Atkin Chambers

Andrew Goddard QC specialises in the law of commercial obligations, professional negligence and international arbitration, particularly in the context of disputes concerning major construction and engineering contracts and IT projects. He has had much involvement in infrastructure, telecoms and energy disputes, and has acted for main contractors, sub-contractors, professionals and employers, including national and foreign Governments. Andrew has experience of PPP and PFI projects in the UK and various Commonwealth jurisdictions, and is a director of the Caribbean Procurement Institute. He has also acted as counsel for core participants in public inquiries in the UK and Caribbean. Andrew is “a creative thinker” and “very analytical”, he is strategic in his approach to the prosecution and resolution of disputes. He believes that the process can be improved by increased party collaboration, where sensible to do so, and early identification of the real issues, thereby improving the client’s overall experience and, crucially, outcomes. His expertise in international commercial arbitration stems from appearing in numerous disputes referred to arbitration under the auspices of the ICC, the HKIAC, the LCIA and the LMAA. He also has experience of investor-state disputes proceeding before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Related areas of law in which he has detailed knowledge and experience include ship construction and conversion, insurance and performance bonds. He is also experienced in judicial review and issues relating to public procurement. He is an accredited civil and commercial mediator, and has been appointed as arbitrator, adjudicator, legal assessor, and legal expert in various disputes. He has also been admitted on an ad hoc basis to the Bars of Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tanzania.

Andrew enjoys an international reputation as a commercial silk. He regularly appears as counsel in English High Court litigation, and international and domestic arbitrations, as well as mediations and expert determinations. He appeared in the House of Lords for the landmark decision of Murphy v Brentwood District Council. Clients talk of his abilities as an authoritative, heavyweight, measured and incisive advocate with an ability to master the most complex of cases while also being a commercial team player who works “ferociously hard” on behalf of his clients.  He is regularly instructed by the world’s largest law firms on behalf of major construction, engineering and energy companies, governments and state entities. Andrew’s practice includes large civil engineering and building disputes such as hospitals and airports, shipbuilding and ship conversion, rail and rolling stock, and significant work in energy – both oil and gas, and renewable projects.  He is also called on for related disputes, such as contracts for the sale and purchase of oil and gas, and more general commercial work. Most of his work is international in nature and in recent years he has acted in disputes in Europe, North and South America, Australia, the UAE and across Asia. He has been instructed as counsel in the Court of Appeal in Gibraltar, in the High Court of Hong Kong and in arbitrations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brussels, Gibraltar, and Tanzania. Andrew has also been appointed as an arbitrator – both as chair and party-appointed – in UNCITRAL, ICC, SIAC, LCIA and ad hoc arbitrations in England, Singapore, Nigeria, Switzerland, Paris, Trinidad, Australia, New Zealand and New York. In 2018 Andrew was appointed to the approved panel of arbitrators at the Astana International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kazakhstan. He has recently worked on one of the largest claims before the TCC arising out of the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of East Anglia acting for a major Chinese state-owned multinational engineering company (Fluor v Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co, [2016] EWHC 2062 (TCC) and also [2016] EWHC 2500 (TCC), [2018] EWHC 1 (TCC), [2018] EWHC 490 (TCC)). Other recent energy disputes include representing one of the world’s largest offshore drilling companies in a dispute related to exploration operations offshore Libya; an ad hoc arbitration under an amended EPC agreement on behalf of the Chinese contractor in a dispute in relation to a coal-fired power plant in India, and a multi-million-pound ICC arbitration with an Abu Dhabi seat in relation to a contract dispute concerning the upgrading of one of the world’s largest oil refineries. His wider commercial experience is significant. In recent years this has included a Middle East dispute over a royalty agreement. He also has considerable experience in the professional indemnity, IT and telecommunications, and procurement fields.

Andrew has acted as junior counsel on large litigations, international and domestic arbitrations, and in the Court of Appeal. He has enjoyed broadening the scope of his international arbitration practice with instructions arising out of disputes in Oman, Egypt, Dubai, Doha, Qatar, Singapore, Russia and Gibraltar. Andrew also appears regularly as sole counsel in court and adjudication hearings, assisting with drafting and providing tactical advice at every stage, including: pre-action protocol, pleadings, disclosure, witness statements and expert reports, negotiations, applications and hearings including summary judgment, security for costs, CMCs and trial. “He is tenacious and of enormous help on complicated fact-specific cases,” says one source, while others describe him as a “work-horse”. Instructing solicitors appreciate his keenness to work with them as part of a team, and clients value his “commercial awareness and well thought-out advice on complicated matters.” 

Arthur has a broad practice in all areas of Chambers’ work and regularly acts as sole counsel in the Technology and Construction Court.  As junior counsel, Arthur has been heavily involved for over three years in a very high-value international arbitration concerning the design, procurement and construction of a major airport in the Middle East (conducting cross-examination at trial), alongside various High Court claims relating to domestic construction projects. As sole counsel, Arthur has successfully advanced and defended multiple adjudication enforcement proceedings. Examples include Meadowside Building Developments Ltd [2019] EWHC 2651 (TCC), in which the other side’s action was successfully resisted on an unprecedented basis (a champertous funding agreement and scope for abuse of process). Meadowside is also a leading and widely published case on the impact of insolvency on enforcement actions, cited with approval by the Supreme Court in Bresco. Other notable cases as sole counsel include Indigo Projects London Ltd [2019] EWHC 1205 (TCC) (adjudication enforcement and company voluntary arrangements) and Fresh Lime Construction Ltd [2020] EWHC 3734 (TCC) (assignment of right to enforce adjudication decision).

Camille’s practice covers a broad range of commercial matters with a particular focus on construction and professional negligence disputes.  She is experienced in all forms of dispute resolution including domestic and international arbitration, DABs, expert determination, mediation, adjudication and the High Court. She undertakes work in numerous industry sectors and has particular experience of social housing, government and public services, transport, infrastructure and energy projects.  Her professional negligence experience is considerable in particular in matters with a construction context having often acted for, and against, architects, engineers, surveyors, project managers, planning professionals and multidisciplinary firms, amongst others. She is frequently instructed by insurers, professionals, governments, local governments and government departments, small and large developers, and construction companies as well as private individuals, both domestically and internationally.  Camille also has experience in a number of high-profile fraud and conspiracy cases in the Chancery Division and Commercial Court. Camille also has an exceptional track record acting as sole counsel, having been retained in this capacity for many high-value, complex disputes both in the UK and overseas. She carries out a considerable amount of advocacy, regularly appearing in Court and Arbitrations, conducting trials and other hearings, and directories have noted that she can “can wipe the floor with silks” .

Caroline joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in September 2019, following the successful completion of her pupillage. Caroline has seen a broad range of construction and general commercial work at all stages of litigation, adjudication and arbitration. Her work has involved bespoke and standard form contracts including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, RIBA and ACE forms. Caroline’s recent instructions include full trials in the County Court and applications in the High Court, both in person and remotely during lockdown. She is currently being led in two high-value international Arbitrations relating to major infrastructure projects in the Middle East. At the end of 2019, a secondment to the construction and dispute resolution team of an international law firm provided an insight into the commercial decisions employers and contractors face over the course of a project and the focused real-time advice they require. Caroline graduated from the University of Oxford with a First-Class law degree and a Distinction on the BCL, and gained a distinction on the Bar Professional Training Course. Before starting pupillage, Caroline lived and worked in China and has conversational spoken and written Mandarin.

