Bill Barton

Director and Past President of Leeds Law Society, Director at Barton Legal Limited

Bill has specialised in contentious and non-contentious construction for over 30 years, having been a partner with Walker Morris, Watson Burton and DLA Piper.

He has particular expertise in drafting and negotiating specialist bespoke contracts whether in relation to wind farms, renewable energy such as biomass, office and industrial developments, colleges or standard construction projects. As a result, he is experienced in drafting amendments to and negotiating not only standard forms of contract such as JCT, NEC and ICE, but also the FIDIC Red and Silver books as well as IChemE Burgundy, Red and Yellow books.

Bill’s experience ranges from industrial developments in Hull, to Colleges in Stock and Lancashire, from Scottish and Welsh wind farms to oil tank farms in Ghana, from construction contracts in Greece to a pharmaceutical plant in Liverpool, from bottling production and supply contracts to PFI contracts, waste management contracts to contracts for Housing Associations.

Bill acts for specialist sub contractors, colleges and developers providing advice on contracts, adjudication, arbitration and litigation as well as advising foreign clients on international contracts under English Jurisdiction.

Bill also provides specialist construction advice and assistance to other law firms that do not have construction expertise.

Bill is a qualified mediator and a Fellow of the Institute of Arbitrators. He has substantial experience in conducting adjudications, mediations and arbitrations as well as litigation within the TCC, ICC and LCIA.

He regularly advises international clients from places as varied as Geneva, Milan, Durban and Tunis on their international construction projects.

Bill is an occasional lecturer at Leeds University Department of Engineering and has prepared and delivered seminars both in house and at conferences both nationally and internationally. Outside of work, Bill has numerous personal interests including hockey, running, cycling, golf and travel.