, underpayments, non-payment and withheld retention), and disputes concerning project delays, extensions of time, liquidated damages, defective workmanship, defective design, contractual interpretation and contract termination.
She works with a variety of standard form and bespoke construction contracts, including the Joint Contracts Tribunal JCT and NEC suites, FIDIC contracts, CCS Framework Agreements, NHS Procure frameworks, and heavily-amended bespoke agreements. She also advises on disputes where contractual arrangements are unclear or undocumented, including circumstances in which the Scheme for Construction Contracts may be implied.
Ella has also been involved in claims arising under the Building Safety Act 2022, supporting clients to navigate complex building safety issues and claims involving contractors and subcontractors.
Examples of Ella’s work include:
- Assisting a client in a complex true value adjudication, resulting in a significant award in the client’s favour.
- Supporting the successful resolution of a dispute involving a contractor following the employer’s repudiatory breach of a bespoke construction contract.
- Acting in a number of ‘smash-and-grab’ adjudications, advising clients on both the preparation and defence of payment-related claims.
- Working on numerous adjudications, acting for both referring and responding parties.
- Advising on a complex, multi-million-pound litigation case, guiding the client through the case management conference (CMC) and an extensive disclosure exercise, culminating in the client securing a substantial settlement from both defendants.