Stevens & Bolton Podcast Channel

Construction Law: ”Back to Basics” - How do you deal with change during the construction of the works?

In the third episode of our Construction Law “Back to Basics” podcast, Gwilym Evans and Chris Lamb look at why it’s important to make allowances in your contracts to reflect the likelihood that changes might arise on a project after works have begun. In particular, this podcast touches on:

• common contractual mechanisms for managing changes and variations to the contract
• what is meant by “provisional sums” and how these work in practice
• who takes responsibility for any changes when it comes to additional time and costs that may be incurred as a result of a change

The S&B reDRess Podcast - Termination

Termination of contracts is often at the core of many commercial disputes. Terminating when there is no legal right to do so, or getting the mechanics of termination wrong, can have dire consequences. In episode 4 of our S&B reDRess podcast Catherine Penny and Lucy Hall address parties’ rights to terminate, how they ought to be deployed, and the pitfalls of getting it wrong.

Construction Law: ”Back to Basics” - What should your construction contract include?

In the second episode of our Construction Law "Back to Basics" podcast, Chris Lamb and Samuel Burnage consider the key practical points you need to ensure are captured within the body of any building contract entered into, including:

• warnings surrounding the use of off the shelf building contracts
• caps on liability
• insurance responsibilities for both the contractor and developer
• liquidated damages

Commercial Contract Podcast - ESG

Episode 7 of our Commercial Contracts 22 podcast focuses on the important topic of environmental, social and governance (ESG) values. Beverley Flynn, head of commercial and technology is joined by commercial partner, Nicola Broadhurst to discuss practical tips on improving your commercial contracts with your sustainability goals in mind. The episode covers:

• ESG – what is it
• Greenwashing explained
• What legal resources are there
• Top tips

Construction Law: ”Back to Basics” - What do you need to think about at procurement? How to get your project off the ground?

Welcome to the Construction Law "Back to Basics" podcast – a series of podcasts by Stevens & Bolton’s construction and engineering team designed to provide listeners with an overview of the core construction law principles you need to be aware of throughout the key stages of a construction project. Whether you are procuring a professional team or looking to pursue a claim, our series of podcasts hopes to provide you with a succinct summary of the practical points that need to be at the forefront of your mind as a project moves from conception to completion.

In this first episode, Claire Perry and Samuel Burnage focus on procurement with a look at procurement options, the different procurement routes commonly used in the UK and the reasons why different procurement routes might be suitable for different projects and/or clients.

The S&B People Podcast: Business protection - from confidential information to competing employees

Tom Lingard, Head of our Intellectual Property team, joins Rebecca Berry from our employment team to discuss the thorny issue of how businesses can protect themselves against rogue current and former employees misusing confidential information. They also discuss the extent to which former employees can be restricted from competing after their employment has ended, and what options are open to employers.

R&I Spotlight - Half year insolvency round-up

Welcome to the R&I Spotlight podcast – a new series from the finance, restructuring and insolvency team at Stevens & Bolton focusing on key issues in the world of R&I. In this first episode, Matthew Padian, Helen Martin and Lucy Trott provide a half year insolvency update, looking at trends in the latest insolvency figures and making predictions for the months ahead.

The S&B reDRess Podcast - Alternative Dispute Resolution

There has been a renewed focus on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in recent times with many believing it should now form a compulsory part of the litigation process. Hence why, in episode 3 of our S&B reDRess Podcast, Catherine Penny and Alasdair McDowell consider what it is, the different types of ADR, and why disputing parties need to consider it in the early stages of a dispute.

Commercial Contracts Podcast – Costs, RPI and COGS - cost charging mechanisms examined in light of inflation

Episode 6 of our Commercial Contracts 22 podcast focuses on the thorny issue of inflation and costs, RPI and Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) from the perspective of standard terms and conditions, master services agreements and outsourcing arrangements. Beverley Flynn, head of commercial and technology is joined by commercial partner, Charlie Maurice to discuss this topical issue and the options available.

 In these cost-pressured times we discuss:

• Pricing clauses in contracts and issues to consider from both customer and supplier perspectives
• How contract prices are often recalculated, including the various indices (e.g. RPI, CPI) used to do so and some of the differences between them
• Issues with RPI and the latest on its replacement as an official measure of inflation
• Rise in COGS and trends we are seeing in the market following material events such as Brexit and the effect of Covid

Commercial Contracts Podcast – Insolvency considerations

Episode 5 of our Commercial Contracts 22 podcast focuses on changes to insolvency legislation and how this may affect your standard terms and conditions.

Beverley Flynn, head of Stevens & Bolton’s commercial and technology team is joined by our co-head of restructuring and insolvency, Tim Carter to discuss practical tips on drafting and improving your commercial contracts. The episode includes:

• Suppliers beware: the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 introduced a bar on the termination of contracts by reason of insolvency
• The essential facts: covering the type of insolvency proceedings, how suppliers (and customers) are effected and which contracts
• Standard terms: how can suppliers better protect their position