Caspar joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in September 2022, following successful completion of his pupillage.  Caspar has trained in Chambers’ core practice areas of construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy and utilities, and technology. He is familiar with a broad range of bespoke and standard form contracts including JCT, NEC, FIDIC and ACE standard forms.  Caspar has gained experience at all stages of litigation, adjudication and arbitration. Caspar holds a double first in Politics and International Relations and an MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from the University of Cambridge.  He received distinctions for his performance on both the GDL and the Bar Vocational Studies course at City, University of London. During his studies, Caspar worked as a Guest Lecturer at the City Law School, delivering lectures and workshops on mooting skills.  He was an oralist for Gray’s Inn’s Vis Moot international arbitration team.  The team was the most successful in the Inn’s history, receiving an honourable mention for the Eric E. Bergsten Award for Best Team Orals in the international finals.

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC is the current Head of Atkin Chambers and a former Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales. She has a commercial dispute resolution practice, with particular emphasis on energy and natural resources, construction, engineering and infrastructure projects, international arbitration, professional negligence and general commercial. As well as being instructed on a number of significant domestic project and energy disputes, she has a busy international practice. Cases have included disputes arising in Asia (China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Singapore), Europe (Germany, Lithuania, Norway and Switzerland), the Middle East (Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Oman and Qatar), South America (Costa Rica and Peru), CIS (Russia and Azerbaijan), and Ukraine. She is co-editor in chief of the International Construction Law Review.

Christopher practises principally in the fields of construction and engineering; energy and utilities; information technology; and related matters. He is an experienced trial advocate and is usually also involved at earlier stages of a case. His experience includes, therefore: advisory work; settling pleadings, submissions and notices; pre-trial advocacy (including advocacy in mediations); and trial advocacy. That experience spans a range of different forums, including mediation, adjudication, expert determination, arbitration (domestic and international), the High Court (principally the TCC and the Commercial Court) and appellate courts. He has represented clients from, and advised on disputes relating to, a number of different jurisdictions throughout Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. A number of those disputes have been subject to arbitration, under differing arbitration rules. He has a particular interest in disputes which have a conflict of laws element (whether as to jurisdiction, or choice of law, or otherwise). Very often his cases will involve complicated issues of law, fact and/or expert evidence; and those issues have arisen in a range of different types of project across a range of different disciplines.

Christopher undertakes a broad range of commercial work both domestically and internationally, and in both litigation and arbitration. In line with Chambers’ profile, he has a particular expertise in the areas of energy, construction, and engineering. Christopher frequently acts as junior counsel as part of large teams in high-value disputes, which are often factually, legally, and technically complex. In addition, he regularly acts as sole counsel representing and advising a range of clients in these fields, as well as in general commercial and professional liability disputes. Christopher has been a contributing editor to the 13th and 14th editions of Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts and is the editor of the TECBAR Review. Recent examples of Christopher’s work in arbitration include being led in a circa 1 billion AED dispute, seated in Paris, over the alleged breach of a sub-developer’s obligations in respect of a large mixed-use project in the Middle East; and being led on behalf of a major Korean contractor in a dispute, seated in Seoul, under the ICC rules, concerning defects in the manufacture and supply of components for a large power generation and water desalination plant. Christopher is also presently instructed on a >$1 billion USD ad hoc arbitration concerning a major international airport in the Middle East. Recent examples of Christopher’s work in litigation include acting (with Jonathan Acton Davis QC of Atkin Chambers and George Hayman QC of Maitland Chambers) for the state-owned defendant in multi-party litigation in the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago concerning four large-scale road construction projects under the FIDIC form of contract. He is also instructed (as sole counsel) in two disputes in the Technology and Construction Court for a major UK contractor in claims against specialist cladding subcontractors for the use of combustible cladding at mixed-use developments, in breach of the Building Regulations 2010. Christopher also has experience providing advice during the life of large international projects, before parties are in dispute, most recently for the employer of a hydrocracker plant project in the Middle East.

Dalton has been described by clients as “knowledgeable, thorough, proactive and original in approach” and “an effective advocate” with “great attention to detail”. He has a broad practice covering all areas of Chambers’ work, including construction, engineering, infrastructure, energy and utilities and technology. He frequently acts as sole counsel, as well as junior counsel as part of larger teams. He has represented and advised clients both domestically and internationally and has been instructed on various high-value and technically complex disputes, as well as a number of smaller matters. He has experience at all stages of litigation, arbitration and adjudication. Dalton has recently been led in multiple high value arbitrations including a delay and termination dispute concerning a major infrastructure (rail) project in the Middle East and a delay and disruption dispute in respect of a large domestic biomass power station. He also acts as junior counsel to the largest group of bereaved families, survivors and former residents in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Darryl Royce advises upon, and acts for parties involved in, construction projects, including regular appearances before the Technology and Construction Court, lay arbitrators and mediators. He specialises in work in the construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy, natural resources and utilities, and shipbuilding fields and deals with related professional negligence matters. Darryl has experience as an arbitrator and as a mediator and he is also qualified to undertake Public Access work. He also frequently advises parties involved in the adjudication process. In addition, he sits on the Western Circuit, is a member of TECBAR (the Technology and Construction Bar Association) and is a founder member of the SCL (Society for Construction Law). Darryl is the author of ‘Adjudication in Construction Law’ (Informa Law from Routledge) which brings together all the relevant material on the process of adjudication in construction. He is also a contributing editor to the publication ‘Costs Law: A practitioner’s Guide’ (ARK Group), ‘The Legal Obligations of the Architect’ (OUP: Oxford University Press) and ‘Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts’ 14th edition (Sweet & Maxwell).

David practises in the fields of domestic and international construction, engineering, energy, and information technology. David has been involved in numerous transport and infrastructure disputes, including several UK and international railway and urban railway projects. He is also acting as sole counsel in multiple disputes in relation to the capital expenditure (CAPEX) expansion programme at an international airport. In addition to these specialist areas he also advises and appears in respect of a range of other general commercial matters, both domestically and overseas, principally in the Far East and the Middle East. He is instructed either as junior counsel or as sole acting counsel. David has also worked on-site with clients around the world where extensive on-the-ground support has been required. David has recently spent time working with a law firm in Singapore and has acted in disputes in the Philippines, Taiwan and Korea. David is experienced in dealing with all major standard form building contracts (JCT, FIDIC, NEC3, ICE) and has appeared in numerous interim and final hearings, as well as project phase advisory and pre-action work. David has recently appeared successfully as junior counsel in the Court of Appeal and is currently acting as sole counsel in multiple international arbitration proceedings in the Middle East. David is also an accredited adjudicator.

David Streatfeild-James acts as an advocate, adviser and arbitrator in high-value commercial cases comprising legally, factually, and technically complex issues. During 30 years of practice he has gained an outstanding professional reputation. In acting for a wide range of clients relating to infrastructure projects worldwide, David’s scope of experience encompasses the fields of construction and engineering, energy, information technology and professional negligence. Experience includes disputes under most standard construction contracts and forms, on and offshore fabrications, power and renewable energy projects, water treatment and waste plants, soft and hardware computer systems, and control and communication systems. David also has expertise with financing and service agreements, and PFI / PPP contracts.

