Keating Chambers

Tom has a broad and busy practice across Chambers’ main specialisms. These include construction and engineering, adjudication, professional negligence, and procurement. He accepts instructions to advise, draft, and provide representation at all stages of litigation or other dispute resolution process, and particularly relishes being on his feet having gained extensive advocacy experience both prior to and during his time at Keating Chambers. He joined Chambers following the successful completion of his pupillage in 2022.

Recent experience as sole counsel includes:

Successfully enforced an adjudicator’s award where enforcement was resisted on the basis of various jurisdictional grounds and allegations of fraud. Secured costs on the indemnity basis.

Represented the Defendant an international arbitration in Singapore concerning a contract dispute worth approximately $2.4 million. This included a two-day final hearing.

Represented the Claimant in an international arbitration in the UAE concerning a dispute over a performance guarantee, with a three-day final hearing. This included conducting the cross-examination of several witnesses of fact and an expert witness.

Successful application in the High Court for an ex parte interim prohibitory injunction restraining a trespass and an ex parte interim mandatory injunction requiring a contractor to make safe the roof of the applicant’s property. This involved appearing in three separate hearings.

Recent experience as junior counsel includes:

Represented the Respondent in an adjudication concerning a delay claim (led by Jonathan Selby KC).

Represented a high net worth individual in a domestic arbitration concerning a professional negligence claim arising out of defective works to a residential property (led by Lucy Garett KC).

Represented HS2 (led by Sarah Hannaford KC) in a procurement challenge brought in relation to a £2.75bn rolling stock contract. This included a 4-week TCC trial and two strike out applications.

Represented the Respondent in a £200 million ICC Arbitration concerning a project in the Middle East (led by Will Webb KC).

Appeared in the Court of Appeal representing Lancashire County Council in an appeal concerning a limitation defence under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (led by Rhodri Williams KC).

Before coming to the Bar, Tom worked as a county court advocate for a law firm, LPC law. During this time Tom would conduct several hearings a week in his own right in relation to mortgage possession; landlord and tenant possession; infant settlement; setting aside default judgment; and bankruptcy. Whilst studying for the Bar Course, Tom represented his Inn of Court, Middle Temple, in the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. This saw Tom compete in several European countries over the course of the year and win two awards for his advocacy.

Tom is also a contributor to Keating on Construction Contracts, and the Construction Law Reports.

English, French (basic)