CMS has appointed Nigel Lewis as a partner in its Infrastructure, Construction and Energy (ICE) Disputes team to lead the practice in Manchester. The CMS ICE Disputes team consists of over 50 specialist lawyers based in offices in Aberdeen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Sheffield and Singapore. Nigel joins the firm from Gowling WLG.
Nigel is a Construction & Engineering dispute resolution specialist with over 18 years’ experience advising on projects in the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors. He has acted for many of the UK’s largest developers and contractors in some of the largest ‘big ticket’ disputes, and more recently has expanded his practice to focus on the real estate market, acting for some of the largest developers and financial institutions in the UK. Nigel’s reported cases include a number of landmark decisions and he has provided project advisory services on some of the most significant and complex developments in the UK.
Chris Hallam, Head of the Energy, Project and Construction team in Manchester comments: “Nigel is a great addition to our Manchester team and brings added firepower to the ICE disputes practice across the North of England. The ongoing regeneration of Manchester, combined with the devolution deal, the embryonic Northern Powerhouse initiative and the recently published plans of UK’s first sub-national transport body – Transport for the North – means the region is expected to see significant growth in construction, infrastructure and energy projects in the coming years. Having Nigel on the ground will ensure that we can meet the needs of our clients, both in the UK and internationally, who are looking to invest in this thriving region.”
Commenting on his appointment, Nigel said: “I am delighted to join CMS at a time of real growth for the firm, following the merger with Nabarro and Olswang. The range and quality of real estate work being done by the team out of Manchester is impressive, and I hope to build on this existing platform to strengthen our offering across Infrastructure, Construction and Energy.”
CMS’ Manchester office has been going from strength to strength as the firm continues to support its clients’ growth targets across the North. Over the last six months, the team has acted on a number of high profile projects including its advice to Hong Kong-based developer Far East Consortium International on one of Manchester’s most ambitious housing-led regeneration projects – the Northern Gateway – which is expected to generate more than £1bn of investment over the next decade.