Dominique Rawley QC specialises in high value disputes in the field of technology, construction and engineering projects, and in professional negligence claims, both in the UK and abroad. She has extensive experience of complex PFI contractual arrangements in the UK. She frequently deals with commercial issues arising out of bonds, guarantees & warranties, as well as acting in disputes about the jurisdiction of UK or foreign courts or conflicts of laws. Dominique has represented contractors, employers and their professional advisers, as well as government departments, in both arbitration and litigation (in both the High Court and the Appellate Courts). She has excellent experience of mediation, where she has represented many clients in multiparty actions leading to early stage settlements, and adjudication, having acted in over 20 adjudications in recent years. She has handled many high profile cases, appearing in the House of Lords where she was Junior Counsel in successful appeal regarding the question of the availability of security for costs in ICC arbitrations (Coppee Lavalin N.V (S.A) v Ken-Ren Chemicals [1995] 1 AC 38) and in the Court of Appeal where she resisted an appeal by a local authority regarding liability under repair covenants and fair proportion (Fountain and Colonnade Management v Westminster [2005] EWCA Civ 1607). Dominique appeared in the high court in Cadbury v ADT, cited as one of the top 20 cases of 2011 by the Lawyer.

Doug Jones AO is a leading independent international commercial and investor-state arbitrator with over 40 years’ prior experience as an international transactional and disputes project lawyer. Doug is an arbitrator member at Arbitration Place in Toronto, a door tenant at Atkin Chambers London and has an office in Sydney. Doug is also an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court. He has been involved in over 140 arbitrations which include construction, infrastructure, energy, commodities, intellectual property, joint venture, and investor-state disputes spanning over 30 jurisdictions around the world. He has extensive experience as arbitrator under the ICC, LCIA, AAA, ICDR, KCAB, AIAC (formerly KLRCA), CRCICA, SIAC, VIAC, SCC, DIAC, ACICA, Resolution Institute, AMINZ, European Development Fund Arbitration and Conciliation Rules, as well as the ICSID (he is an Australian Government nominee on the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators) and UNCITRAL Rules, in disputes of values exceeding some billions $US. Doug has published and presented extensively and holds professorial appointments at Queen Mary College, University of London and Melbourne University Law School. In addition, Doug has held appointments at several international professional associations, including serving as the President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA). In 2018, Doug chaired the International Council of Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) Congress held in Sydney. Doug was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his distinguished service to the law and leadership in arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, policy reform, and national and international professional organisations. In 2018, Doug was awarded the John Shaw Medal in recognition of his lasting contribution to the road transport industry in Australia and internationally. He was elected an Honorary Bencher of The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in 2020.

Edmund specialises in all aspects of Chambers’ work for a broad range of domestic and international clients, particularly in the fields of construction and engineering, information technology and professional negligence. Edmund’s background in engineering and information technology provides a solid grounding for the more detailed and technically complex areas of dispute. He has worked on a wide range of disputes. Recent examples include concerning commercial construction contracts, ship-building, combined cycle gas turbine plants, a coal-fired power station, chemical manufacturing facility, numerous residential developments, professional negligence of construction professionals, PFI projects (roads, waste management, hospitals) and, cladding related claims.

Ella joined Chambers as a tenant in September 2022, following the successful completion of her pupillage. Her practice covers all areas of Chambers’ core specialisms: construction and engineering, technology, energy and natural resources, and professional negligence. Ella has experience of all stages of litigation, adjudication and arbitration (including ad hoc, CIMAR, HKIAC, ICC, ICSID, LCIA, SIAC and UNCITRAL arbitrations) and has worked with a variety of bespoke and standard form contracts, including NEC and JCT. Ella’s instructions during pupillage include acting as sole counsel for a builder in an English court claim arising out of renovation works at a residential property, and as junior counsel in a construction adjudication. She has also worked for barristers in Chambers on several high-value construction disputes. Ella read Law at Oxford and has a Master of Laws in International and European Law from the University of Ghent. In addition to England and Wales, she also has experience of disputes under other systems of law (including Belizean, Korean and Swiss) and is admitted to practice in New York. Ella previously lived and worked in France and Belgium, and has a reasonable working knowledge of French.

Felicity specialises in all aspects of Chambers’ work including in the areas of construction and engineering, energy, IT and professional negligence and also has experience in a number of other commercial practice areas. Felicity acts for a wide range of domestic and international clients. In the field of construction, Felicity has experience of bespoke and standard form contracts and is familiar with the JCT and NEC forms.

Recognised for her particular skill in getting to the heart of complex legal and factual disputes quickly in order to provide clients with commercially focused advice; Fiona specialises in high-value energy and utilities claims. She also has extensive experience in the PFI arena. Her broad practice extends to encompass international arbitration, construction, infrastructure and professional negligence.

Her Honour Frances Kirkham CBE acts as arbitrator in high-value construction and commercial disputes. She also accepts appointments as an adjudicator and expert determiner in relation to international and domestic disputes. She also acts as a mediator (evaluative, facilitative or hybrid), including in multi-party disputes, and has recently assisted parties in innovative evaluative mediations. Frances is widely recognised for her contribution to law and the administration of justice, for example she was awarded Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2011, the Clare Edwards award from TeCSA, honorary membership of Arbrix and the award of honorary lifetime membership of the Society of Construction Law. Frances qualified as a solicitor in 1978. She was a construction and engineering law specialist, assisting professional and corporate clients with contract formation and dispute resolution. In 2000 Frances was appointed the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) judge in Birmingham, a post she held until her retirement from the bench in 2011. During this period, she built up the TCC work in the Midlands, and indeed in the early years attracted significant cases away from London. Frances case managed and tried cases not only in the TCC but also in the Chancery, Mercantile and Administrative Courts. Before her appointment as a judge, she acted as arbitrator in consumer and commercial disputes. While a TCC judge, Frances acted as arbitrator in a number of high value construction disputes. In 2009 Frances was appointed coroner in the Lakanal House inquest following a fire at a residential tower block in London in which six people died and over twenty were injured. Since her retirement from the bench in 2011, she has acted as arbitrator in high-value construction and commercial disputes, including an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration. Frances is a Justice of the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is a Chartered Arbitrator. In 2020 she was appointed to the UKA Panel of Adjudicators.

His Honour Humphrey LLoyd QC is an arbitrator and mediator. From 1963 until 1993 he was a barrister in England, becoming Queen’s Counsel in 1979. He specialised in construction and related commercial law. He was appointed arbitrator in many domestic and international arbitrations (e.g. Chairman of an Arbitral Tribunal for dispute about a major highway in a Middle Eastern State; co-arbitrator in dispute about a freight-handling facility in a French Port). In 1980 he became one of the UK representatives on the Commission on International Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. From 1993 until 2005 he was a judge of the Technology and Construction Court in London, part of the High Court of Justice. That court deals almost exclusively with construction and other complex disputes, such as contracts relating to computers and computerised systems. During his time on the Bench, His Honour Humphrey LLoyd QC tried many such cases. He also delivered numerous judgments (including one of the very first) about the statutory system of adjudication that applies to most construction contracts in the United Kingdom. He was also one of the few judges then to be selected by parties for appointment as judge-arbitrator for major cases. In 2004 he was awarded the President’s Medal of the Society of Construction Law for services to Construction Law. In 2009 Leeds Metropolitan University conferred on him an Honorary Doctor of Laws ( LL.D) for services to construction law and arbitration, the first such honour to anybody in the United Kingdom. In 2005 His Honour Humphrey LLoyd returned to being an arbitrator in international and domestic matters.  

