Partner
Eric’s experience encompasses construction procurement advice, contract preparation and negotiation, PFI transactions, management of contracts during the build phase and the resolution of construction disputes. Acting for developers, utilities, energy suppliers, project companies, public authorities, lenders, contractors, sub-contractors and construction professionals has exposed him to agreements across a range of construction and engineering projects, using different types of standard and bespoke arrangements.
Eric joined Thrings in 2011, having previously worked at Ashfords and Osborne Clarke. He qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and has in-house experience through a secondment to a national utility company. Eric is acknowledged as a leader in his field of construction by independent directory Chambers UK, which has described him as “a highly experienced and well-respected figure in the region”.
Recent experience spans healthcare, energy and waste, infrastructure and commercial development, and includes:
- On healthcare projects, drafting and negotiating building contracts and associated appointments and warranties for the construction of health centres, acting (on separate transactions) for GP practices, Primary Care Trusts and a healthcare developer.
- Negotiating the construction documents for a further education college, for a new campus as part of the regeneration of former steelworks.
- Advising joint venture project company procuring the construction and operation of a plant to produce electricity from timber biomass.
- Drafting construction documentation for a fire and rescue authority procuring the construction of a planned flagship headquarters and linked fire station.
- Bristol City Council’s Leisure PFI, advising senior lender on all construction elements for the construction of a leisure centre (c. £30m estimated build).
- Advising the successful bidder (an Interserve consortium) for a £250m PFI hospital in Northern Ireland.
- Negotiating the lead consultant’s appointment for the £330m Greater Peterborough PFI hospitals scheme.
- Plymouth NHS LIFT scheme, advising the project company on the construction of primary health care facilities.
- Advising a utility company bringing arbitration proceedings for a high value claim, arising from the defective design and construction of the waste incineration element of water sewage treatment plants, under an IChemE Red Book contract.
- Conducting adjudications for contractors and employers on issues such as pursuing liquidated damages on a city centre mixed use project with defects in acoustic insulation and final account claims for extensions of time, relief from liquidated damages and loss and expense.
Eric is a committee member for the Forum for the Built Environment (Great Western branch) and a member of the Society of Construction Law and the Adjudication Society.
