Leigh specialises in disputes arising from construction, engineering and other major projects.
She is particularly experienced in the utilities and clean energy sectors (including ports and harbours), in both Scotland and England, and has an excellent working knowledge of all the typical construction contracts currently in use, with a particular specialism in NEC3 and NEC4. While her expertise includes litigations in the Court of Session in Scotland, she is also experienced in alternative methods of dispute resolution: adjudication, arbitration, expert determination, and mediation. Indeed, she has a unique insight into ADR in the UK through her previous role as Vice Chair and Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Scottish Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Leigh remains heavily involved in the wider ADR community in Scotland, and she frequently arranges and presents at seminars and conferences.
Leigh is also an External Examiner for the LLM in Construction Law at the University of Strathclyde.
- Advising employers, contractors and subcontractors on a variety of issues relating to construction and engineering contracts, including claims, variations termination, suspension, payment provisions, extensions of time, breach of contract claims, and defects.
- Representing a civil engineering contractor in pursuit of numerous adjudication claims; pursuing and defending separate interdict proceedings in the Court of Session; and a mediation concerning a flood prevention scheme.
- Representing and advising a large utilities company in a long-standing and high-value dispute with a cabling contractor (approx £50 million) around defective works and an appropriate remedial scheme.
- Representing major UK ports and harbours on a range of disputes including adjudications (from approx £1 million to £2 million), litigations (in excess of £50 million) and negotiated settlements (ranging from £150,000 to £5 million).
- Defending an employer in adjudication and arbitration proceedings relating to a £20 million delay and disruption claim on a FIDIC-based contract raised by a major utilities contractor.
- Defending an employer in various adjudication proceedings relating to alleged compensation events claimed under NEC3 contracts, together with payment disputes.
- Defending an employer in adjudication, adjudication enforcement and arbitration proceedings relating to a £6 million final account claim on a FIDIC contract on a high-profile cable-laying contract in Scotland (involving over 140 disputed Variation Orders), and assisting in negotiating a favourable settlement.
- Secondments to a major utility, advising on high-value civil engineering disputes, various forms of construction contracts (primarily NEC3 and FIDIC), and ancillary legal issues.
- Representing a landlord in Court of Session proceedings in relation to a dispute with a large UK contractor, designer and tenant in relation to water ingress and latent defects in a large commercial building in Aberdeen.
- Advising a UK contractor on a range of issues in a sensitive and high-profile project under an NEC3 Option A contract. Issues included delay and disruption, liquidated damages, suspension and payment.
- Representing a UK contractor in arbitration proceedings against a major Scottish utility relating to damage caused to works carried out for an educational establishment.
- Representing a UK contractor in a range of disputes on two solar projects, including issues around payment, suspension, termination and defects.
Leigh is an accredited Construction Law specialist by the Law Society of Scotland. Leigh also won Rising Star of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards in 2020.
