Specialist construction solicitor Lawrence Pearce speaks on a podcast about intelligent construction management

Back in May, Holmes & Hills’ specialist construction solicitor, Lawrence Pearce joined Paul Heming, Quantity Surveyor and founder of C-Link, on his construction industry-specific podcast ‘Own The Build’.

The episode focused on the importance of the Entire Agreement clause. Lawrence and Paul discussed the significance of this clause within construction contracts, as this clause often goes under the radar within the construction industry although its use within contracts and contract management is becoming more frequent. Together, they unpicked how commercially you can dispute the clause, but contractually it can be challenging to legally dispute the clause should it differ from documentation or correspondence which was exchanged during the tender process/pre-contract and which may have been considered to be legally binding.

Lawrence spoke in-depth about how to the manage risk of the entire agreement clause by ensuring that a thorough contract review is undertaken in advance of signing. This, and in turn, being informed and having a clear understanding of the clauses within contracts, can help protect your construction business.

Lawrence and Paul had further discussions on the state of play of the construction industry. Comments were made as to how currently the industry is a difficult space to be in; there is increased distress, cashflow is fraught, there are tight profit margins, and the rising cost of materials is making the impact of disputes and loss of payment of high importance to Lawrence’s construction clients.

Moreover, they spoke of the long-standing reluctance of construction industry professionals to seek legal advice, but Lawrence encouraged those in the industry to speak up, communicate in writing, and have strong internal processes to manage their construction contracts. He encouraged listeners to seek advice early to avoid costly disputes, and to keep the money flowing within the industry.

Lawrence also commented on his journey to becoming a specialist lawyer in Construction Law. Lawrence spoke with great passion about the construction industry, and he talked of how he and the other solicitors in Holmes & Hills Solicitors Construction Division are striving to educate the sector on how to avoid disputes before they arise. He commented that there is a material appetite for content and training on how to avoid disputes from those working in the field of construction.