James specialises in infrastructure, construction, energy and IT disputes both domestic and international. James regularly appears as an advocate in the English Courts and in international arbitration in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. He has extensive experience of arbitration under all major institutional rules and in ad hoc references. James is regularly instructed in other forms of dispute resolution. James’ experience of domestic and international infrastructure projects has included metro and heavy rail, roads, and airports across the globe. Experience of energy disputes has included numerous claims relating to the design, construction of oil and gas production platforms and rigs and their commercial operation including onshore and offshore (including UDW) drilling. Numerous shipbuilding disputes have addressed some of the largest submersible/semi-submersible rigs in addition to the design and construction of drill ships and FPSOs. James has extensive experience of power-related disputes ranging from thermal and nuclear plants to waste-to-energy and renewable energy sources including wind, wave, hydro, solar and biomass production. IT experience includes commercial and technical disputes in respect of projects ranging from financial services/banking, commodities trading and commercial business systems to major government IT infrastructure and services outsourcing projects. Publications Contributing Editor: 'Hudson's Building and Engineering Contracts' 12th to 14th editions.

Professor Janet Walker is a leading international commercial arbitrator based in London, Toronto, and Sydney. Recipient of the CIArb Canada Award for Distinguished Service to Arbitration in 2018, she has been recognised regularly in the legal directories for her skill as an arbitrator since 2010, including in Who’s Who Legal and Chambers & Partners. She is founding co-chair of CanArbWeek and she was a member of the ICCA2018 Sydney executive organising committee. She is chair of the ICC Canada Arbitration Committee, and a member of the boards of CIArb Canada and the International Construction Law Association. Janet is a founding editor of the Canadian Journal of Commercial Arbitration and she authors the main private international law text in Canada, the most cited private law work in the Canadian courts. For more than 20 years, she served as consulting and testifying expert on questions of judicial jurisdiction, the enforcement of judgments and applicable law in cross-border litigation.  

Jennifer practices both domestically and internationally, with a particular expertise in multi-party TCC litigation and in international arbitrations in the fields of large construction projects and energy disputes. She is typically instructed as sole counsel in multi-million-pound disputes for a range of different types of entity and her clients praise both her intellectual ability and her emphasis on client care. Clients remark in particular that she is “very impressive and a clear thinker”, “an excellent barrister who is very responsive and commercial”, “enthusiastic and a very capable team player”, “calm, collected and unflappable” and that she has “absolutely first-rate legal knowledge”. Jennifer’s main areas of specialisation are construction and engineering, professional negligence and energy, and she also has valuable experience in disputes concerning the construction and enforcement of guarantees/ bonds and of jurisdictional and conflicts issues, which regularly arise as incidental to other matters.  It is in the nature of construction disputes that they give rise to particularly complex strategic and factual scenarios, either because of the number of different parties and contracts, or because disputes are being fought out in different fora.  Jennifer particularly enjoys the tactical challenges inherent in managing these complicated disputes and in doing everything possible to obtain the best result for her clients.  

From 1984 until 2006, John was in full-time practice as leading counsel based in London. During that period, he also developed an international arbitration practice as an arbitrator, and has acted in that capacity in London, Paris, Geneva, Stockholm, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Caribbean. As well as appointments in ad hoc arbitrations, he has frequently been appointed either as chairman or as co-arbitrator in references under the International Chamber of Commerce Rules, under the UNCITRAL Rules and under the LCIA Rules.  

Jonathan specialises in domestic and international litigation and arbitration in the construction, civil engineering and energy sectors, and all related technical disputes. Throughout his career, he has handled many high-profile cases representing governments (British and overseas), contractors, and their professional advisers all over the world. He regularly appears as counsel in English High Court litigation and arbitration, both domestic and international. He also acts as arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator, and in expert determination. Internationally he has conducted ad hoc, ICC and UNCITRAL arbitrations in Asia-Pacific (Singapore), The Middle East (Dubai, Oman), Central Asia (Kazakhstan), the Caribbean and Europe (Paris, Brussels, Sweden, Switzerland and London) in relation to disputes arising out of projects in Europe, Africa, India, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South-East Asia. In addition to this, between 2005 and 2010 he advised and acted for the British government in a number of mediations and trials for DEFRA against contractors arising out of the foot and mouth outbreak and other epidemics. In 2009 he was appointed as Lead Counsel to the Al-Sweady inquiry, the public inquiry called to investigate allegations relating to the unlawful killing and mistreatment of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers at UK bases in 2004. Jonathan was appointed as a deputy high court judge in 2008 and sits regularly in the Technology and Construction Courts.

Katie Powell specialises in commercial disputes with a particular emphasis on construction, professional liability and insurance disputes. Clients have recognised her as “an absolute star, with sharp intellect and an amazing work ethic” and she wins “universal praise”. She has a formidable reputation both on paper and on her feet, being described as an “outstanding construction and construction related junior”, as “unfailingly charming, super bright, incredibly hard-working and highly competitive;” “very tough and persuasive, and incredibly good in court”; “pure class: super-clever and down to earth”, “phenomenally bright” and as being “simply brilliant and passionate about everything she does”. Katie is confident in conducting all major forms of dispute resolution on both a led and an unled basis. She has substantial experience in large litigation, arbitrations, adjudications and appeals, and is frequently instructed in place of silks.

Laura has a domestic and international practice in all specialist areas of Chambers’ work including construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy and utilities, information technology, professional negligence, as well as general commercial disputes. She regularly acts as both sole counsel and junior counsel in both litigation and arbitration. Recent examples of her international work include acting as junior counsel in high value arbitrations relating to major transportation networks in the Middle East and in a dispute concerning the construction of floating production, storage and offloading oil platforms in Brazil. Her domestic litigation work recently includes acting as junior counsel in large multi-party disputes concerning the construction of a large luxury London residential development and the construction of a Premier League football stadium. Prior to joining Atkin Chambers Laura spent a number of years gaining valuable and wide-ranging experience in banking and commercial roles. She now applies that experience to her work in order to provide practical and commercially sensitive advice.

Lauren’s domestic practice involves advising on private residential work and large commercial projects, including both adjudication and arbitration work. She has most recently been involved in disputes relating to energy and renewable resources, acting as junior and sole counsel in cases arising out of the construction and performance of solar parks and refurbishment of FPSOs. In this context, her special interest in guarantees and bonds, on which she has written a Hudson paper for the Society of Construction Law, a collaborative paper comparing English and Italian law, and a chapter of Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts, is often engaged. Lauren also has experience in handling IT disputes, particularly relating to the use and performance of e-commerce platforms and communication systems. Her international practice includes acting in arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, DIAC and HKIAC rules, and she is experienced in dealing with many standard form construction contracts (JCT, FIDIC, NEC3, ICE and LOGIC CRINE). Lauren was elected to the Society of Construction Law (SCL) Council in 2015, re-elected in 2018 and focuses her efforts on coordinating the SCL’s well-attended advocacy courses, sitting on the SCL Hudson Prize judging panel, and on building relationships with future construction professionals though the SCL’s university liaison and grants sub-committee.

Lucie specialises in construction and engineering, energy, information technology, and professional negligence disputes for a wide variety of contractors, private employers, manufacturers and their professional advisers. She has a broad practice with expertise in domestic and international arbitration, domestic courts, mediation and all aspects of adjudication proceedings. As part of her diverse practice she appears regularly as sole counsel in court, arbitration, mediation and adjudication hearings. She has also advised on and acted in appellant proceedings. Lucie has more recently developed extensive experience and a particular specialism in cladding disputes and the Building Regulations relating to fire safety following the Grenfell fire. As well as advising on and representing parties in relation to cladding disputes, Lucie is regularly invited to give talks and seminars on the subject of the Building Regulations and cladding litigation post Grenfell.

Manus specialises in commercial disputes with an emphasis on energy, natural resources and utilities, construction and engineering, professional indemnity and insurance matters both domestically and internationally. He is often the lead advocate on the largest and most high-profile disputes in these fields. He has represented a wide range of clients including multi-national corporations, government entities, professional advisers, contractors and individuals all over the world. In the past three years, in cases where Manus has been acting for the Claimant or Plaintiff, his clients have been awarded, and have recovered, over US$ 1bn.  In the same time frame, where he has been acting for Defendants or Respondents, he has successfully defended claims for in excess of US$ 5bn.

Confirming his status as a “respected junior”, Marc is a leading junior construction barrister, whose “attention to detail and quality written work elicit praise from market observers”. Clients note the breadth of his practice, which is “active in high-value construction disputes in a range of sectors, representing clients on both the domestic and international stage.” The international scope of this recent work includes instructions arising out of disputes in Hong Kong, Thailand, Dubai and Qatar. Instructing solicitors value Marc’s ability to perform as a “team player” who “works hard on detailed technical matters”, singling out his “good eye” and “excellent” drafting. “Very capable intellectually”, he possesses “an exceptional work ethic.” Marc specialises in the fields of construction, engineering, infrastructure, energy, information technology, professional negligence and general commercial arbitration. Described by clients as “a good advocate, and very proactive”, Marc has significant experience of High Court and appellate litigation, and arbitration, both as sole counsel and as junior counsel on large trials. He has built up considerable expertise in drafting pleadings, adjudication enforcement proceedings, preliminary hearings, advising on tactics, settling witness statements and expert reports, as well as fighting trials. Marc’s advocacy is always sensitive to situation and audience, whether in the context of a court hearing, arbitration, mediation, adjudication or simply seeking to persuade through correspondence. “Committed and attentive to detail”, Marc is skilled at analysing large quantities of information and documentation. He has a keen eye for legal and technical complexities, while also maintaining a commercial overview and offering practical advice. Marc is one of the editors of the Building Law Reports, widely recognised as the leading set of law reports for the construction industry.

Mark Chennells QC was appointed silk in 2021. He has broad experience of acting in substantial commercially, legally and technically complex disputes. As well as litigation in the TCC and Commercial Court, recent cases include ICC, LCIA, SIAC, LMAA, UNCITRAL, HKIAC and DIAC Arbitrations. He specialises mainly in construction and engineering, energy (oil and gas, power generation, renewables including offshore wind), professional negligence, IT and telecommunications disputes all over the world.

“Inventive intellectually and tactically superb” Martin Bowdery QC practises as an advocate, arbitrator, mediator and adjudicator in construction and engineering disputes, and has been involved in many high-profile cases in this sector. Clients comment he is “at the top of his game: he wants to win his cases and he does so”. In recent years he has appeared principally in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and before various international arbitral tribunals. He has had numerous appointments as arbitrator or adjudicator. He sits as a Deputy High Court Judge of the Technology and Construction Court. Martin’s principal areas of expertise are complex disputes arising out of major capital projects. He has advised upon all major forms of infrastructure, transport and engineering contracts. He acts for and against all parties to the construction process, including foreign and domestic government departments, owners, employers, architects, engineers, surveyors, project managers, contractors, sub-contractors and insurers.

Mathias’ domestic and international commercial practice covers all areas of Chambers’ work, including construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy and utilities, information technology, professional negligence, and international arbitration. In addition to these specialist areas, he has also gained experience in a wide range of commercial disputes, including cases on banking, insolvency, fraud, insurance, assignment, subrogation, conflicts of law and airline claims. Mathias has experience at all stages of mediation, litigation, adjudication and arbitration, and he has worked with a variety of bespoke and standard form contracts including the FIDIC, JCT, NEC and ACE forms, as well as various forms of PFI contracts. As a native of Hong Kong, Mathias is fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin, and he is therefore able to take instructions for cases involving Chinese-speaking parties and Chinese documentation in Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Singapore and other jurisdictions. Mathias also has working proficiency in French. Mathias was the winner of the SCL Hudson Prize 2015 for his essay entitled ‘Shylock’s Construction Law: the Brave New Life of Liquidated Damages?’ on the Supreme Court decision regarding penalty clauses. He has also published in the Construction Law Journal, International Construction Law Review, TECBAR Review and Construction Law newsletter.

Max joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in 2019. He has gained experience at all stages of litigation, adjudication and arbitration, encompassing a variety of bespoke and standard form contracts including JCT, NEC and ACE forms, as well as PFI contracts. Max has also gained experience in a broad range of general commercial work. Max’s recent instructions have included appearing as sole counsel in the High Court and County Court, including in full trials. Max is currently instructed as junior counsel in two high-value international arbitrations concerning major airport and rail projects in the Middle East, as well as in a TCC claim relating to a large London residential development. Max recently undertook a secondment in the construction disputes team of an international law firm, gaining an insight into the commercial pressures faced by parties involved in disputes. Prior to commencing practice, Max graduated from Cambridge University with a starred double first in History. He ranked first in the country in two consecutive years at law school. Max won first prize in the SCL Hudson Prize 2018 and has been published in the International Construction Law Review.

Michael Shane is a highly-regarded international mediator and arbitrator. His career has included being a trial lawyer in private practice and a commercial lawyer in-house in the engineering, design, and construction industry. Since focusing on arbitration and mediation, Michael has been instructed on almost every conceivable sort of commercial dispute and over the years he has built a reputation based on this extensive experience and on his determination and ability to bring disputes to a resolution. Michael specialises in complex international commercial disputes arising in a wide range of industry sectors and practices including: construction and infrastructure energy and utilities banking insurance intellectual property and information technology general commercial He has been a full time mediator and arbitrator for 25 years, mediating in excess of 1,500 major disputes in the US, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Africa, and acting as arbitrator in over 150 cases involving complex commercial matters both in the US and internationally.

Mischa specialises primarily in international commercial disputes with an emphasis on construction and engineering, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, shipbuilding and professional liability. Mischa has particular experience of international construction arbitration concerning projects in the Middle East and Asia, having spent time working in both Dubai and Seoul. Recent experience includes acting (unled) on behalf of a member of a contractor consortium in a three-week ICC arbitration concerning the termination of a major rail project in Asia, with a value of over €300 million, and acting as junior counsel to Stephanie Barwise QC on the independent review commissioned by Persimmon Homes.

