Construction Law

Two partners at Harper Macleod have been accredited as construction law specialists by the Law Society of Scotland. Euan Pirie, head of the firm’s infrastructure and projects team, and Michael Conroy, who leads on construction, have been recognised as being among Scotland’s leading advis

A Scottish solicitor has warned the country’s construction industry will face major long-term difficulties without some form of government intervention. Roddy Cormack, accredited specialist in construction law at Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP, is calling on the government to come to an

A new survey of senior and legal management within the global construction industry has shown unanimous agreement that risk management on projects can be further improved. Of those interviewed, 38 per cent felt that ‘time’ was the single most important factor in triggering conflict while

Roddy Cormack explores the role of designers in the return to operations for the construction industry in the midst of the pandemic. It’s important to remember the responsibilities for ensuring a safe and healthy construction site don’t rest solely with the contractors. Under the Co

Property developers and their contractors could find themselves at legal loggerheads unless Scottish government guidance and legislation on construction work during the coronavirus crisis is made clearer, an expert has warned. Andrew Boccoli, who leads on advice to the construction sector at Li

COVID-19 is presenting challenges for the construction sector in many areas, but the marked differences between the approach in Scotland and England is causing significant confusion amongst UK businesses, write Angela Grahame QC and Murdo MacLeod QC. Businesses are already struggling to comply

A construction law expert has warned against the potential consequences of communicating through post as workers are still being urged to stay at home. Ross Taylor, partner and construction law specialist at Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie LLP, has called on businesses to come together and stick to d

With the Scottish government and the Construction Industry Coronavirus Forum advising that all non-essential building sites in Scotland should close in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Harper Macleod partner Michael Conroy outlines what this means for building projects that are governed by the

Julie Scott-Gilroy, an associate at Morton Fraser, has been accredited as a specialist in construction law by the Law Society of Scotland. Ms Scott-Gilroy acts for a variety of clients including employers (private and public), contractors, sub-contractors, consultants and insurers. Her recent w

Jonathan Seddon determines the pros and cons of a modular approach to delivering homes compared to traditional building. The use of the pre-fab (or modular) building is by no means a new concept in the UK. Historically, it came to the forefront of construction following the Second World War. At a ti

Last night saw Harper Macleod host the first of its quarterly construction club seminars.

Michelle Essen outlines what the election manifestos have in store for the VAT Reverse Charge, the Apprenticeship Levy and Skills Shortage, and Modern Methods of Construction.  The political parties have published their manifestos for the December 2019 General Election, setting out their stalls

Public procurement policy and practice, when it comes to facilitating SME involvement, seems to be focused solely upon ensuring there are opportunities at a sub-contract level. But, asks Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie legal director Roddy Cormack, does this focus miss the sweet spot in terms of ac

Neil Kelly looks at the Inner House's treatment of a case on collateral warranties that caused surprise last year. At the end of last year a judge in the Court of Session reached what many regarded as a controversial decision on the interpretation of a Scottish collateral warranty in the context of

Morton Fraser has made three appointments to its construction team through the recruitment of a team of contentious and non-contentious construction specialists. Sandra Cassels will be joining the firm as a partner whilst Julie Scott-Gilroy and Caroline Earnshaw will join as associates.