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Portrait of James Hallas

Profile

James is a partner in the construction and infrastructure team, and co-chair of the firm’s ESG/sustainability sector group. He joined the firm in 2012 and specialises in non-contentious work. Alongside his expertise across the full spectrum of construction and development, James has particular experience in the renewable energy, sustainability, housing and accommodation and care sectors.

He has acted on large scale mixed commercial and residential schemes, and hotel, university and student accommodation schemes, as well as hospital projects and care schemes. James is experienced in working with clients to achieve commercial, real world outcomes, and in negotiating both standard forms of contract, including the JCT, FIDIC, NEC and RIBA suites of documents, and bespoke agreements. His practice also extends to drafting and negotiating complex engineering contracts linked to infrastructure and energy generation.

On the contentious side, James advises clients on dispute avoidance and dispute resolution, helping achieve commercial solutions while avoiding the necessity of issuing proceedings. He also has experience across different ADR procedures within the Technology and Construction Court and a broad range of adjudications, in particular, those relating to defective works, and contractual conformity and payment issues.

James has completed the King’s College London MSc in construction law and dispute resolution.

Recent work highlights

  • Advising a utilities provider on the roll out of a pipeline of approximately 40 solar projects including framework agreements, EPC, O&M and call-off arrangements.
  • Acting for a care home developer on the acquisition, remediation, and construction of numerous care homes, including advising on the AFL, funding documentation and operator agreements.
  • Drafting and negotiating a bespoke CHP network and supply agreement for a social housing provider and housebuilder.
  • Assisting clients on asbestos, environmental and contamination issues; specifically, ground conditions and remediation contracts linked to heavily contaminated former industrial and dockland sites.
  • Advising a housing fund and house builder on the procurement and construction of a multi phased large key central London mixed residential and commercial development.
  • Advising on the construction and operation contracts for numerous renewable energy projects including anaerobic digestion, biogas and solar projects within the UK, together with ancillary documentation and agreements.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP