Suzanne Reeves

Consultant

Construction

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Expertise

Suzanne headed up the Construction team at Wedlake Bell until 2020 and has been instrumental in its growth to a current team of 10 lawyers. The practice covers all issues relating to construction projects including contract drafting, advice throughout a project and resolving disputes with emphasis in doing so, where possible without recourse to formal proceedings. She has acted for most sectors of the industry and in recent years has acted principally for developers, private healthcare, care homes and later/senior living providers.

Suzanne has over 25 years’ experience in the construction industry involving a wide range of projects large and small, such as hospitals and care homes, residential, office and retail development, manufacturing plant, sports stadiums and infrastructure.

Recent Experience

  • Acting for a number of national private care home developers on numerous developments, financing and sales institutions investors; including innovative development and refurbishment of multiple care homes in a joint venture with a local authority.
  • Acting on conversion and redevelopment of private care homes to later living residential flats.
  • Acting for a national house builder on the development of a number of new-build sites including private and social housing units.
  • Acting for health care providers on various hospital projects and for a health care insurer in relation to a major hospital upgrade and refit.
  • Acting for an international company on construction documentation for a new office building in central London and also advising on numerous issues arising during the construction period and at practical completion.
  • Acting for a developer in relation to a mixed use development to revitalise the centre of a south coast town.
  • Acting for company on new HQ building in central London.

Career History

Suzanne qualified as a solicitor in 1979 and became a partner at Wedlake Bell in 1983. She has long featured as a leading construction lawyer in Legal Business’ Legal Experts, in Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession as a leader in construction and in the Legal 500.

She sits on the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Drafting Sub-Committee and Council, is a (former longstanding committee) member of the Technology and Construction Solicitor’s Association and a member of the Society of Construction Law. She sat on the Government payment review working party that led to the payment provisions of the Construction Act and Scheme for Construction Contracts and subsequent amendments. Suzanne is an accredited adjudicator and CEDR qualified mediator.

Suzanne has a degree in Law from The University of Exeter.

Suzanne Reeves is pragmatic, dedicated, attention driven, and supports the client in delivering to timescales.

Legal 500, 2023

Suzanne Reeves’ depth of knowledge of the sector and our business and very personable nature are highly valued. She has ensured a consistent calibre of associates who always provide a thorough and reliable service. They make it easy for us and have always kept our trust over many years.

Legal 500, 2022

Extremely capable lawyer Suzanne Reeves is head of the firm's construction team

Chambers UK, 2020

"She is a delight to work with, provides extremely reliable advice and is quick to respond,"

Chambers UK, 2018

Suzanne Reeves is "extremely pragmatic and a consummate expert in her field."

Chambers UK, 2017

Suzanne Reeves shows ‘a preparedness to listen and respond with appropriate advice’.

Legal 500, 2016

Department head Suzanne Reeves has noteworthy expertise in a range of sectors including healthcare. One client says: "She knows contractors and knows what their reaction will be before we speak to them."

Chambers UK, 2016

News

Managing Construction Price Inflation – part 3

Below is the third and final entry in this series. For reference, Part 2 can be found here and Part 1 here. Can I lawfully terminate a contract if inflation makes it commerciallyRead more

News

CAN A PARTY LAWFULLY TERMINATE A BUILDING CONTRACT IF COST INFLATION MAKES IT COMMERCIALLY UNVIABLE?

This is a question being asked in the light of both Covid and the war in Ukraine, which have caused significant cost increases in both materials and labour and delays, TheRead more

News

Managing Construction Price Inflation – part 2

Below is Part 2 in this series. Part I can be found here and an earlier post regarding commercial steps that developers can consider to ameliorate the worst effects of inflationary pressuresRead more

News

Managing Construction Price Inflation – part 1

The construction industry has had to mitigate the effects of Brexit and COVID-19 and is now beset with additional inflationary pressures in the wake of the war in Ukraine. ThisRead more

Bulletins

CLAIMING FOR COVID

Covid has become such a major part of our personal and business lives but so far as construction contracts are concerned, where are we a year on? In April 2020Read more

Bulletins

JCT Design and Build 2016 Contract

JCT has published the new edition of 2016 Design and Build Contract in conjunction with the Design and Build Sub-Contract for use with it. The purpose of this note isRead more