Ben Morton

Partner

Ben Morton’s work output is excellent, timely, exceptionally well-articulated and always right first time. Great ability to forecast coming pressure and demands and deploy teams accordingly.

Legal 500 Project Finance and PFI, North West, 2021

Emailben.morton@akd.partners

Call+44 (0)161 235 4676

Manchester

About

Ben Morton advises procuring authorities, sponsors, funders, contractors and key supply chain members on major PPP, project finance and other forms of energy and infrastructure projects.
His work spans the water, transport (roads and bridges), social infrastructure (health, education and emergency services) as well as the energy sector (including nuclear, energy efficiency, decarbonisation (including green technologies), district heat networks, Biogas, regulatory, and solar).

Many of the transactions Ben has worked on have been innovative in the relevant sector, of particular note are the Mersey Gateway Bridge PPP, Long Beach Court House PPP (California), Barakah Nuclear Power Project (Abu Dhabi), Duwayhin nuclear power project (Saudi Arabia), Haweswater Aquaduct Resilience Project (HARP) (OFWAT’s flagship DPC project), and the Welsh Government's flagship A465 Project.

Ben has particular experience in not only closing major infrastructure and energy projects, but also advising on the long term operational aspects and issues concerning such projects.

Ben is recognised as a rising star in the Legal 500 in both the Project Finance and Energy sectors and as a key lawyer in the Legal 500 Transport Sector.

Areas of FocusEnergy and Natural Resources Infrastructure, Construction and Transport Financial Services Healthcare Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

HARP (Water) - Advising a bidder on OFWAT’s flagship DPC Project, the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Project (HARP).
Nuclear – advising a number of clients in the nuclear sector. Highlights have included advising General Electric in relation to EDF’s acquisition of GE Steam Power’s nuclear activities, and advising KEPCO in relation to nuclear new build projects in Barakah, Abu Dhabi and Duwayhin, Saudi Arabia.
Decarbonisation and energy efficiency – Ben is a market leading decarbonisation lawyer, having advised on over 30 projects across NHS estates, universities, museums, civic buildings, manufacturing and industrial plants. Highlights include advising on several District Heat Networks, including Manchester Civic Quarter, as well as major decarbonisation/energy efficient projects acting for ESCOs at Imperial College London, Natural History Museum and V&A (London).
Welsh Government’s A465 MIM Project (Roads & Bridges) - Ben was the lead lawyer advising the Welsh Government in relation to its procurement of the GBP500m A465 Roads PPP Project to build, finance, operate and maintain a dual carriageway on Sections 5 and 6 of the A465 (Heads of the Valleys). Ben led on all legal aspects of the Project including through competitive dialogue, as well as the identification, consideration and allocation of legal risk and the development of the Project Agreement and the creation of a new suite of procurement documents for the Project (OJEU, PIN, PQQ, ITPD). The Project reached financial close in October 2020.
Mersey Gateway Bridge PPP (Roads & Bridges) - advising Halton Borough Council on the Mersey Gateway project. The project is a major scheme to build a new six-lane toll bridge over the River Mersey that will relieve the congested and ageing Silver Jubilee Bridge. The scheme has a capital cost in excess of GBP500m and will be the first new road in the UK funded through open road tolling. It was innovative in many ways, including the approach to project insurances, the use of the UK Guarantee finance product and the dual procurement of the infrastructure and the associated tolling services and a forerunner for the implementation of PF2, the UK Government's revised approach following its call for evidence for privately financed projects. The Project reached financial close in 2014.
Central Manchester Hospitals PFI (Health) - advising the sponsors on the 1500 bed Manchester Central Hospital PPP Project (moving onto a single site the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Children's Hospital (the largest pediatric hospital in the UK) and Women's Hospital). Capital value GBP450m.
Long Beach Court House PPP (California) (Civic accommodation) - advising the Senior Lenders (North American and European banks) to financial close on the first availability and performance based social accommodation PPP project in the US. The award winning USD490m Long Beach Courthouse PPP project in California closed in December 2010. The new facility included custody facilities, court rooms, offices, retail and car parking.

Awards

Ben is recognised as a rising star in the Legal 500 in both the Project Finance and Energy sectors and as a key lawyer in the Legal 500 Transport Sector - Legal 500 (UK)

Education

University of Sheffield, Law L.L.B. (Hons)

College of Law, Chester, Diploma in Legal Practice (L.P.C.) Distinction