Nicholas’ practice includes disputes relating to construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy and utilities, information technology, and professional negligence in both court and arbitration. In addition to these specialist areas, he also acts in respect of a range of other general commercial disputes, with a particular focus on insurance related matters.  Nicholas appears regularly in the High Court. Recently Nicholas has been instructed as a junior in a leading case concerning liquidated damages before the Supreme Court, Triple Point Technology Limited v PTT Public Co Ltd [2021] UKSC 29. Other recent experience includes acting for a claimant joint venture in relation to a £50 million claim under a policy of insurance in respect of delay to the construction of biomass waste wood burning energy power plant, acting as sole counsel in a £7 million claim arising out of the termination of a contract for the inspection of fire doors across the UK, and acting as sole counsel in respect of a £5 million claim for negligent design and construction in a project for the erection of a state-of-the-art cancer research facility. He works closely and collaboratively with solicitors – he has spent several months liaising between leading counsel, his solicitors and his lay client in order to develop and advise upon a substantial claim for extension of time and additional services for an MEP design firm in relation to the design of a hospital under a PFI contract and has undertaken a secondment with a large City law firm, where he worked on a range of construction disputes within the property litigation team.

Nicholas specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration with a particular emphasis on construction, engineering, energy and utilities, technology and related disputes. He has broad experience of all methods of dispute resolution with expertise in domestic and international arbitration, mediation and adjudication.

Nicholas is a leading specialist in construction, civil engineering, international arbitration, professional negligence and information technology together with related areas such as insurance, sale of goods, insolvency, transport and energy. He acts as advocate and advisor domestically and overseas in court and arbitration proceedings concerning major construction, engineering, IT, road and rail transport, infrastructure, and oil and gas projects. Overseas disputes commonly involve international corporations and joint ventures, and governmental or quasi-governmental bodies. He has appeared in arbitrations conducted in various parts of the world under LCIA, ICC, HKIAC, SIAC and UNCITRAL rules. He also acts as arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator. He has acted as party-nominated arbitrator, chairman and sole arbitrator on numerous occasions in domestic and international disputes and conducts adjudications early neutral valuations and other forms of dispute resolution. He has been involved in disputes involving foreign law including in India, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE, USA (including New York, Texas, California), Europe (including Spain and Poland), South Africa and Gibraltar.

Omar Eljadi specialises in contractual and professional negligence disputes within the construction, engineering, and energy sectors. He has acted for a wide range of clients based in the UK and internationally, including employers (state and private), contractors, and various types of professional. Omar’s work frequently has an international dimension. He has experience of disputes concerning projects in Africa, the Middle East (including Dubai, Oman, Turkey and Jordan), east Asia and Australia. In addition to his advocacy, drafting and advisory work, Omar provides hands-on assistance from an early stage in a dispute, including during the pre-action process, disclosure, the preparation of factual and expert evidence, and interim applications or case management conferences. Omar is currently acting as junior counsel to the largest group of bereaved families, survivors and former residents in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.  

Patrick’s specialist practice principally concerns fighting claims that involve complex technical or factual subject matter, in particular concerning construction, engineering of all kinds and IT or computing and communications disputes. He is regarded as one of the top trial lawyers in his field, recommended by the legal directories as a leading junior in construction and IT disputes, noted to be an outstanding advocate and expert cross-examiner. He has broad experience of all methods of dispute resolution with expertise in the High Court in England as well as international arbitration, mediation and adjudication. The last few years have been marked by acting on, and appearing in, a series of large high-value arbitrations involving computer-related, oil and gas and infrastructure projects. Patrick’s international practice has recently been focused on the Gulf and Central Asia and he has acted in arbitrations in the Far East and the Americas. Praised as being down to earth and a good communicator, Patrick’s client base is drawn from all sectors including contractors, specialist consultants, private individuals, national and local government departments, and commercial employers. The subject matter of his work ranges from private dwellings and local authority highways disputes to stadiums, drilling rigs and specialist shipbuilding and from disputes concerned with moving a single website based business to a different provider to disputes concerned with nationwide roll-out of hardware and software for a national government department.

Peter practices across all areas of construction, engineering, infrastructure, information technology and associated professional negligence dispute resolution and advisory work. Originally qualifying as an engineer, prior to coming to the bar he gained 15 years’ experience across a broad range of industry sectors including power generation, construction, defence, oil and gas, financial and professional services, and FMCG, initially as an engineering consultant and latterly as an IT consultant, manager and project manager. He is instructed on behalf of contractors, sub-contractors, consultants and employers (corporate, government and private individuals) both as sole counsel and as junior counsel. He is experienced in matters of all scales and value, from homeowner disputes to very large technically complex global infrastructure projects, most recently acting for the Panama Canal Authority in relation to multi-billion dollar disputes arising from the project to construct the third set of locks. He is qualified to take direct access instructions. In addition to his litigation experience, Peter has experience of ADR including mediation, adjudication, domestic arbitration and international arbitration subject to foreign law, together with associated court enforcement and appeal proceedings. In addition to his practice as an advocate, Peter is a TECBAR accredited adjudicator and has taken tribunal appointments including as a DIAC arbitrator and as a member of an adjudicator panel for a PFI waste management contract. He is co-author of the Construction Adjudication and Payments Handbook (OUP, 2013).

Riaz acts as leading counsel in high value, complex disputes and advises clients on difficult legal and tactical issues. Clients describe his working style as “wonderfully hands-on, with a real ‘can do’ attitude, excellent client skills, very calm under pressure, highly responsive, hardworking, proactive, efficient, user friendly, approachable and always a pleasure to work with.” Commendations of his legal ability describe him as “a supreme strategist, a top-notch legal mind who always provides excellent and clear advice, has a commercial and pragmatic approach, is quick to spot solutions that other counsel may miss, concise, incisive and very good at getting to the point.” As an advocate he is commended as “brilliant in court and hearings, a very persuasive advocate, who is a tough, forensic, ferocious and excellent cross examiner.” Riaz has direct access rights and is often instructed directly by in house counsel from governmental bodies and commercial organisations. He has been appointed as arbitrator in ICC, UNCITRAL and DIFC-LCIA arbitrations including as chair of a tribunal. He is on the LCIA list of arbitrators and a member of the Nomination Commission for the ICC for the UK.

In continuous practice from 1973 to 2007 as a specialist construction law barrister, Sir Robert Akenhead had an extensive UK and international workload, both in court and in arbitration. His work covered a wide-ranging field of different types of construction; buildings, power stations, dams, tunnels, roads, bridges, oil and gas installations, harbours, pipelines, dredging, reclamation, mining operations, mechanical and electrical works, airports, shipbuilding and computer technology. He acted for employers, developers, governments, local/administrative authorities, contractors, sub-contractors, all types of construction-related professionals (e.g. architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and project managers) and funding institutions. Within this specialist field, he acted in numerous different types of case involving disputes as to defects, final accounts, measurement, delay and disruption claims, professional negligence, bonds and guarantees, contractual and statutory interpretation and the like. His international practice took him to most parts of the world (Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia, USA, Caribbean, Europe). He was involved extensively in arbitrations and disputes relating to projects inter alia in China, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Fiji, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Kenya, Iran, Yemen, Bahrain, Dubai, Oman, Trinidad, Bahamas, Dutch Antilles, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Russia and Poland. He also had and has an extensive practice as arbitrator, adjudicator and conciliator. He was and is involved in Dispute Adjudication/Review Boards. He is an editor of the Building Law Reports. Over his 8 years as a High Court Judge, he dealt with all types of construction, engineering and technology case, including appeals from and challenges to arbitral awards. Since retirement as a judge, he has acted as arbitrator, adjudicator, expert and mediator in disputes around the world, including Singapore, Australia, Central America, Europe, Hong Kong, the West Indies, the Middle East and the UK.  

