Sue Higgins Email & Phone Number

Coventry, England, United Kingdom

Providing professional advice, management and interim support to help businesses manage a wide range of legal, commercial and regulatory issues. I advise on commercial contracts and dispute resolution, procurement events, investigations, regulatory issues and corporate governance. Experience includes input to a major public inquiry, advising on a major IT and software transformation following a business sale, establishment of a charitable foundation, data privacy, an ESG programme, intellectual property registrations and a multi million pound commercial arbitration.

Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom

I led the team critical to this significant (£13.8bn) business sale. Managed multiple commercial issues, critical to achieve a refinancing package, engagement with the industry regulator, Ofgem, the Health and Safety Executive and the lead government department; BEIS. Gained the necessary approvals and consents. Managed the industry consultation and stakeholder engagement required by Ofgem and HSE for the sale.

Reporting to General Counsel, managed a benchmarking and efficiency project to provide a restructuring proposal for the UK Legal and company Secretariat Team. Advised on a proposal to re-structure the company's £15bn+ gas pension scheme, complying with legislation and pension scheme rules, which was successfully implemented.

Advised National Grid on a programme of works and financial recovery plan to ensure National Grid's assets and operational protocols aligned with the specified requirements of the Olympics franchise. Negotiated with the International Olympic Committee and the London 2012 Olympics Committee to ensure that UK energy legislation and operating requirements was accurately represented in Games-time plans.

Advised National Grid in its submissions for the Planning Bill, including drafting sections on nationally significant infrastructure, resulting in the Planning Act 2008. Drafted preparations and attended Member of Parliament briefings, representing the case for utility infrastructure providers.

Obtained the Gas Act consents for the biggest pipeline project since the 1960's - the 100 mile high pressure pipeline to connect new LNG import facilities in South West Wales to National Grid's network in Tinley, Gloucestershire. I managed the land acquisition process and advised on legal aspects required to to assemble a contiguous route for the pipeline. Negotiated with some of the more significant landowners e.g. Brecon Beacons Park Authority to obtain the required easements. Advised on environmental requirements. Advised on complex compulsory purchase orders and represented National Grid at the Public Inquiry held to confirm those disputed orders. Advised on and obtained two injunctions to remove and restrict unlawful protestors from the works area.

Set up the business separation and reporting arrangements to comply with new regulatory licence conditions, overseeing the first year of implementation and successful reporting cycle.

Negotiated and obtained Ofgem's consent for the sale of four of National Grid Transco's four gas distribution networks. Advised on the extensive industry engagement, consultation, and restructuring of the Network Code and regulatory arrangements. Negotiated the new gas transporters' licence conditions and regulatory consents. I led engagement at a senior level with the industry regulator, Ofgem.

Negotiated new licence conditions and the terms of the disposal consent with the industry regulator, Ofgem, for the commercial redevelopment of the Isle of Grain Liquified Natural Gas facility; the largest LNG facility in Europe. Negotiated and consulted on various other regulatory changes including the business separation licence conditions and financial ring-fencing licence conditions.

Solihull, England, United Kingdom

Advised on various commercial matters including contract, competition and utility regulation, dispute resolution and litigation. I advised on a number of disputes under a portfolio of pre-Network Code gas power station contracts while also working on the development of the new Network Code contract, gas transportation licences and Gas Act changes. Advised on the competition issues arising from the de-regulation of BG's gas storage business.

Graduate Diploma (Lpc), Legal Practice

Ll.B (Hons), 2:1

Education record