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Our lawyers contribute regularly to industry and legal journals in addition to writing legal briefings, newsletters and case reports for clients and contacts. All of our articles are free to read and download here.
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Mind the Gap: AI Efficiency, Human Oversight and the Risks in Between
July 2026As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into professional services, the benefits and the risks are revealing themselves. Initial assumptions of boundless productivity gains are being met with real-world challenges around the quality of output and the reliability of human oversight. AI appears to create visible savings at the point of production; however, the potential… Read More >
When does a Final Statement become a Final Final Statement?
July 2026In Oakland Wantage Care Homes Limited -v- Stepnell Limited [2026] EWHC 1530 (TCC), the Court considered what constituted a Final Statement under a JCT Design & Build Contract. The parties entered into a JCT Design & Build Contract (2016 edition), subject to a bespoke schedule of amendments. The Works on the project were certified as… Read More >
The CMA’s road and rail report: how to stop it gathering dust
July 2026The CMA’s civil engineering market study finds that fragmented, short-term procurement of road and rail infrastructure is leaving potential savings of up to £5bn a year unrealised and makes 19 recommendations for reform. The greatest risk in our view is not rejection, but polite acceptance followed by inertia. The sector has been diagnosed before, from… Read More >
TCC Guide 2026: Key Developments for Building Safety, Procurement and AI
July 2026On 1 July 2026, the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary published the Technology and Construction Court Guide 2026. This fourth edition represents the most significant update to TCC practice since 2022 and reflects extensive consultation with judges and court users. While the Guide contains a range of procedural updates, three developments are particularly noteworthy: the introduction… Read More >
Beale & Co advises NIRAS on its acquisition of engineering consultancy IPDS
July 2026Beale & Co has advised international engineering consultant NIRAS on its acquisition of IPDS (Intelligent Project Design Services), a UK-based engineering consultancy providing project engineering design and specialist services across a broad range of process industries, including renewable energy, petrochemical, chemical, and pharmaceutical. IPDS’s core offering spans process, mechanical, civil/structural, and electrical, instrumentation and control… Read More >
Canada’s Data Centre Boom: What the Construction Industry Needs to Know
July 2026The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and digital infrastructure is driving a significant expansion of Canada’s data centre sector. While data centres have historically been a relatively niche asset class within the construction industry, they are quickly becoming one of the most important areas of development across North America. Recent announcements and… Read More >
NEC4 Project Alliance Contract: A New Era for Collaborative Contracting
July 2026The introduction of the NEC4 Project Alliance Contract (PAC) is a significant milestone in the evolution of collaborative contracting within the construction and engineering industries. Developed to replace the NEC4 Alliance Contract (ALC) and, over time, the PPC2000 Project Partnering Contract, PAC brings together the strengths of several well-established alliance models into a single, modern… Read More >
Global Vantage: Saudi Arabia’s International Arbitration Ambitions
July 2026Saudi Arabia is quietly repositioning itself as a serious international arbitration destination, and the legal framework is catching up fast. Earlier this year, we reported on China’s revised Arbitration Law coming into force (Global Vantage | Revised Arbitration Law of China comes into force). We have been watching a broader global trend: jurisdictions actively competing… Read More >
ADR reforms in Public Works Contracts strengthen infrastructure delivery in Ireland
July 2026On 16 June 2026, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation announced important amendments to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provisions under Public Works Contracts (PWC). [1] Minister Jack Chambers told the Oireachtas that the reforms aim to improve efficiency, reduce disputes and lower costs in supporting the better delivery of public… Read More >
In Competition… Competition & Public Procurement Law: June 2026 Update
July 2026Welcome to the eleventh edition of In Competition. June saw new and maturing regimes produce hard legal and commercial consequences. In Brussels, the Commission imposed interim measures against Meta and the EU General Court confirmed the breadth of the Commission’s document-gathering powers. In the UK, the FCA moved to settle a competition investigation into commodity… Read More >