Lesley specialises in dispute resolution focusing on the oil & gas industry. She has extensive and wide ranging experience in all aspects of oil & gas and regulatory law.
Lesley specialises in dispute resolution focusing on the oil & gas industry. She has extensive and wide ranging experience in all aspects of oil & gas and regulatory law.
Lesley has worked in the upstream oil & gas sector for over 30 years with particular emphasis on commercial dispute resolution involving high value commercial energy litigation and international arbitrations under LMAA, LCIA, Uncitral and ICC Rules.
Lesley has also gained extensive experience in transactional work and has acted as external lawyer in respect of several large construction projects in the upstream sector, has advised extensively on contract risk management and contract reviews, accident investigation and emergency response, Fatal Accident Inquiries, health and safety prosecutions and prohibition and improvement notice appeals to the Employment Tribunal. She is an accredited mediator.
Lesley represented Occidental following the loss of Piper Alpha in July 1988 at Lord Cullen's Public Inquiry, formed part of a multi-national team which negotiated a mid-Atlantic settlement with the claimants, negotiated and settled claims from the survivors and relatives of the deceased, managed the resulting litigation at the instance of Occidental against Contractors seeking knock-for-knock indemnities and developed first hand knowledge of the UKCS regulatory regime which is founded upon Lord Cullen’s recommendations and has advised extensively on its operation and management responsibilities in relation to regulatory compliance.
Experience
Appointed as external legal adviser and integral member of Operator investigation teams following several major offshore accidents, providing guidance on interface with HSE and DECC, collating and preserving documents and evidence, advising on privilege and confidentiality, preparation of internal reports, potential health & safety and environmental prosecutions, prohibition and improvement notices, contract review, indemnity issues and handling employee and third party claims arising
Advising a UKCS operator on judicial review relating to deep water drilling consent post Macondo
Advising on integrity management failures on offshore installation resulting in service of prohibition notice, platform shut down and threat of prosecution
Advising a UKCS operator on the loss of the Bourbon Dolphin anchor handling vessel during mooring operations west of Shetland with loss of crew and vessel
Acting for an operator on various matters relating to FPSO contracts both in UKCS and internationally, disputes with contractors and joint venturers including disputed pre-emption rights
Advising oil majors on Greenpeace occupation/invasion of assets both offshore and onshore
Advising Cairn Energy India in a dispute regarding taxes payable under a production sharing contract
Advising North Sea operators in relation to damage to CATS pipeline and resultant three month shutdown