Laura Riddeck

"Laura understands client drivers and is able to expertly navigate complex negotiations, always bearing in mind the desired outcome."
Chambers UK, Construction: Non-contentious client

“Laura has always been extremely proactive, keeping us informed at every stage and ensuring that matters progress efficiently. What stands out most is her ability to handle complex issues with confidence while maintaining a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach.”
Chambers UK, Construction: Non-contentious

"Laura is very customer-oriented, intelligent, knowledgeable and is able to find solutions which land with the customer as well. "
Chambers UK, Construction: Non-contentious client

"Laura Riddeck is a leading choice for developers within the renewable energy and shipping sectors."
Legal 500 UK, Real estate: Construction: Non-contentious

“The best support (you) could ask for.”
Chambers UK, Construction: Non-contentious client

“Very goal-oriented, constructive and customer-friendly.”
Chambers UK, Construction: Non-contentious client

Laura advises on construction and engineering projects within the Projects and Construction group at Reed Smith. Laura is recognised as a Rising Star by the London Super Lawyers List for Construction and Civil Engineering and a Next Generation Partner in Legal 500 UK for Real Estate Construction: Non-Contentious. Laura is described by Chambers UK 2023-2024 as “the best support (you) could ask for” and is noted for being “very goal-oriented, constructive and customer-friendly”.

Experience

Representative matters

Acting for a large Chinese developer on its $1 billion project in Nine Elms, a substantial mixed use development of more than one million square feet comprising 491 apartments, a five-star hotel and towers of 60 and 43 storeys

Assisting with documentation for the construction of a port terminal in Costa Rica with a value of around $900million

Assisted in representing the developer of a £60m project to design and build a data centre in Birmingham, in a phased development; project utilised finance raised by a novel and complex tax break structure, with bespoke and complex documentation

Experience

Assisting with documentation for the construction of a port terminal in Costa Rica with a value of around $900million

Advising on construction aspects of the acquisition of First Street, Manchester, a site undergoing a phased programme of development including the construction of a hotel, multi storey car park, retail units, cultural hub and associated public realm works

Advising on the legal consequences of a force majeure incident at loading facilities at a port in Brazil, including an urgent requirement to construct and install replacement loading facilities

Advising Rwandan Cricket Stadium Foundation in relation to its development of a cricket stadium in Rwanda. Work included various pieces of strategic advice in relation to procurement of the contractor and professional team, and the drafting and negotiation of the building contract for the project.

Drafting and negotiating the building contract and related appointments for the construction of a warehouse and office space at Winnersh Triangle, including negotiating with the prospective tenant and funder

Advising the developer in relation to a development at Canada Water Dockside, which will comprise multiple office buildings, affordable housing and purpose build student accommodation, and amenity areas

Acting for the developer on the redevelopment of the former “In and Out” club in London into a 5* hotel with residential and commercial elements, including drafting and negotiating multiple building contracts and appointments of design and construction professionals for the scheme, as well as providing ongoing project counsel advice

Advising the developer on all construction aspects of the redevelopment of the iconic Admiralty Arch in central London

Advising the developer on the construction of a residential and office scheme, which will comprise 30 super prime apartments, office space and a gym and will be a ‘higher risk building’ under the new UK regulatory environment

Advising a developer on the conversion of the former Topshop on Oxford Street, London; the new space comprises retail and office premises and involves a comprehensive refurbishment of a complex building

Advising in relation to the development of a hotel in Soho, London

Advising in relation to the redevelopment of multiple plots in Newcastle, including several new office buildings, a substantial refurbishment of a mall, and conversion of a former police/fire station into a boutique hotel

Drafting and negotiating construction documents for a phased development at Manchester Royal Exchange

Acting for the developer of a £40m mixed-use scheme in central London, comprising apartments, retail, offices and a public art gallery

Advising on the acquisition of a number of active and under construction wind farms in Greece

Advising in relation to an EPC contract for a large onshore wind farm in Eastern Europe

Advising on a number of contracts for the 1.2GW Seagreen offshore wind farm in Scotland, which reached financial close in 2020

Advising a turbine contractor in relation to contracts for a series of connected offshore wind farms off the coast of England, with a combined output of 3.6GW

Assisting a turbine contractor in relation to the supply and servicing of turbines for a 1GW wind farm in Taiwan

Advising on contracts relating to the wind turbines for an 800MW offshore wind farm in the United States, near Martha’s Vineyard

Advising on a turbine supply agreement, service and warranty agreement and long term supply agreement for several offshore wind farms in Germany

Advising on a turbine supply and service and warranty agreements for a 1.4GW offshore wind farm in the UK

Advising a major UK retailer in relation to a phased automation project, with contracts based on the FIDIC Yellow Book and MF/1 forms

Advising a contractor on the negotiation of an EPC contract for the construction of a tank terminal in Turkey for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline

Advising the developer following the acquisition of a decommissioned LNG import facility and pipeline, in relation to various contracts for the restoration of existing infrastructure and the construction of a Floating Storage Regasification Unit

Advising the developer on a strategic land/regeneration project at Kirkstall Forge, Leeds, a 65-acre site brown field industrial site which, when developed, will include over 1,300 new homes, 178,000 square feet of offices, support facilities including bars, restaurants, health and fitness, a riverside hotel and the preservation of an existing Grade II listed Forge building

Advising a leading global health care and medical research company on construction aspects of its lease of the 53,283 square foot building 1

Advising Microsoft on its construction requirements

Acting for banks such as Santander and Barclays in relation to the provision of development finance

Advising the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council with a FIDIC contract for geotechnical works

Assisting on the construction of a wind turbine manufacturing plant acting for the wind turbine manufacturer

Advising in relation to the procurement, design and construction of a new flagship manufacturing facility for an international defence contractor

Advising a US water technology sub-contractor and supporting on negotiations in relation to a number of contracts for supply and installation of water treatment products in projects in the UK

Recognitions

Ranked as Up and Coming in Chambers UK for London Construction: Non-contentious, 2023-2026: “Laura is very goal-oriented, constructive and customer-friendly. She is the best support for our project we could ask for.”
Listed as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 UK for Real Estate Construction: Non-Contentious, 2023-2027