Derek Pye > Chambers of David Berkley KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Derek Pye

Work Department

Construction and engineering; Mediation.

Position

Derek Pye is a Chartered arbitrator (since 1998); registered adjudicator; advocate; expert determiner and accredited mediator of the CIArb.

Derek’s main activity is as sole arbitrator or adjudicator and has produced some 100 arbitration awards and over 150 adjudicator’s decisions without ever being overturned.

He accepts appointments mainly in construction, engineering, general commercial disputes and aviation law related matters.

Derek is a multi-engine, instrument rated commercial pilot. He was consultant construction expert in the BBC third series of Rogue Traders and made personal television appearances in two of the programmes in the series.

CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING

Derek is a practising Barrister, Arbitrator, Adjudicator Mediator and Expert Witness as well as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor.

His career in the construction industry has spanned decades working for contracting and consultancy organisations in the UK and overseas including the USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy and in Saudi Arabia with French, Italian and Korean contractors.

Derek’s early experience in the architectural field included eight years spent in the planning, design and on and off-site supervision of major housing schemes.  This was followed by a career move into quantity surveying, firstly in housing, but later, and more predominantly, into the industrial and commercial sectors.

His contracting experience with major UK and French international building and civil engineering companies was broad and he advised UK design and build contractors and specialist structural steelwork companies, on contracts with values in excess of £1,500 million.

Derek’s current consultancy experience involves the management and resolution of construction and engineering disputes by negotiation, mediation, conciliation, adjudication, litigation and arbitration, with disputed amounts in excess of £40 million.

Derek prepares Expert Reports on behalf of clients in contemplation of litigation and arbitration.  He has acted as an expert witness in construction disputes on multi-million pound quantum matters and planning inquiries and been subject to cross-examination by Counsel in arbitration and the TCC.

Arbitration

Various appointments including Arbitrator in SGL Carbon Fibers Ltd v RBG Ltd [2012] CSOH 19

Expert Witness

Derek was instructed as an Expert on behalf of Motherwell Bridge in the TCC case of Motherwell Bridge Ltd v Micafil Vacuumtechnik. He was instructed on behalf of DEFRA in Ruttle Plant Ltd v DEFRA (SoSFE)

Adjudication

Derek has been appointed as Adjudicator to on a £3m dispute on a holiday centre complex concerning the supply and erection of modular units relating to alleged delays and consequent losses and damages.

MEDIATION

Derek is an accredited mediator of the CIArb.

Career

Year of call 2008, Lincoln’s Inn.

Memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS)
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
• Member of the Academy of Experts (formerly the British Academy of Experts) (MAE)
• Chartered Arbitrator
• Registered Adjudicator
• CIArb Accredited Mediator
• Commercial Pilot

Education

LLB Hons