Eleanor Kerslake BA, MA

Legal Director

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About

Eleanor Kerslake is a projects lawyer with particular experience in the infrastructure, defence, transport, and emergency services sectors. Her clients include central government and other public bodies, private sector contractors and major lending institutions.

Eleanor has led on advising and drafting major, often novel, public contracts as well as providing complex and strategic advice on key areas of legal risk.

Areas of FocusEnergy and Natural Resources Industrials Infrastructure, Construction and Transport Technology Projects and Project Finance

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, 2010

EXPERIENCE

UK Ministry of Defence on the National Flagship Project. Eleanor acts as the lead senior lawyer on all design, manufacturer, procurement and contractual arrangements on this one of kind flagship procurement (2022).
Lower Thames Crossing advising Highways England on key commercial, design and construction arrangements as well as legal and procurement risk on the most ambitious roads project since the M25 with an estimated budget of around GBP6.8bn (2019 to present). Eleanor led on supporting Highways England on third party arrangements including with major statutory undertakers (2019 to 2021).
Heathrow Expansion Programme: advising the Department for Transport on its multi-billion pound programme for additional airport capacity in the South East, including the recommendation of Heathrow Airport Limited as the Government’s preferred scheme and the Department’s engagement strategy with major stakeholders. Eleanor was instrumental in developing innovative solutions to challenges on this unique project such as the Relationship Framework Document between the Department and Heathrow (2015 to present).
Intercity Express Programme (IEP): advising the preferred bidder, Agility Trains, a consortium comprising Hitachi and John Laing for the multi-award winning GBP4.5bn replacement of rolling stock and services for the Great Western Mainline and East Coast Mainline routes, including on all shareholder arrangements and subsequent secondary market investment.
Caledonian Sleepers: advising the Serco-owned train operating company on its successful GBP800m franchise award and rolling stock procurement for the Caledonian Sleepers overnight rail service drafting and negotiating key agreements with rolling stock and maintenance suppliers.
MSHATF: providing on-going advice to CAE Aircrew Training Services Plc in respect of its Concession Contract with UK Ministry of Defence and other third party contracts relating to the Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility. Eleanor lead on the transformation of this project (the first UK Defence PFI) to ensure future training reflected the Authority and client’s requirements and ambitions (2010 to present).

Languages

Education

University of Sheffield, Legal Practice Course, Distinction, 2008

University of Sheffield, Law MA, Commendation, 2007

University: University of Sussex, Degree: English Literature BA, First Class, 2004

Memberships And Affiliations