Neil specialises in advising employers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, suppliers and their insurers in the construction sector.
Reflecting his involvement in the Construction Sector, Neil was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 2007 and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) in 2012. In April 2016, the Chartered Institute of Building presented Neil with its Open Award for services to the Construction industry.
Neil is a past Chairman of the Scottish Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and Convener of the Adjudication Society, Scottish Region.
In 2018, Neil was inducted to the Legal 500's Hall of Fame. He is also ranked as a Leader in the Field for Construction in Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession 2024.
In a very significant decision (Abbey Healthcare (Mill Hill) Ltd v Augusta 2008 LLP (formerly Simply Construct (UK) LLP)) for the construction sector, the Supreme Court found that a collateral warranty granted by a contractor to a tenant did not give the tenant a right to adjudicate a dispute with the contractor about defects in the contractor's works under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, as amended ('the 1996 Act').
In a recent case, the Sheriff Appeal Court dismissed a contractor's claim for over £110,000 due to insufficient details about an oral contract. This case highlights the difficulties of relying on verbal agreements in construction disputes and underscores the importance of having written contracts to clearly define the terms and avoid evidential challenges.
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