As a Partner and Head of our Construction team, Jim is a specialist in construction law and recognised as such in national independent legal directories where he is listed as a ‘leader’ in this field.

His work includes advising on contractual disputes as well as drafting build contracts, appointments, and collateral warranties. Jim is experienced in dealing with complex and high value adjudication and arbitration proceedings, as well as technology and construction court claims.

Jim leads the Construction team in cross-collaborative work with Stephens Scown’s specialist Mining and Minerals, Social Housing, and Renewable Energy subsector teams to support clients across those sectors.

After studying law at the University of Exeter, Jim qualified as a solicitor in 1996 with Winckworth Sherwood in London before moving to Foot Anstey in Exeter and then joined Stephens Scown in 2016.

Examples of recent work include:

• Representing a client in a multi-million pound adjudication, in relation to defective works and the final account.
• Drafting EPC Agreements in relation to solar parks.
• Enforcing adjudication decisions in the Technology and Construction Court.
• Resolving an extension of time dispute in relation to the construction of an energy from waste plant.
• Drafting collateral warranties and appointments on behalf of a funder client for a multi-million pound project.
• Drafting standard contract amendments including the new JCT Design and Build Contract 2016.

As one of our B Corp™ Champions, Jim is knowledgeable and passionate about helping you build your own purpose and positive impact, at whatever your current stage of the journey. Increasingly, organisations and business leaders are no longer measuring success based solely on annual accounts, but whether they have a defined positive purpose, if that purpose is being met, and the organisation’s wider impact.

Jim’s personal testimonials:

Chambers and Partners (2024) – “Jim Gorrod is thorough and considerate in his assessments and recommendations.” “He is very helpful and reactive.” “He is a very safe pair of hands, he keeps on top of the details and has an eye for the big picture. He is also very plugged in to how the market works.”

Chambers and Partners (2023) – “Jim Gorrod is very commercially aware and gives his clients astute, well-focused advice.”

Legal 500 (2023) – “Jim Gorrod is very good at allocating his team to their strengths, and also gives really astute advice to clients, based on a high level of market knowledge.”

Chambers and Partners (2022) – “He is very good on the strategy and the big-picture work.”

Legal 500 (2022) – Practice head Jim Gorrod is a specialist in the aforementioned areas. A source said: “Jim Gorrod – very experienced in a wide range of projects, with a commercial attitude and light touch that works very well.”

Chambers and Partners (2021) – “He is very experienced and knows his stuff on construction law.” “He is very clear, straightforward and focused on the client and what they want to achieve.”

Legal 500 (2021) – “Jim Gorrod is very good at what he does. He allocates tasks and responsibilities very well within his team and makes sure that the client is served as efficiently as possible and that everyone plays to their strengths. He gives practical, no nonsense advice, which is what clients value.”

Chambers and Partners (2020) – Interviewees praise him for his ability to “focus on the key issues.”

Chambers and Partners (2019) – “He is skilled in construction law and I couldn’t recommend him highly enough; he’s been great.”

Outside of work, Jim is a keen sailor and has represented Great Britain at World and European level. He is now more often involved getting his kids out on the water sailing and surfing and is a member of Starcross Sailing Club.