People
Joanna Lewis
Partner
Bristol
Jo is a partner in the construction and engineering and professional indemnity departments.
She has extensive experience in advising professional indemnity insurers and their insureds in the construction industry having represented large multidisciplinary consultants, Civil and structural engineers, M&E engineers, architects, approved inspectors, surveyors and project managers and their professional indemnity insurers, advising on high value complex litigation in the TCC as well as mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Jo specialises in adjudication both in bringing high value fee claim adjudications and defending professional negligence adjudications including a multi-million-pound double adjudication arising out of a high profile PFI project, complex quantum and delay adjudications and technically complex architect and engineering claims.
Jo has been instructed on some of the leading judgments for construction professionals including acting for the structural and M&E engineers in McGlinn v Waltham Contractors [2007] EWHC 149 (TCC), acting for the QS and Project Manager in Russell v PSP [2019] EWHC 831 (TCC), acting for the Third Surveyor in Gray v Elite Town Management [2016] EWCA Civ 1318 and connected hearings in particular Gray v Crowley.
In recent times she has acted for structural engineers on a c.£300m international arbitration in the UAE and for the Maltese government on a c.£100m arbitration in relation to structural defects in a hospital. Jo is also acting in numerous fire safety claims including defending an architect in a high value cladding and fire safety adjudication in relation to high rise student accommodation and in the multi party cladding claim SCL v Kingspan & Others one of the top 20 cases for 2024. Jo also regularly handles the civil claims arising out of the health and safety disputes which she is instructed on.
Jo advises insurers and their insureds in relation to health and safety and regulatory law. She advises on all aspects of an investigation and / or prosecution including what to do after an accident, coroner’s inquests, regulatory offences, sentencing and insurance cover. She is currently leading many of the Firm’s most high-profile health and safety matters, having played a key part in such cases from early on in her career. She is well known and highly regarded by clients and is often the key point of contact for new instructions in this field.
Jo’s health and safety experience includes:
- Acting for M&E engineers in relation to the multiple fatalities which occurred on 14 June 2017 when a fire engulfed Grenfell Tower in London. This is the subject of a Public Inquiry as well as an extensive Police, London Fire Brigade and HSE investigation. The advice and assistance being provided is in relation to all the potential proceedings arising out of this tragedy including the Public Inquiry, any Criminal proceedings, any Civil Proceedings and any Inquests.
- Acting for façade engineers in relation the fatality of a member of the public when glazing fell during construction of a new high end residential tower including the HSE investigation, the civil claims and the ongoing project works.
- Acting for consultants in relation to an HSE investigation for breaches in relation to the handling of asbestos on a construction site for new social housing.
- Acting for a director in relation to the HSE investigation following the collapse of a wall at a London dock site which caused the death of a worker on site.
- Acting for multi-disciplinary design consultants in the Police investigation and civil claims following four fatalities on site during the demolition of a Power Station.
Acting for multi-disciplinary design consultants in relation to the HSE investigation and civil claims following a worker suffering life changing injuries whilst working on a network rail site.
Jo is a member of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering’s (ACE) Health & Safety Group and the International Underwriting Association’s (IUA) Surveyor Working Group. She also sat on the Board of the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspectors Register (CICAIR) and is a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).