International law firm CMS is pleased to announce the appointment of Fenella Mason as a partner in the firm’s Infrastructure, Construction and Energy (ICE) Disputes practice in Edinburgh. She joins from Burness Paull, where she led the firm’s Construction and Projects team for 13 years. 

Fenella has over 30 years’ experience advising clients on construction and engineering dispute resolution, both internationally and domestically. A band 1 ranked lawyer in Chambers and inducted into Legal 500’s ‘Hall of Fame’, Fenella is one of Scotland’s highest regarded construction lawyers. She has been involved in a wide range of high-value complex disputes, regularly deploying adjudication, arbitration, litigation and mediation in order to bring about their resolution across a range of construction and engineering projects including roads, rail, energy, utilities, education, office, leisure and retail. Fenella is praised by clients for her “astute mind and methodical style” and “considerable ability to project manage complex legal cases.”

Fenella’s appointment builds on the recent arrival of partners Damian Watkin and Philip Norman, who earlier this year joined the CMS ICE Disputes team in Abu Dhabi and London, respectively.

Adrian Bell, CMS Partner and Co-Head of the ICE Disputes Practice, said:  “Fenella is an esteemed practitioner, who will add significant depth to our client offering in Scotland. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the practice and will be a real asset to the team, particularly as a mentor for junior colleagues, as we look to further consolidate our position in Scotland and across the UK.”

Fenella adds: “I am delighted to have joined CMS and to be part of a collaborative and dynamic team with strong ambitions for growth. I relish the opportunity to be part of that success story and to use my wide-ranging experience in the sector to support those ambitions.” 

The CMS ICE Disputes team advises clients across the infrastructure, construction and energy sectors, including contractors, consultants, developers, energy and power companies. Consisting of over 80 lawyers globally, the team specialises in all forms of dispute avoidance and resolution including expert determination, adjudication, mediation, international arbitration and litigation.