LAW
Laying the foundations
Commercial law firm Muckle LLP is one of the region ’ s few firms specialising in all aspects of construction and engineering law and is a market leader in successfully managing the legal aspects of the region ’ s most ambitious construction projects .
WORDS : IAN LAMMING PICTURES : STUART BOULTON
Behind every project , major or minor , lies a plethora of paperwork designed to keep the venture on the right track .
Before a spade enters the ground , a wealth of preparatory work has to take place , ensuring the development sticks to the plans and that all parties meet their obligations .
When it comes to construction , the small print takes on a big role , and one of the leaders in the field is commercial law firm Muckle .
Based in the North-East for more than 127 years , its 170 staff include 100 lawyers specialising in commercial law , and the firm remains one of the few in the region with expertise in construction and engineering . Muckle ’ s head of construction , Adam Aston , says : “ We have had a construction team for over 20 years at Muckle , and in that time we ’ ve seen real growth both in terms of our people and the size and breadth of our client base .
“ We also have one of the biggest real estate teams in the North-East , with a natural connection between property and construction . It has really grown in the past two years , particularly with our focus on Teesside .”
Adam says the aim is to be nonadversarial and to manage expectations on both sides , as the contract should reflect what has been agreed .
“ It ’ s our role to make sure everyone knows what they are signing up to ,” says Adam . “ Being open and transparent , particularly around where the main risks sit , is the best way to set up any project .”
The firm is seeing real growth in its Teesside client base , perhaps reflecting the nature of the region ’ s investment . Adam believes a lot of that can be attributed to the ambitions and investment of Tees Valley Combined Authority .
Considered a vital catalyst for change , Muckle has representatives working closely with the organisation .
“ As a firm , we have really close links with TVCA working on a number of exciting projects making a positive difference to the region ,” says Adam .
162 | Tees Business