Jessica is a Legal Director in the Litigation and Regulatory department in Leeds. She has worked on a broad range of litigation and arbitration matters for corporate and public sector clients and has particular experience in large complex commercial disputes as well as procurement and public law work. Her clients include Government as well as companies in a range of sectors including IT, health, logistics and transport.
Jessica has experience of working on large high profile procurement cases and has advised both Government and private sector clients throughout a procurement process in respect of mitigating procurement risks, defending and bringing challenges. Jessica also provides risk and contractual management advice throughout the contract life cycle. She often works alongside non-contentious colleagues and public sector clients to support pre-dispute or contract management work to help assess risks and support renegotiation or resetting of projects and the settlement of disputes.
As well as court litigation and arbitration she has experience of regulatory investigations and Alternative Dispute Resolution including expert determination and mediation.
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
EXPERIENCE
Acted for the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) in a claim for judicial review brought by the campaigning group, the Good Law Project Limited (GLP). The challenge concerned the award of contracts by DHSC in 2020 to Abingdon Health Limited (now Abingdon Health plc) to develop and produce an antibody lateral flow device test. These tests were meant to help contain the spread of COVID-19. GLP argued that the contract awards were unlawful and were vitiated by inter alia breaches of the public procurement regime and domestic public law, e.g. the contract awards were tainted by apparent bias. The proceedings were heavily contested and have resulted in several important interim rulings by Mr Justice Fraser in relation to e.g. searches of the personal email and WhatsApp accounts of the former Secretary of State, Matt Hancock MP. Jessica was heavily involved in managing the large and complex disclosure process.
Acted for Hitachi Rail Limited on a high value procurement challenge against London Underground Limited. Jessica was involved in dealing with e-disclosure, witness evidence and expert evidence before the claim settled on confidential terms.
Acted for the Secretary of State for Transport in the 2019 Rail Franchising Litigation (a complex and high-value commercial judicial review claim).
Acted for NHS England and Public Health England in defence of a procurement challenge by Roche. The claim related to the competition to award a contract for the introduction of certain diagnostic testing. This matter involved complex disclosure issues and the team also provided advice to NHS England after the case settled in respect of future procurements and detailed how procurement risks could be mitigated going forward.
Acted for a global bank in respect of regulatory investigations. Jessica was seconded to the bank's Markets and Investments arm and assisted with a number of regulatory investigations. Her work involved working with the bank's e-disclosure team to locate and access necessary documentation, interviewing senior management and assisting with the preparation of submissions.
Acted for the NHS National Programme for IT on a dispute relating to the termination of a GBP1.4bn contract.
Advised a government body in relation to disputes with a DBFO Company providing services in connection with a major motorway. Achieved successful expert determination as to the correct interpretation of a contractual clause.
Advised on warranty claims arising from large scale corporate transactions.
Acted for Zurich Insurance Company in bringing successful LCIA Arbitration proceedings in London in respect of a breach of indemnity in a Sale and Purchase Agreement.