Robert specialises in litigation and arbitration, domestic and international, in the construction, civil engineering, energy, and oil and gas sectors.  He handles cases for a wide range of clients, including governments, local authorities, main contractors, developers, manufacturers, energy companies, and professional firms. He has extensive experience in arbitration both domestically and internationally. He is regularly involved in arbitrations in foreign jurisdictions including Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Middle East, and in long running London arbitrations between non-UK parties. He is familiar with all forms of dispute resolution, including mediations (he is an accredited mediator) and expert determinations. He regularly acts in construction adjudications, both before adjudicators and in enforcement and other court proceedings. His practice has included numerous and frequent adjudications since the statute requiring adjudication first came into force.

Rónán has broad experience in a wide range of construction and engineering disputes. Both as sole counsel and junior counsel, he has represented employers, contractors, subcontractors, architects and engineers in Court proceedings, domestic and international arbitrations, and adjudications. Rónán has particular experience in high-value international arbitrations concerning infrastructure and energy projects and involving complex issues of technical evidence and law.

Rupert has specialised since 1997 in construction, engineering, PFI/PPP, energy and similar disputes. He has considerable experience in related claims involving professional negligence as well as bonds and guarantees. He has worked on disputes concerning projects in over 50 jurisdictions, with most of them governed by the local law. He is an experienced advocate from the English Court of Appeal to arbitration venues around the world. Rupert is a practising arbitrator and has sat in ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIAC and ad hoc arbitrations. He has also acted as the expert in expert determinations. In addition, Rupert is a CEDR accredited mediator. Rupert teaches on the MSc in Construction Law & Dispute Resolution at King’s College, London.

Ryan Turner has significant experience in a wide range of construction and commercial disputes. He maintains an active court-based practice in trials and interlocutory applications alongside his work as a led junior. As junior counsel Ryan has acted in several disputes arising out of national and international infrastructure projects and has experience of advising as sole counsel in a range of construction claims. He has particular experience in transport infrastructure projects having been instructed as junior counsel on several arbitrations concerning ultra-high-value transport developments in the Middle East. He also has considerable PFI experience and has been instructed on disputes concerning fire safety defects and social infrastructure such as hospital complexes. Ryan is familiar with a broad range of standard form and bespoke contracts used across the spectrum of construction projects, including the JCT, NEC and FIDIC forms. He also has significant experience in claims brought by or against the National House Building Council, the market-leading insurer and warranty provider for new-build and refurbished properties in the UK. He is regularly instructed to advise in respect of adjudications, including providing early-stage advice in respect of final account and “smash and grab” payment notice disputes. Ryan is also a keen follower of academic developments in construction law. In 2018 he received 2nd prize in the annual Hudson Essay Competition run by the Society of Construction Law for his paper titled ‘Hanging by a slender thread: Design obligations in construction contracts following MT Højgaard v E.ON’. This paper was presented to the SCL at the National Liberal Club. Ryan is also a contributor to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor’s isurv platform as the author of the section on Corporate Manslaughter.

Samar Abbas Kazmi specialises in commercial, construction and technology disputes. Samar has a broad domestic practice as well as being particularly well-respected internationally where he has developed an excellent international arbitration practice. He has been involved in disputes concerning parties in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and the Caribbean, and has particular expertise in technically complex matters concerning large developments and infrastructure projects, energy and cross-border litigation. As an advocate, he has experience of handling disputes arising from joint ventures, long-term commercial relationships and infrastructure projects. Samar is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management, University College London, where he teaches contract administration and law.

Sebastian Pigott is described as “an intelligent and considered thinker” who is “very user-friendly and pro-active. Hard-working, sensible, common sense but with good and bright ideas – also sticks to his guns in all respects.” He is described also as “helpful and friendly, very technically and strategically sound and someone who always thinks about the ultimate outcome” and as “thorough and efficient, and excellent at cross-examination and in court” with “substantial experience, being a solicitor-turned-barrister” and a “down-to-earth approach”. Sebastian is also described as “a formidable advocate” who is “practical, helpful and good value”. Sebastian, formerly a solicitor, started to practise at the Bar in 2004, and has over twenty-five years’ experience in construction law. He appears in court, arbitrations, adjudication hearings and has experience of construction-related inquests. He regularly attends mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution meetings with clients.

Serena Cheng QC is a commercial litigation and arbitration specialist whose practice focuses on technically and legally complex energy, engineering and infrastructure disputes. She is an experienced trial advocate who has represented a wide range of client both domestically and internationally, with a particular emphasis on the Far East and Middle East. 

Shourav is a specialist construction and international arbitration lawyer with over 20 years of experience advising on energy and infrastructure disputes. He represents clients in the onshore and offshore oil & gas, petrochemicals, power, infrastructure and building sectors on the procurement, design, engineering and construction of major projects. He has also represented Asian companies in investigations and sanctions proceedings brought by the World Bank. Shourav has practised law in Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Dubai and Beijing. He has appeared as counsel in court, arbitrations and mediations in South Asia, Asia-Pacific, the Gulf States and Europe. In addition to England and Wales, he is qualified to practice in Singapore and Hong Kong, and also has full rights of audience in the Dubai International Financial Centre. He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators, on the panel of arbitrators of DIAC and BANI (Indonesia’s National Arbitration Centre) and on the Advisory Council of the Nani Palkhivala Arbitration Centre. Shourav teaches arbitration on Hong Kong University’s LLM course in Alternative Dispute Resolution and at the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators International Entry Course and Fellowship Assessment Course.

Simon Lofthouse QC is widely-recognised as a leading domestic and international lawyer with particular expertise in construction, energy, natural resources and professional negligence.  His practice covers international and domestic litigation and arbitration acting for governments, corporations and professionals. The range of disputes frequently involves engineering or construction projects, transport, professional negligence, information technology or energy projects. He is particularly experienced in the presentation and conduct of complex cases, especially those involving delay analysis, contractual interpretation, allegations of professional negligence issues including defective design, expert determinations and final accounts, or disputed technical issues (including fraud). The range of disputes covered is extensive, examples include large commercial developments both domestically and internationally (new-build and refurbishment), complex infrastructure works, including track installation, repair and upgrading, IT systems and installations, powers station disputes (both as to construction and operation including waste-to-energy plants), waste and water treatment technology, oil and gas platforms, piling operations onshore and offshore, construction of roads and ships, PFI/PPP, pipe laying, tunnels, pumping stations, coastal defences and effluent, and airport terminals. His experience spans the range of different forums including mediation, adjudication, expert determination, domestic and international arbitration, and commercial court litigation. Much of his work is international in nature and throughout his career he has advised on, and appeared as advocate in, disputes in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East (he is qualified to practice in the DIFC, Dubai), and across Asia. He has been appointed by the ICC and other domestic and international bodies both as arbitrator and as legal and dispute resolution expert. Simon also accepts appointments either as a sole arbitrator or as part of a panel and is, of course, familiar with the established domestic and international rules.  

