Steve has worked as a commercial consultant for over 30 years and is a founding partner of GVE Commercial Solutions offering a range of commercial services to contractors and specialist subcontractors within the UK construction industry. He is an NEC advisor/trainer, expert practitioner, contract claims specialist and is the commercial lead for his clients in adjudication management and commercial/risk management.

He has worked on a wide range of projects requiring legal interpretation including acting as an advocate witness, preparation of adjudication submissions, examination of detailed claim documentation and production of bespoke contract suites containing main and subcontracts.

He is an NEC specialist having authored numerous published articles in the NEC newsletter and other recognised publications. He has also co-authored articles with solicitor practitioners and other organisations such as the Met Office.

In addition, he has worked as commercial manager responsible for the financial control of a South East-based specialist engineering company as well as taking the commercial lead for his clients at GVE.

Specialties: dispute resolution, claims, adjudication management, expert advocate work, training, rail and road, piling, building, frameworks, steel, energy and utilities, international work and marine, ports & waterways.

 

Project Highlights | Commercial Management and Consultation; Dispute Prevention and Resolution; Adjudication Management

Managing Director, GVE Commercial Solutions Limited (2005 – current)

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DDS Demolition Ltd 

Contract advice and NEC expertise.

 

Newton & Frost Fencing Ltd

Various commercial and contractual support; NEC training workshops.

 

Gallagher Group

Various

Commercial and contractual support; dispute resolution; pre-contract advice.

 

Highway Care Ltd

Training and various

Commercial and contractual support; NEC training workshops.

 

Amaro Signalling Ltd

Training

NEC training workshop.

 

Kilnbridge Construction Services Ltd

Various

Commercial and contractual support; NEC training workshops.

 

Fuse Rail Ltd

Various

Commercial and contractual support; NEC training workshops.

 

McNealy Brown Ltd

Training and various

Commercial support; NEC training workshops; dispute avoidance.

 

Honeywell Building Solutions Ltd

Holland Park Villas

Final Account and adjudication support; loss and expense claim; expert quantum report - working alongside Howard Kennedy LLP.

 

Bouygues UK Ltd

A14 Communications and Lighting Works

NEC3 project - advice and guidance.

 

G&H Engineering Ltd

Various

Commercial support; dispute avoidance; reviewing contracts and NEC training workshops; adjudication management and litigation preparation - working alongside Howard Kennedy LLP.

 

Barhale Ltd

Dispute work

Adjudication support; production of expert reports - working alongside Fenwick Elliott LLP.

 

Aarsleff

Various

Dispute avoidance work.

 

C A Blackwell

Southall Waterside

Claims and programming management; adjudication support - working with Womble Bond Dickinson LLP.

 

K&N Surfacing Ltd
Various
Commercial support - draft a new set of terms and conditions.

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Carbon Dynamics (CLDB) Ltd
Dyson Pods          
Contractual advice (NEC3); advice on heavily amended NEC3 terms and conditions.

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McNealy Brown Ltd
Volker Stevin dispute           
Dispute avoidance (NEC3); negotiated settlement with contractor.

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Focus Paving Ltd
Kings Crescent, Hackney    
Commercial consultant; preparation of final account; dispute avoidance - working with Fenwick Elliott LLP.

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Enzen Global Ltd
Eight 2O Package 6             
Review contract (NEC3); advice on terms and conditions.

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Jackson Civil Engineering
Dover Harbour Board         
Dispute management (NEC3); resolve statement between contractor and employer.

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Fayat Piling Ltd
UCLH London      
Commercial consultant; £8m piling project (piles and diaphragm wall); daily NEC management and dispute avoidance with Fenwick Elliott LLP.

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Blu-3 Ltd
Lewisham             
Commercial consultant; NEC advice and dispute avoidance; drafting new/bespoke subcontract form.

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Kier Group
Training                
Adjudication forum held jointly with Tony Bingham.

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Kier Group
Training                
Nationwide five-year training plan to 2020; NEC.

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Oakes Ground Engineering
Bristol Parkway   
Adjudications (5no), preparation of adjudication documents and adjudication management; non-payment of account (NEC) circa £2m.

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J Murphy & Sons Ltd

Welsh Water

Commercial consultant: £0.5m compensation event: physical/ ground/ biological conditions, contractual difficulties, parties amended NEC standard terms.

Lockmetal

Care Home, Coventry

Commercial consultant; JCT, subcontractor termination, extension of time v LAD’s, successfully settled pre-adjudication.

 

Costain Abu Dhabi             
Das Island             
Commercial consultant; preparation of extension of time/loss and expense claim and advice on strategy for recovery of sums due.

 

Jacal Construction

Olympic Park, Basketball Arena

Adjudication; preparation of adjudication documents and adjudication management to a successful conclusion, Local Democracy Act and non-payment of invoices - working with Laytons Solicitors LLP. 

 

Byrne Brothers Ltd

Hammersmith LUL

Commercial management and adjudication; retrospective analysis of time and money claims on NEC3 project, management of subcontractor account, 3 No adjudications administered with Fenwick Elliott LLP.

 

4Delivery Ltd

Ashford Sludge Treatment Centre

Commercial management and adjudication; financial assessment of subcontractor’s claims, auditing of open book contract documentation, claim evaluation and risk analysis, negotiation and settlement of variations and extensions of time claims, preparation of adjudication submissions and response documentation, strategic dispute avoidance and mitigation measures - working with Addleshaw Goddard LLP.
 

VolkerFitzpatrick

Olympic Park

Commercial consultant; advice and assistance in the pursuit of extension of time and variation claims against the client.  

 

Pararail Ltd

Stations & Depots Dilapidations Project

Commercial management and adjudication: management of commercial team following ‘at will’ termination of the contractor; final account procedure following termination; consultation advice and management of dispute resolution through adjudication; including appointment of legal representation; member of the creditors committee during liquidation proceedings - working with Addleshaw Goddard LLP. 

 

CB&I UK Ltd

Project Chile LNG Terminal

Commercial consultant: evaluation of subcontractor’s large scale marine variations including off-shore piling; jetty superstructure and pipelines; visit to site in Chile to attend site meetings with subcontractor and carry out forensic investigation.

 

Birse Civils Ltd

A228 Leybourne and West Malling Bypass

Commercial management; procurement of subcontractors and drafting subcontract documents; package management; submission of compensation events to client and change management.

Ernst & Young

Administration of Dew Construction (in receivership)

Commercial consultant: production of documentation for future adjudication proceedings; appointment by DLA Piper solicitors on behalf of Ernst & Young to provide advocate expert evidence in a dispute with architect and insurance company over negligent design; finalised remaining Dew Construction projects and interests on behalf of the appointed administrator.

 

Dockguard Ltd

Fujuirah Marine Port, Dubai

Commercial management: negotiation of claims on a large marine contract; liaison with UK based solicitors on behalf of client; production of an arbitration plan involving attending meetings in both the UK and Dubai offices.

 

May Gurney        
East Sussex County Council

Analysis of financial data to compare yearly cost/value returns culminating in a report containing recommendations for future planning of works with best value subcontractors.

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