Partner - Commercial / Projects and Commercial Property
Professional Background
Eric spent 30 years in the local authority sector of Tredegar UDC, Abertillery UDC and Borough of Blaenau Gwent, where he was town clerk from 1981 to 1989. He became Deputy Chief Executive and Legal Adviser to the Land Authority of Wales from 1989 to 1992 before joining Eversheds in Cardiff where he led the public sector team and property and planning teams of some 80 staff. Eric joined M&A in 2006.
Area of Practice
Eric's practice area is public sector and commercial property with particular expertise in planning, compulsory purchase and compensation, PPP and other development projects.
Eric is recognised as a leading individual by Chambers and Legal 500 for his planning work, projects and PPP. His public sector experience is second to none in Wales and has been described as "the doyen of public law in Wales", "a real star in Cardiff", as someone who "leads from the top" and who is a "leading local government lawyer".
Eric has also been the lead partner on several PFI school projects including:
- Bridgend County Borough Council’s new £15 m secondary school development;
- Ceredigion Council’s new £10m school development;
- Pembrokeshire County Council’s new £15m schools and offices development;
- and Wiltshire County Council’s new £13m school build and infrastructure.
He has spent the last few years successfully defending a local authority against a £44 million claim by a UK clearing bank in relation to a PPP where the private sector did not deliver the scheme. The standard provisions of a PPP/PFI were tested by the funder and the case revealed some fundamental flaws in the standard form of contract for PPP schemes.