Sarah Thomas

KEY RELEVANT EXPERIENCE includes advising: 

• A major UK civil engineering contractor on the balance of plant and maintenance services contracts for 4 BESS projects at various sites within the UK. all closing that closed in 2024/5
• A number of developers in relation to drafting and negotiating the design and build  contracts (based upon FIDIC and JCT construction forms)  and, in the case of one project all relevant consultants' appointments, for hyperscale data centre projects in the Netherlands, Switzerland and England respectively (all on a funded basis)
• A project sponsor on a pipeline of solar projects in the UK (on a funded basis) including the EPC and Independent Connection works contracts (and associated O&M and construction management appointments) - ongoing
• UK water utilities and Irish Water  on capital works framework agreements  and call off templates  (based on a combination of NEC, FIDIC and IChemE forms) delivering 5 year + asset management programmes  for water, water filtration and wastewater facilties and networks
• Creating  various global construction  templates for UK mining major, US food manufacturer, international technology company and international contractors (various) with call off construction templates for application  to projects across multiple jurisdictions worldwide
• Sponsors and EPC contractors on several HVDC electrical interconnectors including the IFA2 HVDC link between the UK and France jointly developed by National Grid and Frech electricity utility, RTE
• An international Oil and Gas OEM supplier/contractor reviewing their supply and services contracts and advising and preparing new contract templates for supply of carbon capture plant/equipment to industrial sites, construction, O&M and optimisation services and other BOOT and outcome-based models as part of its growing carbon capture business in Europe and US
  
   
• A major UK civils contractor in relation to a framework contract with a utility developer and call off terms for a series of solar PV rooftop, ground mount and solar floating projects in the UK
• A UK based energy utility in relation to drafting and negotiating a contract for design, construction and commissioning of a hybrid source heat pump system at a site in the UK (and associated subcontracting arrangements)
• A renewables developer in relation to its strategy and implementation for the decommissioning and repowering of a portfolio of onshore wind assets in the UK and 4 jurisdictions in Europe, including advising in respect of hybridisation of the sites to add solar assets.
• An international contractor in relation to an early contractor involvement ('ECI') contract and follow-on FIDIC based design and build contract for  construction of a chemical processing facility employing integrated cascading catalytic pyrolysis (ICCP) technology in the Netherlands.
  

   
• BASF on the acquisition of 49.5% percent of Vattenfall’s offshore wind farm Hollandse Kust Zuid in The Netherlands, with 140 wind turbines and a total installed capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. Sarah led the team conducting due diligence on the geophysical survey appointments and construction documents: TSA, Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Agreement, BIMCO Crew Vessel Charter Party Agreements, WTG Service Contract, Framework Agreement for calling off wind turbine generator quality surveillance, Foundation Manufacturing Agreement. Foundation Installation Agreement, Inter-Array Cable Manufacturing Agreement, Inter-Array Cable Installation Agreement, Interface Coordination Agreement and Davit Cranes Agreement.
• A joint venture of European EPC contractors in relation to their EPC contract (on a funded basis) with the developer joint venture, for the design, fabrication, testing and commissioning and delivery of a 1200 MW offshore substation including substation jacket for a large offshore wind farm project off the east coast of the USA. The EPC contract scope included design and fabrication (offsite), testing and commissioning of the offshore substation including advice on interfaces with other contractors engaged by the developer in respect of installation and cable connections, testing and commissioning (all offshore). 
  

   
• Renewables developer - in relation to the battery storage supply contract, long term service agreement and balance of plant EPC contracts, together with all relevant legal ancillary documents in respect of a significant grid forming project in the UK.  The role involved drafting and negotiating adapted construction standard forms and specifically tailoring them to address the needs of a battery storage project, such as obligations in relation to compliance with the UK Grid Code / CUSC and carrying out any contestable works under any relevant grid connection agreement.
• A renewables developer in relation to its strategy and implementation for the decommissioning and repowering of a portfolio of onshore wind assets in the UK and 4 jurisdictions in Europe (France , Italy , Spain and Portugal), including advising in respect of hybridisation of the sites to add solar assets.

• Selected as one of Women in Mining's ("WIM") 2015 "100 Inspirational Women in Mining" list, in recognition of her expertise in the procurement of mining developments/facilities.
• Has been recognised in UK  legal directories,  Legal 500 and Chambers, for construction, water, mining and energy. "One client describes her as a "very strong construction lawyer," while another says: "She has a pragmatic approach and is very responsive."" (Chambers & Partners UK 2020).
• "One client describes her as a "Sarah Thomas is very responsive to the point and with significant business acumen and a holistic approach to projects. We appreciate her clear, razor-sharp legal analysis and her pragmatic approach to solutions." (Legal 500 2021).