Lena Barnes

Lena Barnes

Senior Associate


Areas of Expertise

Lena specialises in construction dispute resolution.  In addition to advising clients on formal disputes, she frequently aids clients with situations that arise during the life cycle of live projects.

Lena has worked with employers, developers, contractors, and members at various levels of the supply chain.  She has experience advising clients using most major forms of construction contract including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, etc.


Experience

Lena started her career in Oxford working in a commercial property team where she started her CILEX Fellowship qualification.  Having moved firms, and city, she achieved the fellowship grade whilst at a Cambridge firm before returning to university to complete her LPC. She commenced work as a construction paralegal in the regional office of an international law firm before qualifying though equivalent means.  Upon qualification, she joined the construction team within a national law firm where she remained until 2023 when she joined Devonshires.


Education

Lena graduated from King’s College London with an LLB.  She was called to the Bar in 2012, before dual qualifying as a solicitor through equivalent means.


Personal

Outside of work, Lena balances her sweet tooth with the occasional workout at the gym.


Professional Membership

Lena is a member of the Society for Construction Law and the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.

The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

Testimonials

“The swift clarity of advice that we have received and the practical approach to resolving the matter in hand, has been very much appreciated.”

Client feedback

“Thank you for your email and thanks for the support, advice and expert handling of the contract closure. It enabled [client name] to exit with a strong position and satisfactory financial settlement.”

Client feedback

Get in touch


020 7880 4213
lena.barnes@devonshires.co.uk
LinkedIn
London Office
Devonshires Solicitors LLP
30 Finsbury Circus
London
EC2M 7DT

PA: Charlotte Ward
020 7880 4332
charlotte.ward@devonshires.co.uk

Notable Cases

Lena acted for an international contractor in a dispute against its sub-contractor in a circa £1.4m dispute under a bespoke NEC 3 ECC sub-contractor. She was part of the team that, within an exceptional tight timeframe, drafted, issued and served the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim. Following the CMC and a hearing to decide disclosure requirements, a stay was agreed to facilitate mediation. A negotiated settlement in favour of the contractor was agreed shortly thereafter.

Has acted for a contractor, on a joint retainer with their insurers, on a Defective Premises Act claim – circa £1.3m. Following the CMC, mediation was attempted and was unsuccessful. As the disclosure process commenced, a settlement was brokered, and the claim settled.

Lena has acted for a well-known developer and provided it with ongoing support on a couple of distressed projects. She assisted with the termination of its contractor’s employment under three building contracts, payment advice and instigated the return of goods it had paid for that had been unlawfully removed from site. Post termination, the contractor launched two adjudications which led to a decision in her client’s favour and an abandoned adjudication. Without prejudice negotiations led to a complex settlement and she drafted the agreement which covered four parties, seven contracts over six projects, the associated retentions, three debts and multiple claims and counterclaims.

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