Sophie Phillips

I am an associate in Bird & Bird's UK Construction Group based in London and am part of the wider Real Estate Group.

I am an experienced non-contentious construction lawyer advising on a range of construction projects, including real estate and infrastructure developments both in the UK and internationally across a wide range of sectors, including data centres, logistics, hotels, warehousing, student accommodation and general commercial projects. I act for a mix of commercial clients, including project sponsors, employers, developers, contractors, purchasers and tenants.

I review, advise on, report on, draft and negotiate building contracts (including JCT, NEC, FIDIC and bespoke forms) and call off framework agreements, as well as pre-construction services agreements, letters of intent and professional team appointments and ancillary documents, including letters of reliance, parent company guarantees, bonds and collateral warranties.

I have a particular interest in logistics, data centres and sustainable construction. My experience on these projects (amongst others) means that I understand that coordinating the negotiation and appointment of multiple parties on any development project is crucial for our clients and therefore for our client services. As such, I look to understand the different priorities for each client in detail and tailor my advice accordingly, depending on the different commercial and practical pressures each project faces.