William Gard
Partner
Qualifications: BSc (Eng) MICE FCIArb
Admitted a solicitor 1995
Partner from 1998
Tel: + 44 (0) 117 902 7706
william.gard@burges-salmon.com
Will joined Burges Salmon as a Partner in May 2003. He is a chartered civil engineer as well as a solicitor, practising arbitrator and adjudicator and has over 25 years' infrastructure projects experience.
Will specialises in energy and infrastructure projects procurement and disputes. He has particular expertise in the design, construction and operation of civil engineering, process and energy projects, an area in which he has practised since the mid 1990's.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Will is also a specialist in arbitration and adjudication. He is a committee member of the Technology and Construction Court Solicitors' Association and regularly appointed as adjudicator by the TeCSA, Institution of Civil Engineers and the Law Society.
Will's experience in the industry gives him an excellent understanding of the risks facing the sector. He is praised for "instilling confidence in clients" and for his "no nonsense approach" (Chambers UK 2011).
His recent experience includes:
- Advising the developer (MeyGen Ltd) on a major tidal energy project in the Pentland Firth
- Leading the team advising the developer (Helius Energy plc) on a number of renewable energy biomass power station projects (including its award winning 7.2MW Rothes/CoRDe and 65MW Stallingborough projects and a number of other 100MW schemes)
- Advising on a number of waste to energy projects including, the design and construction contractor (Costain Ltd) on the Greater Manchester Waste PFI project, the Authority (Devon CC) on its new waste to energy facility and the developer (New Earth) on the Scottish Borders project
- Advising the bank in relation to of a number of project financed biomass/waste to energy projects
- Advising developers and civil engineering and marine contractor on a number of onshore and offshore wind farm projects
- Advising developers and contractors on a number of PV solar and hydro projects throughout the UK.
A significant proportion of Will’s practice includes advising clients in relation to potential and actual disputes in the engineering and infrastructure projects sectors and ranges from advising on the merits of potential claims to troubleshooting on complex projects and ultimately formal proceedings where necessary. He has also been appointed as Arbitrator or Adjudicator on over 70 occasions over the last 15 years.