Keating Chambers

Fionnuala McCredie was called to the Bar in 1992 and specialises in the fields of construction and engineering, public procurement, energy, environment and professional negligence related claims and insurance disputes.

Fionnuala’s practice covers a wide range of advocacy, advisory and drafting for both domestic and international clients. Her advocacy expertise has led her to regularly act for clients in the High Court, especially the Technology and Construction Court, as well as the Court of Appeal and appear before arbitrators, adjudicators and other tribunals. She is a CEDR certified mediator and a very experienced mediation advocate. Her mediation experience extends to international mediations and she has recently conducted several mediations virtually

“Held in high esteem for her busy procurement practice”, Fionnuala acts for challengers, contracting authorities and successful tenderers in a wide range of procurement disputes. Significant cases in which she has appeared include the 2019 Rail Franchising Litigation (named by The Lawyer as one of it’s Top 20 Cases of 2020), in very substantial court challenges by Stagecoach, Virgin and Arriva to their disqualifications from rail franchising competitions, CAF v HS2, in a challenge against exclusion at qualification stage in the competition for the HS2 rolling stock, Cemex v Network Rail concerning the procurement for the design and build of a concrete sleeper manufacturing facility, and Marine Specialised Technology v the Secretary of State for Defence, Roche Diagnostics Ltd v The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Pearson Vue v Minister for the Cabinet Office on early and specific disclosure in procurement cases.

Fionnuala’s construction practice has involved disputes related to commercial and domestic property, structural glass and cladding, railways, roads, mining, water, marine and aviation hardware disputes, dredging and marine engineering, process plants and IT disputes. Her key recent construction cases include the high profile case of Eurocom v Siemens where the court found a strong prima facie case of fraudulent misrepresentation in an adjudicator’s appointment. She is also instructed in a large volume of PFI disputes in rail, healthcare and leisure sectors, including advising Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority on the termination of its Recycling and Waste Management PFI with Viridor Laing in 2017.

Clients credit Fionnuala for her dedication to achieving results and passion for protecting their interests. Her understanding of their commercial objectives, coupled with her technical brilliance in even the most complex of cases mean “those who know her will not even consider using anyone else.” She is recommended as a leading silk for procurement and construction in both the Chambers UK and Legal 500 UK Bar guides.

CEDR Accredited Mediator, 2014 Silk, 2013 Bencher, Middle Temple 2010 Keating Chambers, 2008 3 Serjeants’ Inn Up to 2008 Called to the Bar (Middle Temple), 1992

Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR) Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR) London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association Society of Construction Law

North London Collegiate School; Manchester University (1986 BSc Hons); Brunel University (1990 MA Hons); Middlesex Polytechnic (1991 CPE).

Fionnuala enjoys skiing, rock climbing, running and family life with her children.