John Denis-smith

John joined Thirty Nine Essex Street in 2006. His practice focuses primarily on construction and commercial disputes. He started his career at the bar with pupillage at 5 Bell Yard and Keating Chambers before moving to the litigation department at Herbert Smith and specialist construction firm Fenwick Elliott. John is dual-qualified as a barrister and solicitor and has returned to the Bar in 2006 where his practice has flourished both domestically and internationally. Due to his prior experience as a solicitor his advice is cost-effective and focused on results for his clients. He was advocate in a $1bn ICC international arbitration arising out of disputes concerning the construction of an oil pipeline in the Middle East and has advised in relation to the resolution of a dispute concerning the construction of a hotel in the UAE. He has considerable experience of construction and related professional negligence cases, including: (1) Tradebe Solvent Recycling Ltd (formerly Solvent Resource Management Ltd) v Coussens of Bexhill Ltd [2013] EWHC 3786 (QB), a claim for remedial costs arising out of the collapse of a crane at a refinery; (2) Berry Piling Systems v Sheer Projects [2012] EWHC 241 (TCC) 141 CON LR 225, successfully enforcing an adjudicator’s decision in the face of defence seeking to resist enforcement on natural justice grounds and the alleged insolvency of the claimant; (3) Aldersgate Estates Ltd v Ham Construction Ltd [2013] EWHC 104 (TCC) (31 January 2013), acting in a professional negligence action, in which the TCC has given the leading case on the appropriateness of ordering hearing of preliminary issues.

St John’s College, University of Oxford (BA first class Honours in English Language and Literature); King’s College London (MSc with distinction in Construction Law and Arbitration); Postgraduate law studies at City University and Inns of Court School of Law.