Gayle is an experienced commercial and employment solicitor, with an increasing focus on construction matters. Originally from the north of Ireland, she attended the University of Liverpool, and later the College of Law in London, before undertaking her training in London. She qualified as a solicitor in 2003, and moved to Cornwall in 2004, joining Nalders that year. 

Gayle advises clients on a wide variety of legal matters. Her primary focus is advising on and drafting commercial and construction contracts, and advising on construction disputes and litigation, including adjudication.  Gayle also has a background in employment law and provides advice to employers.

Gayle is generally retained by a number of businesses which means that she is in contract, and therefore on stand-by, to advise quickly on any construction, commercial or employment queries, which come to light on a day-to-day basis.  By working alongside clients in this manner, Gayle can help them ensure that any brewing legal issues are nipped in the bud before they become full-blown issues, and that any potential pitfalls of a proposed course of action are flagged before the client commits to it. 

Construction

• Representing clients in complex high value adjudications.
• Drafting extensive Schedule of Amendments to contracts within the JCT suite.
• Drafting bespoke construction paperwork including, defects liability warranties, vesting certificates, collateral warranties, terms of professional appointments etc.
• Working alongside Simon Rogers on sale of plots and drafting attendant building contracts for the erection of dwellings, including escrow arrangements to ensure protection of funds for the developments.
• Advising clients on the statutory payment process, including drafting and proper service of payment / pay less notices under the Scheme for Construction Contracts/ 110A/B of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996
• Advising contractor and employer clients on construction disputes, including those started under the Pre-Action Protocol for Construction and Engineering Disputes, including bringing and defending high value claims arising out of allegations of defects, payments, variations, delay and disruption, termination (including where the contractor walks off-site or there has been a summary termination), liquidated and other damages
• Advising on and negotiating settlement agreements to release clients from claims.

Commercial

• Drafting a variety of complex agreements, e.g. development/ downstream agreement to record the terms and conditions on which parties could use/ facilitate the release of funds from the Housing Infrastructure Fund to ensure that the funding was used for the purpose for which it was awarded by Homes England; distribution agreements for the sale of UK products in overseas jurisdictions; option to lease mineral rights from landowner with associated lease; complex option and completion agreement for the purchase of databases; collaboration and introducers agreements.
• Providing general day-to-day advice on commercial issues arising from client’s businesses including those engaging issues of advertising, marketing and sponsorship; agency and distribution; commercial confidentiality; data protection; e-commerce; franchising; intellectual property; outsourcing; public procurement; sale and supply of goods; standard terms and conditions; supply of services

Qualifications & Experience

• Gayle has a LLB in Law and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
• She has 19 years’ experience in employment tribunal matters.
• Her work is supervised by Dale Band.