Ian Yule

My work involves advising on construction projects from the start, through to the building phase, completion and beyond. I also advise on procurement options and drafting, variations, programme issues, defects issues, claims for time and money and dispute resolution.

Tel: +44 (0)121 629 1843

Email: ian_yule@wragge.com

Best brains in ...

The JCT, NEC and other contracts. Construction disputes and PFI issues.

Highlight of your career so far?

Resolving a complex, six-party piece of High Court litigation after a two-day mediation, which began with 56 people around the table. A few weeks later, the claiming party dropped its claim and paid our costs.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Guiding a contractor who was unfamiliar with PFI through a maze of issues and documents, in a hostile atmosphere at a large London law firm, to get a deal closed in the small hours.

What's your definition of going the extra mile?

Getting to a client's house at 8am on a Sunday morning to review a bundle of contracts, having spent the previous evening reading through them.

Best example of a creative legal solution?

Designing a framework contract for a local authority that dealt with a whole range of design, engineering and consultancy work. This enabled the client to pick and mix the options it needed for various road contracts over a ten year period.

When have you ever given a client a real competitive edge?

Getting a client's contract and commercial managers to carry out contract negotiation themselves by providing a series of teach-ins, workshops and hand-holding.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

'Thanks for saving my pension fund, Ian', after I settled a major dispute in a client's favour.