Simon Hughes QC is a specialist silk in major construction, engineering, shipbuilding and other off-shore and energy related disputes was recently awarded “Construction and Energy Silk of the Year” for 2019 by the Legal 500. He comes recommended for his client-focused approach, understanding of the technicalities of disputes and his “exceptional” advocacy, cross-examination, and advice. Simon has been fortunate to have acted on some of the largest, and most challenging, heavy civil engineering disputes of the day (including a great deal of highway/highway infrastructure and associated geotechnical work).

Simon has been involved in disputes involving most standard form contracts used for substantial projects including the JCT standard forms, ICE 5th and 6th editions, the NEC, IChemE, FIDIC (Green, Red, Yellow and Silver Books), and derivative standard form agreements. He has particular experience of FIDIC forms and the NEC. In terms of types of dispute, Simon has particular experience of international power-plant disputes, major infrastructure projects and shipbuilding work, particularly in the Far East, and in disputes where the governing law is not English law. He has represented and advised clients on disputes in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Australia, Dubai and other parts of the UAE, various islands within the Caribbean and New Zealand. Simon has significant experience of working with Korean clients, and particular major Korean contractors, in connection with the mega-projects in which they are often play a crucial role. He has also been admitted to the Bar in Trinidad & Tobago and New Zealand for specific cases.

Whilst a lot of Simon’s work involves arbitration – and he has experience of over 20 different national legal systems being the law of the contract – he is also well-known as a court advocate, both in the TCC and Commercial Court in London, and has been successful in a large number of reported cases.

Disputes in the energy sector are a central part of Simon’s practice as a senior QC. Simon’s dispute and advisory practice encompasses construction of power-generating facilities across the whole spectrum of fuels; transportation and sale of oil, gas and electricity; drilling and exploration disputes; and nuclear new-build and decommissioning disputes. He has recently been selected as the QC to work alongside NNB Genco (HPC) as their project to build two new nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point C in Somerset takes shape.

Public Access Training, 2015 Queen Counsel, 2011 Judicial Assistant to the Court of Appeal, 1997 Keating Chambers, 1996 Called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn), 1995

German.

Member of the Society of Construction Law Member of Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR) Member of Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)

Magdalen College, Oxford (Scholar Double 1st Class).

Opera, ballet, all things German, a bit of gym.