Nick is a 4th seat Trainee Solicitor in our Construction team, based in our Newcastle office.
Nick joined Ward Hadaway in 2021 as a paralegal in the firm’s planning team for four years before commencing his Training Contract with the firm in September 2024. He has worked across several teams, including Corporate Finance, Housing, Planning and Construction gaining significant experience in the firm’s award-winning Built Environment team,.
As a trainee in our Construction & Engineering team, Nick assists on a variety of matters, including drafting and negotiating building contracts and warranties for employers and contractors, supporting colleagues with contract disputes, and providing training to local authorities.
During his second seat in the firm’s Housing department, he gained experience in:
- Assisting with site acquisitions by regional and national housebuilders through the exercising of options and conditional contracts, including completion formalities;
- Supporting colleagues with site registrations and resolving historic requisitions received from HM Land Registry;
- Assisting in property due diligence on bulk-sales of dwellings to social housing providers and investors in the private rent sector;
- Drafting licences and option agreements to enable future site acquisitions; and
- Prepared reports and advice for clients in respect of site acquisitions and disposals.
Nick returned to Ward Hadaway’s Band 1-tiered Planning team for his third seat. During his time as a trainee he built on his previous experience as a paralegal in the team, including:
- Drafting and negotiating Section 106 Agreements for national and regional housebuilders and social housing providers;
- Supporting clients with securing both on-site and off-site Biodiversity Net Gain provision for developments, including drafting allocation agreements with BNG providers;
- Assisting and advising statutory undertakers in respect of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, including Development Consent Orders;
- Advising clients pursuing planning appeals, including attending planning committees; and
- Assisting colleagues in the firm’s Real Estate and Housing departments with planning due diligence, including preparing detailed reports and advising on issues identified in the due diligence process.
Nick enjoys participating in mentoring and volunteering programmes, particularly helping aspiring lawyers and engaging in Ward Hadaway’s work experience programme. He is also a member of the firm’s Trainee Solicitor’s social committee and enjoys attending networking events in the North East.