FIS Legal Helpline
FIS has partnered with a number of legal advisors to offer its members a telephone helpline service
Subject to carrying out conflict checks and there being no conflict of interest, the legal advisors below will provide a pro bono helpline service of up to two telephone calls, of no more than 40 minutes in duration (in total across the two calls), on any one legal issue (limited to 20 mins if Anderson Strathern is chosen partner). Any further advice is at the discretion of the legal advisor and may (within the provisions of this agreement) require additional charges to be imposed on the Member.
Should an appropriate advisor not be available at the time of the original phone call, the legal advisors will offer a guaranteed call back within 24 hours.
The service is provided by three companies and it is the member’s choice as to which company they choose. The table below outlines what subject areas each business covers.
Choose from our panel of experts listed below
Complete the form and a member of the team will be in touch.
FIS Legal Helpline
Hill Dickinson
- 40 minutes telephone advice (available across two calls)
- Construction Law / Construction Contracts
- The Building Regulations / The Building Act
- The Building Safety Act / Building Liability Order / Defective Premises Act
- Product Safety / Construction Products Cause for Action
- Health and Safety
DAC Beachcroft
- 40 minutes telephone advice (available across two calls)
- Construction Law / Construction Contracts
- The Building Regulations / The Building Act
- The Building Safety Act / Building Liability Order / Defective Premises Act
- Product Safety / Construction Products Cause for Action
- Health and Safety
Anderson Strathern
- 20 minutes telephone advice (available across two calls)
- Construction Law / Construction Contracts
- The Building Regulations
- Company, Commercial and Corporate Matters
- Health and Safety
- Employment Advice
Ruth Wilkinson
Hill Dickinson
Ruth is a Legal Director and Professional Support Lawyer in the construction team at Hill Dickinson. She has significant experience in construction and engineering law; advising clients on contract drafting, construction disputes and advisory issues. Her expertise includes all major standard form building contracts such as JCT, NEC and FIDIC. She is the Regional Coordinator for Reading for the Society of Construction Law and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Constructors.
Alistair Dean
Partner, DAC Beachcroft
Alistair has been a solicitor for 28 years and has over 15 years of experience advising a range of clients in the construction sector, including main contractors, sub-contractors, construction professionals, developers, trade bodies and house-builders. His clients include Atalian Servest AMK Ltd, Stewart Milne Group Ltd and Deans Civil Engineering Ltd.
Alistair is able to give advice and representation on adjudications, Court of Session actions, Sheriff Court actions, mediations and arbitrations.
Relevant experience includes:
- Representing a construction professional in a Court of Session acting regarding a defective building. This high value and complex litigation involved 5 separate parties and ended successfully from the client’s perspective.
- Acting for a main contractor in the defence to a liquidated damages adjudication for the late completion of a commercial building. The defence involved technically challenging delay analysis in order to evidence a valid extension of time.
- Acting for a large mechanical and electrical contractor in a successful mediation against a national contractor. The matter involved claims for extension of time, variations and loss and expense. The mediation successfully resolved the dispute.
Pat Loftus
Partner, Anderson Strathern
Pat has more than 15 years of experience providing advice on the terms of commercial contracts and the risks associated with them. He specialises particularly in construction law, negotiating and drafting how these risks are positioned in documentation such as development agreements, building contracts, professional appointments, guarantees, bonds and warranties.
Pat’s advice encompasses all kinds of construction documentation for developers, contractors, subcontractors, commercial tenants, public authorities, investment purchasers and funders. His expertise covers all the major standard form building contracts such as JCT, SBCC, NEC, GC/Works and FIDIC. He also drafts bespoke contracts.
Pat is dual qualified in Scotland and England & Wales. He is a real specialist in his field as he is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in Construction Law and also has a Masters degree in Construction Law.
