Keating Chambers

Veronique Buehrlen KC has a wide-ranging commercial litigation, international arbitration and advisory practice with special emphasis on complex energy disputes, construction and engineering (both on and offshore). Her unique practice spans working as an International Arbitrator, Leading Counsel and Deputy High Court Judge.  As counsel, Veronique is known for her meticulous preparation of complex, highly detailed, matters requiring penetrating and determined cross examination of expert and other witnesses. As an International Arbitrator, Veronique is known for being fair, thoughtful and measured.  She has a wealth of experience of the workings of the Technology and Construction Court (in which she also sits), of the Commercial Court and of various international arbitral fora. As an expert in energy construction disputes Veronique represents parties in substantial litigation. She (for instance) represented the main contractor in a € billion ICC arbitration following the suspension and subsequent termination of the South Stream gas pipeline project.

Veronique is recommended by the leading directories for her energy, construction, and international arbitration counsel work, and as an international arbitrator. In these guides she receives praise from those she has worked with for getting “on top of complex cases in an incredibly short time” and “working at the coal face of the dispute”. Clients appreciate her “strong commercial perspective” and forensic approach to cases, and describe Veronique as a “ferocious cross-examiner” with a “razor-sharp brain” and “laser focus on the fine detail”. Veronique was shortlisted by The Legal 500 for their prestigious “international arbitration counsel of the year” (2019) and “arbitrator of the year” awards (2022).

Veronique specialises in all aspects of energy and construction disputes including termination, suspension, rights to payment, varied work, force majeure, frustration, delay and disruption and defective works. Her experience spans the full spectrum of commercial litigation encompassing major trials, jurisdiction and applicable law disputes, preliminary issues and interim relief. Veronique has worked (as counsel and International Arbitrator) on disputes arising out of projects worldwide including in (or offshore) Scotland, France, Italy, Slovakia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Mozambique, Nigeria, Guinea, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia and Kazakhstan.

As an international arbitrator, Veronique sits both as Chair and Tribunal Member and receives both party and institutional appointments.  Her appointments include a broad spectrum of construction and energy disputes, as well as commercial disputes in other fields (including insurance, aviation, joint ventures, sale of goods and commodities). Veronique is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the ICC’s Commission on Arbitration and ADR and of the ICC’s task force on maximizing the probative value of witness evidence and a member of the SIAC Arbitrator Panel. She has experience of most institutional rules (ICC, LCIA, SIAC, UNCITRAL etc) as well as ad hoc arrangements.

In May 2017 Veronique was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge and now sits regularly in the Technology & Construction Court on a broad range of cases. As judge, arbitrator and leading counsel Veronique has an in depth understanding of the litigation and decision making processes.  As leading counsel, Veronique fully comprehends what a Court or Tribunal requires to reach the right decision.  As judge and arbitrator, she remains mindful of the challenges and pressures facing the parties and their representatives.

Deputy High Court Judge, Queen’s Bench Division, 2017 Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 2013 Keating Chambers, 2011-present Queen’s Counsel, 2010 Fountain Court Chambers, 1991-2011 Called to the Bar, 1991 Prior to being called to the Bar, Veronique worked with KPMG’s Strategic Consultancy team.

Bilingual French/English

Queen Mothers’ Scholar (Middle Temple), 1990- 1991 Diploma in Law, City University, Distinction, 1990 MA Hons. St Andrews, First Class (French and International Relations), 1988