Full Profile
Nerissa is a Legal Director in the Abu Dhabi office and has over 12 years of experience in construction law.
Nerissa specialises in non-contentious construction law and is highly experienced in drafting, negotiating and advising on construction documents (bespoke and standard forms) including design and build, construct only, consultancy agreements, EPC, operations and maintenance, framework agreements, and purchase orders.
Nerissa also has considerable experience in advising clients on key stages of a project including procurement, project delivery, risk management and dispute avoidance. Nerissa acts for both government and private clients (including employers, contractors, subcontractors and consultants) in various sectors including infrastructure, energy, oil and gas, education, health, transport and real estate across the GCC region.
Nerissa is ranked as a ‘Recommended’ lawyer in the Legal 500 EMEA 2024 and 2025 guides and is also ranked as a ‘Leading’ lawyer in Doyle’s Guide 2024 listing of leading United Arab Emirates Front-End Construction, Infrastructure & Projects Lawyers.
Experience
- Reviewing and advising on amendments to a bespoke facilities management agreement for an employer client in relation to its commercial development in Saudi Arabia.
- Reviewing and advising on amendments to a bespoke construction contract for an employer client in relation to the substantial redevelopment of its mixed-use development in Saudi Arabia.
- Advising an employer client on a suite of template contracts and procurement for a mixed-use entertainment district in Saudi Arabia.
- Advising an employer client on a suite of template contracts and the associated contract management / administration toolkit for a luxury tourism and hospitality destination in Saudi Arabia.
- Advising an employer client in relation to the construction contract for the renovation of a hospital in Jeddah.
- Advising a contractor client on issues arising out of its contract for the construction of a shopping mall in Dubai.
- Advising an employer client in connection with the procurement of its substantial new warehouse project in Dubai including drafting bespoke amendments to the design and build contract, project management agreement and security documents.
- Advising an employer client in relation to the construction elements of an agreement for lease for a substantial new hospital project in Dubai.
- Reviewing and advising on amendments to a bespoke construction contract for a contractor client in relation to a turnkey design & build residential project in Abu Dhabi.
- Advising a contractor client on the merits of its claims arising under its EPC contracts for works relating to a gas processing facility project in Abu Dhabi.
