Seventy-six years of combined experience just walked out of Addleshaw Goddard’s doors and into Gateley Legal’s construction practice. Caroline Pope and Bob Maynard, who built their reputations working together over decades, have both joined as consultants in a double recruitment that signals the firm’s expansion ambitions.
The timing matters.
Gateley’s construction team, which already spans 59 legal professionals across eight offices, has been eyeing London growth for months. Pope’s arrival accelerates that plan. With 41 years resolving disputes in engineering, construction, energy and infrastructure projects, she brings not just UK expertise but extensive Middle East experience—crucial for a firm that already maintains a Dubai presence.
Her speciality lies in alternative dispute resolution, an increasingly valuable skill as construction litigation costs spiral. She’s CEDR accredited as a mediator, positioning her to help clients avoid courtrooms altogether. That capability matters in an industry where disputes have surged since pandemic-era supply chain chaos collided with labour shortages and inflation.
Maynard followed Pope to Gateley from the same firm. Thirty-five years in construction dispute resolution and forensic investigation work have made him a known quantity in international arbitration circles. The pair’s reputation as a formidable duo—Hudson’s words—stems from years navigating complex technical disputes together.
Their roles extend beyond UK borders. Both will support Gateley’s Dubai colleagues whilst collaborating with the firm’s international arbitration specialists and technical construction consultancy experts embedded within the wider group. For Pope, that means driving development of a London-based team. For Maynard, it means bringing forensic rigour to cases that span multiple jurisdictions.
Emlyn Hudson, partner and national head of construction at Gateley Legal, didn’t hide his enthusiasm. “It’s brilliant to have Caroline and Bob onboard with us. Having worked closely together in the industry for a number of years, they have built an impressive reputation as a formidable duo. Both of them bring key strategic expertise which will strengthen the breadth and depth of our UK and international offering, as well as enhancing our services for contractors which includes advocating the benefits of early alternative dispute resolution methods.”
The recruitment fits a pattern. Law firms have been battling for construction dispute specialists as project delays and cost overruns trigger waves of claims. Contractors, subcontractors and developers increasingly seek advisers who can resolve issues through mediation or arbitration rather than prolonged court battles—faster, cheaper, less adversarial.
Gateley’s construction practice already serves major housebuilders, local authorities, universities, developers and landowners from offices in Belfast, Birmingham, Guildford, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Dubai. The 15 partners leading that team now have two consultants whose combined three-quarters of a century in the field adds weight to pitches for high-value, technically complex work.
What’s particularly notable is the international arbitration experience both bring. As construction projects grow more complex and cross-border, the ability to navigate disputes in multiple legal systems becomes a competitive advantage. Pope’s Middle East work and Maynard’s arbitration background position Gateley to compete for instructions on major infrastructure projects spanning continents.
Addleshaw Goddard, where both previously practised, has lost two senior voices in construction dispute resolution. The firm declined to comment on the departures.
For Gateley, listed on AIM since 2015 and employing over 1,500 people across 28 offices, the double hire strengthens a practice area that’s proven resilient even as other legal sectors face headwinds. Construction work tends to generate disputes regardless of economic conditions—projects still overrun, specifications still get disputed, contractors still clash with clients.
The emphasis on alternative dispute resolution also reflects a broader shift in how construction disputes get handled. Clients balk at litigation costs that can match or exceed the original claim value. Mediators and arbitrators who understand the technical details—the engineering specifications, the project timelines, the contractual nuances—can cut through disputes more efficiently than judges unfamiliar with construction’s peculiarities.
Pope and Maynard join a firm that’s been expanding aggressively beyond traditional legal services. Gateley’s wider group includes quantity surveyors, project managers, property consultants and technical experts—resources that construction clients increasingly demand under one roof rather than assembling from multiple providers.
The London expansion Pope will lead places her in direct competition with the City firms that dominate high-value construction work. But Gateley’s pitch differs: integrated services, partner-level attention, and now two consultants whose decades of experience rival anything the magic circle offers.
Whether that’s enough to crack London’s construction law market will become clear over the next year. For now, Gateley has made its intentions plain: bet big on construction disputes, bring in proven talent, and position for growth in a sector where conflict shows no signs of abating.
