Local lawyer given nuclear appointment

Local lawyer, Roger Clayson, of commercial law firm, Taylors, has been appointed as a mentor for a new scheme launched by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority aimed at helping SMEs to benefit from the opportunities offered by the industry.

The NDA Estate Mentor Scheme will pair up businesses with experienced industry professionals who will offer support and guidance on winning work in the sector and is open to SMEs in, or looking to break into, the nuclear decommissioning supply chain.

Roger, who joined Taylors earlier this year, brings a wealth of unrivalled experience to those taking part in the scheme; he is one of the North West’s leading legal advisers to the nuclear sector.

He was formerly the head of legal at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and has advised on many projects in the nuclear industry, including the Sellafield and Dounreay PBO competitions and the restructuring of the UK Atomic Energy Authority. He is also very familiar with the contracts used in the decommissioning sector.

Since leaving the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, he has assisted a number of companies in the nuclear supply chain on a range of contractual, procurement and property-related issues within the industry.

Roger is a member of a number of industry-focussed organisations, including the Nuclear Institute where he is an expert alumnus, the Legal Affairs Working Group of the Nuclear Industries Association and the International Nuclear Lawyers’ Association.

Speaking of his appointment, Roger said: “I am very pleased to be chosen as a potential mentor for SMEs within, or aspiring to join, the nuclear decommissioning supply chain. This appointment will enable me to use my detailed knowledge of the legal aspects of the decommissioning sector and, at the same time, provide valuable support to SMEs. I am looking forward to developing a lasting relationship with these organisations.”

The free scheme, to be launched in April, will be run as a pilot for twelve months and is one of a number of initiatives by the NDA to promote and encourage SME participation across its estate. All UK-based SMEs are eligible to apply for the scheme, regardless of the sector they operate in, but must have either an aspiration to work on a NDA site or be keen to increase the volume of the work they already undertake across the NDA estate.