Partner

Laura West

Languages

English

Social media

Laura is a partner in the Infrastructure, Construction and Energy Disputes team, based in the Edinburgh office. Laura works with clients to provide strategic contract advice as well as advising when disputes have become formalised through a range of dispute resolution procedures including litigation, adjudication, mediation and arbitration.

Laura teaches construction law to postgraduates at the University of Edinburgh, is a past Global Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ Young Members’ Group and a member of the Court of the Scottish Arbitration Centre.

Awards & Recognitions

01 –

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"Christopher Dickson and Laura West have great knowledge and attention to detail.’"

Legal 500, 2025
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“Laura West excels, acting on a wealth of construction delays, defects and cost fluctuations, among other issues.”

Legal 500, 2023

Relevant experience

UK utility companies on avoiding and managing claims under a FIDIC turnkey contract during the construction phase of a £1 billion HVDC subsea cable transmitting renewable energy.
A contractor in defending an arbitration for hundreds of millions brought by its employer for termination losses arising from an energy from waste plant.
UK and international property investors and developers in pursuing claims in respect of latent fire / cladding related defects at their properties requiring detailed knowledge and experience of the changing building safety landscape post-Grenfell.
A local authority on disputes relating to tens of millions of deductions arising under a PFI contract through an adjudication, court proceedings and a mediation process ultimately resulting in settlement.
A public utility company on the first Scottish handback of a PFI project to determine the appropriate capital sum to be paid on expiry.
A Utility company on COVID-19 claims of c.£40m brought by its contractor on a CCGT plant under an amended NEC3 contract involving untested points of contract interpretation.
The owner of a large city centre mixed use development in a court action against its contractor for façade defects. Settlement agreed with the contractor now undertaking the required remedial works.
A Dubai based oil and gas company in a USD 120million LCIA arbitration brought by its drilling contractor on a major onshore oilfield.
A contractor in a claim for additional costs arising from works to a pharmaceutical plant in an arbitration under the VIAC rules and governed by Austrian law.
A public body in a series of adjudications relating to payment and defects for major upgrade works to public infrastructure.
A utility company in pursuing claims for serial defects for four onshore windfarm projects all under FIDIC yellow book.
An offshore oilfield services provider in defending claims of USD 60 million brought by its sub-contractor for post trenching and backfilling works in the Caspian Sea under UNCITRAL rules administered by the LCIA.

Publications

Chapter on Contractor Claims, in “Major Issues in International Construction” (forthcoming 2025)
“What’s the latest on building safety regulation?”, Chartered Engineering Surveyor, July/August 2024
Scotland Chapter for “FIDIC Contracts in Europe”, co-authored with Shona Frame (2023)
Guest Editor for Construction Law – “The Need for Innovation” (November 2022)
“Arbitration in the Next 10 years”, Young Arbitration Review (10^th Anniversary Special Edition), co-authored with Mitchell Abbott (2021)

Memberships & Roles

Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb)
Member of the Court of the Scottish Arbitration Centre (2024 – Present)
Construction Law Tutor at the University of Edinburgh (Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice) (2017 – Present)
Committee Member of the CIArb Scottish Branch (2017 – 2023)
Chair of the CIArb Young Members’ Global Steering Committee (2021/2022)

Education

2017 – Admitted as a Solicitor in England & Wales (Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme)
2016 – Advanced Certificate in International Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
2014 – Admitted as a Solicitor in Scotland
2012 – University of Edinburgh, Diploma in Professional Legal Practice
2011 - 2011 University of Edinburgh, LLB (First Class Honours)

Practice Areas

Dispute Resolution Alternative Dispute Resolution Construction & Engineering Disputes International Arbitration Construction Advocacy

sectors

Energy Disputes Development Work Energy & Mining Facilities Management Infrastructure Energy & Climate Change Mining and Minerals Oil & Gas Power Projects Water

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Laura West

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Insights by Laura

Future of Renewables Spring Seminars

Building Safety Act Annual Review 2026

Arbitration: A Pragmatic Mechanism for Resolving Space-Related Disputes

Building Safety Act Annual Review 2025