Press Releases

HFW Continues Global Construction Growth With London Projects Partner Hire

Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has continued to strengthen its global construction practice with the hire of Tom Hutchison in London.

Tom specialises in disputes relating to large infrastructure and energy projects, and joins HFW as a Partner from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

This continues the growth of HFW's construction offering across its international network, following recent Partner hires in Singapore, Melbourne, and Dubai.

HFW's global construction team has doubled in size over the past two years and now comprises 16 partners and almost 90 lawyers in total, advising on procurement, risk management and dispute avoidance and resolution for a wide range of clients, including contractors, project sponsors, consultants, and insurers.

Michael Sergeant, Global Head of Construction, HFW:

"This is another important addition to our global construction team. Tom's experience and skillset fits perfectly with our strength in handling large disputes on major international infrastructure projects, and he shares our team-first, collaborative approach to doing business. Our construction practice has doubled in size over the past two years, and we will continue to target leading partners and teams to further strengthen our offering across our network."

Tom advises clients on mitigating risk and resolving disputes throughout the whole lifecycle of major projects in the construction and engineering, energy, infrastructure, transport, nuclear, oil and gas, and utilities sectors.

He commonly acts for owners, contractors and public bodies in arbitration, litigation and ADR, both in relation to construction and engineering disputes as well as clients’ broader commercial interests.

Tom Hutchison, Partner, HFW:

"The rate of change in the energy and construction sectors is unprecedented, driven in particular by the need to achieve both energy security and net zero targets. Owners and contractors are tackling the challenges of delivering increasingly ambitious, landmark projects against the backdrop of market uncertainty and strained global supply chains. Clients are therefore looking to firms who can work side-by-side with them to deliver success in challenging times, and HFW's true sector focus and significant international reach have made them go-to advisors for many clients facing such complex and high-stakes issues. I am therefore really looking forward to being part of a team that is focussed on, and committed to, assisting clients across the construction sector."

Tom's arrival continues a period of sustained growth for HFW globally, with the firm adding 30 new partners since the beginning of FY23, including team and Partner hires in Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Paris, Perth, Piraeus, Riyadh, Singapore, and Sydney.

HFW also launched an office in Shenzhen to support its clients in China's Greater Bay Area.

About HFW

HFW is a leading global law firm in the aerospace, commodities, construction, energy, insurance, and shipping sectors. The firm has 700 lawyers, including 180 partners, based in offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. HFW prides itself on its deep industry expertise and its entrepreneurial, creative, and collaborative culture.

For further information, please contact:

Chris Johnson
Head of Communications
D +44 (0)20 7264 8159
M +44 (0)7976 939864
E chris.johnson@hfw.com

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