Simon specialises in the construction and engineering and energy sectors representing contractors, manufacturers, private employers and their professional advisers in all forms of dispute resolution, including both domestic and international arbitration, domestic court litigation, mediation and adjudication. In addition to giving tactical advice, Simon regularly drafts pleadings, and acts as sole and junior counsel in applications and trials in large complex commercial and construction related disputes. He has a reputation for being able to quickly grasp the technical issues in a case.

Widely regarded as a leader in her field, Stephanie’s expertise lies in civil engineering and construction disputes. Her practice is broad based and comprises construction, civil and geotechnical engineering involving landslip/subsidence and augured/bored piles, mechanical and electrical engineering and infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, mass transit railroads, on and off shore refineries and biofuels plants, ship building and refits, wind farms, IT problems in computer automated cranes and trains, and procurement including major PFI projects such as hospitals and schools. Her practice also extends to military equipment such as man-portable, automated bomb diffusing equipment, battleships and nuclear bunkers. Stephanie appears as an advocate in the Technology & Construction Courts, the Commercial Court, the Chancery Division and the Court of Appeal as well as in international and domestic arbitrations. She also has considerable experience in alternative dispute resolution methods including adjudication and mediation, including acting as a mediator. She also sits as an arbitrator, including ICC such as a recent panel in relation to the design of one of the locks on the Panama Canal. Stephanie appeared for the manufacturer of both trains and the signal in the Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry. She is currently representing the larger of the two groups of victims (survivors, bereaved relatives and former residents of Grenfell Tower) in The Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry, a group represented by three firms of solicitors. In 2019 she was appointed by the Board of one of the UK’s largest volume housebuilders, Persimmon plc, to lead an independent review to assess its customer care, culture and operations, including workmanship standards, which reported to the Board and the findings of which were published in December 2019. Stephanie was appointed to the Board of the International Quality Building Centre in 2020. Stephanie has represented the UK government and foreign governments, as well as a wide variety of other clients in high-value and complex claims. Key cases include: BHC Ltd v Galliford Try Infrastructure Ltd (t/a Morrison Construction) [2018] EWHC 368 (TCC) the development of a gas processing plant in the Laggan-Tormore fields off the Shetland Isles: one of the biggest UK construction projects at the time; Vivergo v Redhall [2013] EWHC 4030(TCC) establishing grounds for wrongful termination of contract based on inadequate contractual notices having been given; R&C Engineers v Shaylor [2012] EWHC 1254 establishing entitlement to set-off against an adjudicator’s decision; seminal case establishing an adjudicator has no right to adjudicate an account of any net balance due on set-off under rule 4.90 of the Insolvency Rules (Enterprise Managed Services v Tony McFadden Utilities [2009] EWHC 3222(TCC)); and seminal case in the Court of Appeal on the ability to preserve a right of set-off despite settlement as cited in Foskett on Compromise (London & Regional (St Georges Court) v MOD [2008] EWCA civ 1212).

Stephen is a leading specialist in the construction and civil engineering, energy and utilities, and the transport sectors together with related areas such as public procurement of infrastructure projects and insurance. He has conducted numerous substantial and complex cases in the High Court and in domestic and international arbitration, having extensive experience under the ICC, LCIA and SIAC rules. He is also frequently consulted to advise on, and to represent clients in, the resolution of disputes through alternative procedures including expert determination, mediation and adjudication. In addition to his experience as an advocate, Stephen has been appointed as an adjudicator particularly with regard to high-value infrastructure projects and retail developments, and also as an expert. He has accepted invitations to determine or assist in the resolution of disputes through a process of expert determination as well as having been appointed as an expert on the Law of England and Wales in foreign proceedings.In addition to the above Stephen has been invited to lecture internationally in the Far East and North America.

Steven Walker QC specialises in advising and representing parties to complex commercial contracts relating to a wide range of subject matter including the design and delivery of buildings, oil and gas installations, power generation plant, process and engineering plant, ships, IT systems, telecommunications systems, PFI/PPP, facilities management and professional services. Steven has extensive experience in the energy sector having been heavily involved in a number of projects concerning the design and construction of offshore wind farms, energy from waste plants and other forms of renewable energy. Transport-related projects have formed an important part of Steven’s practice over the past 25 years. His first case in the sector concerned the Eurostar high-speed train sets and since then he has been involved in numerous projects in the road, rail and air sectors including the construction of the HS1 high-speed rail link, airport runways and other airport infrastructure, overground and underground rail and tram systems, road construction/extension, and communication systems. He has appeared as advocate in the Technology and Construction Court (TCC), the Court of Appeal, numerous arbitrations (including ICC, DIAC, UNCITRAL, HKIAC, LCIA and LMAA) and adjudications, and in expert determination and mediation. His arbitration experience includes substantial international experience.

Stuart Catchpole QC is recognised as one of the leading advocates at the modern Bar, both internationally and in the UK. He has been consistently identified in the domestic and international legal directories as one of the best dispute lawyers in a variety of different fields including energy & natural resources, international commercial arbitration, construction & engineering, insurance and professional negligence. He is a Fellow of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Notre Dame University, Sydney, Australia.

  Sir Thayne Forbes is an arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator and chair of high profile public inquiries. Following a successful career at the bar from 1966 to 1990, becoming Queen’s Counsel in 1984, he was made Official Referee from 1990 to 1993. He was then appointed as a High Court Judge and assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division and 2 years later as Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit until 1999. From 2001 to 2004 he was the judge in charge of the Technology and Construction Court. He was then Chair to the Working Group set up by the Judges’ Council to report on judicial welfare and support in 2005/6 and following the Working Group’s report was asked to Chair the Judges’ Council’s Standing Committee on judicial welfare and support. This committee has produced two further reports. At the request of the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Thayne continues to act as the chair of the Standing Committee and as the person with portfolio responsibility for judicial welfare for England and Wales. He retired from the High Court Bench in January 2009.  

Zulfikar practices across all areas of the construction, engineering, energy and IT sectors in both the domestic and international context. His practice combines substantial UK infrastructure projects (with a number under PFI) along with major projects in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. His recent experiences includes projects relating to major hospitals, airports, city centre transport, oil refineries and energy plants. He has a particular focus on large, technically complex, international disputes. He has been instructed in as counsel in a range of dispute resolution procedures including litigation, arbitration, adjudication and mediation. He has experience in advising and drafting pleadings in relation to all aspects of his practice. As part of his role he has been asked to advise on tactical as well as legal issues and is experienced in pre-action matters. He is regularly instructed as both junior and sole counsel, and has appeared in a number of trials in both court and arbitration, as well as at various interim hearings. In addition to purely legal and tactical issues, he has been involved in cases dealing with a wide range of highly technical issues in the construction and engineering sector. His experience extends to cases requiring the involvement of multiple experts in a number of different disciplines and in particular experts dealing with architectural, engineering, fire safety, delay and quantum issues.