Ronan is an experienced construction law specialist and undertakes contentious and non-contentious work. He has long-standing relationships with many clients and has acted for funders, developers, employers, contractors, specialist subcontractors, suppliers and construction professionals in various sectors including transport, oil and gas, energy, utilities, infrastructure, communications, civil engineering and construction.
Contentious work includes advising and representing clients in arbitration, adjudication, conciliation, mediation, expert determination and litigation.
In terms of non-contentious work, Ronan is retained by funders, developers, employers and contractors to advise on building contracts and collateral documentation for projects across the residential, commercial, leisure, industrial and healthcare sectors. Frequently this work will involve drafting and negotiating bespoke contract amendments or undertaking contractual risk reviews.
Ronan is qualified in England and Wales and is also admitted in Northern Ireland.
As an incredibly busy company, it is imperative that we have a top legal firm alongside us as we continue to grow. Keystone Law has been a key factor in our ongoing success. Our thanks go to Ronan, especially for his hard work and dedication throughout the years.
Les McCracken, Managing Director
McCue Crafted Fit
Expertise
- Construction and engineering law
- Development projects, acting for funders, developers, employers and contractors
- Dispute resolution including arbitration, adjudication, conciliation and mediation
- Collateral warranties, bonds and guarantees
- Professional team appointments
Experience
Recent Non-contentious
- Acted for a range of REITs in the preparation of construction documentation for developments including retail parks; industrial units; healthcare facilities; hotels; student accommodation; office and commercial parks.
- Acted for one of the world’s leading museums in drafting and negotiating its design and build contract for the construction of a 16,000 sqm London store-house museum through to contract award and providing contractual support throughout the construction phase to the project team.
- Acted for the owners of a South Kensington listed residential property in drafting contract terms for an extensive refurbishment project.
- Acted for a leading museum board of trustees in drafting a Pre-Contract Services Agreement in relation to the fit-out of its new 7,000 sqm museum in London and provided support to the project team through negotiations to contract completion.
- Acted for a leading NI fit-out contractor in negotiating high-value residential and hotel fit-out contracts for London-based projects.
- Acted for a NYSE listed US manufacturer in closing out fit-out contracts for its European HO in London.
- Acted for a Canadian Life Sciences company in drafting and negotiating contracts for the fit-out works and related consultancy services at its new UK head office.
- Acted for a museum in drafting construction contracts for the extensive refurbishment and fit-out of a children’s museum in a Grade II Listed building in London.
- Acted for specialist contractors in updating bespoke contract terms, conditions and amendments.
- Acted for a NI specialist engineering and fabrication company in agreeing terms for long-term supply agreements critical to the UK Full Fibre roll-out programme.
- Acted for a Mayfair-based financial consultancy in amending and negotiating a building contract for extensive refurbishment works to its head office.
- Acted for a UK developer in drafting and negotiating a partnership agreement with contractors for the design and construction of high-specification residential properties in Bedfordshire.
- Acted for a property owner purchasing the design and build of a high-value prefabricated residence manufactured in the EU and re-negotiating the terms of the Sale and Purchase Agreement.
Recent Contentious
- Acted for the Administrators of a national contractor in pursuing and recovering contractor entitlements across a range of UK civil engineering and construction projects.
- Acted for an Irish mechanical services contractor in pursuing financial entitlements for work undertaken on a healthcare project; subsequently terminating its contract for main contractor default and negotiating a successful resolution of all claims directly with the employer concerned.
- Acted for a group of property owners in pursuing the recovery of damages from the developer of a new apartment building in respect of extensive defects, incomplete works and a failure to procure effective long-term warranties.
- Acted for a property developer in pursuing its claim for damages sustained because of the professional negligence of its consultant in administrating a building contract which directly exposed the developer to an opportunist “smash and grab” adjudication.
- Acted for the largest French contractor in relation to the defence of employer claims arising from EDC contracts for UK waste-to-energy projects.
- Acted for a MEP services contractor in successfully challenging an employer claim of building-wide defects based on flawed expert opinion and reports.
- Acted for a national contractor in defence of claims of breach of contract and negligence arising from the alleged defective design and construction of a coffer dam said to have caused structural damage to adjoining properties.
- Acted for a steelwork contractor in pursing financial entitlements on an Isle of Man contract including the right to terminate on the basis of employer default and the recovery of ensuing losses.
- Pursuing the successful recovery of monies due to a groundworks contractor in adjudication – based on a failure to comply with payment requirements.
- Advised the market-leading stonework and restoration contractor on diverse contractual issues related to the compromising of claims and the re-setting of contracts in a deed of variation.
- Acted for a nursing home operator in successfully challenging its landlord for a serial disregard of fire safety obligations and defective construction works, which ultimately was the basis of the operator being able to justify the termination of its service agreement.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Ronan qualified as a solicitor in 1983 in Northern Ireland, and 2008 in England and Wales. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2016, he worked at the following firms:
- Systech Solicitors
- Fenwick Solicitors