The Team

Jo Kelly

I am a construction lawyer with over 25 years of experience acting for developers, investors, funds, and contractors. I’ve acted on residential, commercial, and student accommodation schemes, including forward-funded and debt-financed schemes. My practice includes advising on JCT, FIDIC, and NEC, consultant appointments, and warranties.

Areas of Expertise

Commercial Contracts
Construction Projects
Construction & Engineering Law
Construction & Engineering Disputes
Construction & Engineering
Green Energy

Our Service

I am a construction lawyer with over 25 years of experience acting for developers, investors, funds, and contractors. I’ve acted on residential, commercial, and student accommodation schemes, including forward-funded and debt-financed schemes. My practice includes advising on JCT, FIDIC, and NEC, consultant appointments, and warranties.

I’ve spent my entire career working in the construction industry. I love collaborating with developers, architects, engineers, project managers, and contractors to develop or redevelop assets that will be around for a very long time and will change the look and feel of a place.

In construction, there are many documents, particularly if funders are also involved. You need a team of lawyers who can manage the documents and negotiate them efficiently and commercially. My approach to negotiation is collaborative. I seek to find the middle ground and try, where possible, to accommodate the other side’s position while also holding firm on the key issues for the client.

I also get involved in disputes and dispute avoidance, so I understand the issues that are likely to become contentious when I’m drafting the contract. This insight is invaluable. I have experience in mediation, adjudications and TCC proceedings.

Outside of work, I enjoy running (although trying for PBs is so much harder these days!) and very slowly learning to play the piano.

Awards

Client Award 2018 – outstanding service to clients.

Experience

Acting on multiple forward funded residential schemes for Telford Homes at Battersea, Wandsworth, Brentford ranging from 1000 unit schemes to 200 units.
Acting for Big Yellow across its multiple self-storage sites preparing the construction documents for appointment of its contractors and consultants.
Acting for Saracens in the redevelopment of its East and West stands.
Acting for an institutional developer in a dispute involving defective cladding at one of its sites, multi-party action against its professional team.
Acting for Shiva Hotels across its multiple development sites in London including its sites at Marylebone Lane (BoTree), Great Marlborough Street/Poland Street and City Temple Quarter.

Jo is commercially astute and a great technical lawyer. She is a pleasure to work with.

Joanne's advice is very balanced and factual. She fully understands the commercial drivers and the contracting process to a very high degree.

Jo is very diligent, practical and knowledgeable, plus her interpersonal skills are very good.

She is really responsive and thorough. She gives excellent client service and is extremely user-friendly.

Joanne Kelly is outstanding and excellent in every way. Very approachable, a great negotiator and superb technical lawyer.

Our People