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Catherine Gelder

Partner

Portrait ofCatherine Gelder

Catherine Gelder

Partner

Contact
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages English

Catherine specialises in construction and engineering claims and disputes. She advises clients from across the construction industry on a raft of internationally significant projects. She assists clients to resolve issues before formal disputes arise and in litigation, adjudication and mediation.

Catherine advises on all construction and engineering based disputes, but has a particular focus on major infrastructure projects, landmark buildings, office and retail developments and luxury residential and hotels developments and refurbishments.

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Relevant experience

  • Multiplex in relation to a substantial claim arising out of the development of a landmark building in central London into super-prime residential apartments. Co-ordinating a multifaceted strategy including multiple adjudications and court proceedings to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
  • Nilsson Architects Limited, defending it as one of ten defendants involved in High Court proceedings concerning alleged defects in the design and construction of luxury residential development, The Lancasters.
  • The owners of a London 5* hotel in relation to numerous substantial disputes relating to the settlement of the final account and defects within the works.
  • A property developer in respect of a claim against its contractor and former legal advisors in relation to delays and costs arising out of the discovery that the cladding installed on a 300 unit student accommodation block did not comply with British Standards.
  • An Infrastructure Provider for a major London project in relation to a claim valued at £200 million relating to changes in working methods.
  • A pension investment company in relation to a dispute with a contractor concerning substantial delays in the development and fit out of an office development in Manchester.
  • An infrastructure fund on a claim brought by a hospital trust concerning defects in fire stopping installed in a hospital PFI project.
  • A large student accommodation provider in relation to multiple claims against contractors and consultants in relation to defects found in the cladding of 6 developments following surveys carried out after the Grenfell Tower fire.
  • A large contractor on numerous issues under a substantial NEC3 subcontract concerning the M&E installation at a University laboratory.
  • A specialist M&E subcontractor in relation to various issues across their projects including payment disputes, alleged defects claims and delay claims. One matter concerned alleged non-compliance with British Standards and whether this contributed to a fire within a restaurant in a London skyscraper.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Society of Construction Law
  • National Association of Women in Construction
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Education

  • 2002 – Legal Practice Course, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham
  • 2001 – LLB, University of Bristol, Bristol
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Expertise

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02/05/2024
Building Safety Act Conference
 CMS is bringing together clients from across the industry to hear from industry experts and each other about the next phase of regulation, how the BSA is impacting development and construction and how the Courts are applying the le­gis­la­tion. Please click the button below to register for this event.
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A recent TCC decision has considered the meaning of the standard requirement in the ABI form of Guarantee Bond for damages to be “established and ascertained … taking in account all sums due to or...
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04/12/2018
New legal requirements banning combustible materials in cladding
Summary The Building Regulations will be amended from 21 December 2018 to ban the use of combustible materials in the external wall of residential buildings (including hospitals, residential care premises...
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